What You Need to Rent a Car in Australia: Renter's Checklist
You need a current licence for the type of car, and on an overseas licence that isn't in English, a translation or International Driving Permit. Age limits, card rules and bonds are set by each rental company, so they vary.
What do you need to rent a car in Australia? By law, only one thing: a current licence that covers the type of car you're driving, plus an English translation or International Driving Permit if your licence isn't in English. Everything else on a rental company's list, such as a minimum age, how long you've held your licence, a credit card or a bond, is that company's own rule, and those rules vary a lot between companies.
Knowing which is which saves time. If a company turns you away for being 23 or for having green P-plates, that is a company policy, and another company may accept you. If your licence is the wrong class or has expired, no rental company can help. This checklist separates the two, using the Victorian rules and real company terms we checked on 3 October 2026.
What documents do you need to rent a car in Australia?
Here is the full list, split between what the law requires on the road and what rental companies typically add.
| Item | Required by law or by the company? | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| A current driver licence for the vehicle type | Law | Needed by every company and on every drive |
| English translation or International Driving Permit | Law, if your licence isn't in English | Carry it with your licence whenever you drive |
| Physical licence card | Company | Many companies want the card itself; rules on digital licences vary |
| Minimum age and licence tenure | Company | Commonly 21 or older at big brands, with extra limits under 25 |
| Credit or debit card | Company | Big brands usually want a physical card in your name for holds |
| Bond or security deposit | Company | A card hold or a refundable bond, depending on the business |
| Proof of address or extra ID | Company | Sometimes asked of local renters |
On the road, the Victorian rules are short. VicRoads says you can drive on an overseas licence if it is current, it covers the type of vehicle you are driving, and you plan to live and drive in Victoria for less than six months. Probationary and learner conditions travel with you too: Transport Victoria says that if you're an interstate driver in Victoria, the conditions on your licence still apply.
Is a digital licence accepted, or do you need the card?
On the road in Victoria, a digital licence is fine. VicRoads says your digital licence is legally recognised in Victoria and can be used to prove your right to drive. It's available in the myVicRoads app or through Service Victoria, for learner permits, probationary licences and full licences.
At a rental counter, it's the company's decision. VicRoads itself notes that it may take time for some businesses to update their processes to accept digital licences. VicRoads also recommends carrying your plastic licence when travelling interstate, or anywhere your phone may lose coverage or battery.
Company rules show the range. Avis Australia, for example, says it may accept digital licences issued in Victoria if they meet its security requirements, checks them live at the counter, and won't accept a screenshot or a photo of a physical licence. Other companies may only accept the card.
We check the front and back of a physical licence at pickup. If you only have a digital licence, ask us when you request a car, before pickup day.
What is the minimum age to rent a car?
The road rules set the age for getting a licence, not for renting. The minimum rental age is set by each company, often with extra limits on which vehicles younger drivers can take. As one example, Avis Australia's terms say:
- the minimum age is 21
- drivers under 25 can only rent certain car and van groups
- every driver needs a full licence, not a learner, provisional or restricted licence, held for at least 12 consecutive months.
That last rule shuts out P-platers completely, whatever their age. Other companies set different limits, so compare the written terms rather than assuming every company is the same.
We rent to licensed drivers aged 18 and over, including P-platers for any vehicle a probationary driver is allowed to drive.
Do you need a credit card, or will debit or bank transfer do?
Big brands usually ask for a physical card in your name, because they place a pre-authorisation hold on it. Avis Australia, for example, asks for a valid physical credit or debit card at the counter, and doesn't accept cards on phones or watches. If you pay at the counter with a debit card, Avis holds the estimated rental amount plus $200 for a standard car, and says the hold can take 5 to 10 business days to come back after the rental, depending on your bank.
Independent operators work differently. Many hold a refundable bond instead of relying on a card hold. With us, rent is billed weekly in advance and the bond is held as security, not charged as a fee. Our accepted payment methods for rent and bond aren't listed on the site, so ask us when you request. Our guide to what car rental costs in Dandenong shows what you pay before you drive away.
How much is the bond and when is it paid?
A card pre-authorisation and a bond do the same job: they protect the company if you leave owing money. The difference is how they are held and returned.
| Card pre-authorisation (typical big brand) | Refundable bond (our model) | |
|---|---|---|
| How it's taken | A hold on your card for the rental | Paid at pickup |
| How much | Set by the company's terms | $350 to $800 for cars (vans and minibuses $700 to $1,500), shown on every listing |
| When you get it back | Released by the bank, which can take several business days | Refunded within 30 days of return, sooner if nothing is outstanding |
| Deductions | As set out in the rental contract | Only actual, reasonable costs, itemised in writing with evidence |
Consumer Affairs Victoria says a hire company can only deduct charges after giving you an itemised bill and a reasonable chance to dispute it. Our guide to how rental bonds work explains what can be deducted and how to get your full bond back.
Key point: the law decides whether you can drive. The rental company decides whether you can rent. If one company's age, card or licence rule rules you out, read another company's written terms before giving up.
What changes for P-platers and overseas licence holders?
These are the two groups most often turned away, and the reasons are company policy rather than law.
P-plates
A probationary licence lets you drive a rental car legally, but your P-plate conditions come with you. Transport Victoria's rules for both P1 (red) and P2 (green) drivers include a zero blood alcohol limit, no use of a phone or portable device at all while driving, and no driving a probationary prohibited vehicle unless an exemption applies. P1 drivers also can't carry more than one peer passenger aged 16 to 21. You must display your plates on the front and back of the car, visible from at least 20 metres.
Many big brands require a full licence. We accept red and green P-plates, and rent to probationary drivers only where the vehicle is one a P-plater may lawfully drive in Victoria.
Overseas licences
VicRoads says an overseas licence works in Victoria if it's current, covers the vehicle type, and you've lived here for less than six months. The six months starts on the day you start living in Victoria, and leaving and coming back doesn't reset it. It doesn't work if you've been disqualified or suspended in any country, have failed any driving test in Victoria, or already hold a licence or permit from another Australian state or territory.
If your licence isn't in English, VicRoads says to carry an English translation or an International Driving Permit in English with it. We accept overseas licences on the same basis: bring the licence, plus an accredited translation or an IDP if it isn't in English. If you're staying beyond six months, plan to convert before your deadline, because no rental company can extend it.
What to bring on pickup day
Bring everything on this list, and the handover takes minutes rather than a second trip:
- Your physical driver licence, not a photo or a photocopy.
- An English translation or International Driving Permit, if your licence isn't in English.
- The bond and first payment, using the payment method you agreed when the booking was confirmed.
- Your phone, to take date-stamped photos of the car before you leave.
- P-plates, if you're on a probationary licence.
- Details of any additional driver. With us, additional drivers are allowed only if approved in writing, so ask before the day.
Both the ACCC and Consumer Affairs Victoria advise photographing the car, especially existing damage, and making sure that damage is recorded before you sign. Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests checking under the bumper bars, along the doors and inside the car. Our guide to picking up a rental from Dandenong South walks through the handover step by step.
How do the rules compare at a glance?
| Question | Avis Australia (as published) | Subhan Rental Services |
|---|---|---|
| P-plates | Not accepted; full licence held 12 months | Red and green accepted |
| Overseas licence | Accepted; translation or IDP if not in English | Accepted; translation or IDP if not in English |
| Minimum age | 21, with limits under 25 | Ask us when you request |
| Digital licence | May be accepted if it meets security checks | We check a physical card; ask us first |
| Payment security | Pre-authorisation hold on a physical card | Refundable bond, $350 to $800 for cars (vans and minibuses $700 to $1,500), shown on every listing |
| Rental length | Daily and longer | 1-month minimum, billed weekly, then 2 weeks' notice |
The last row matters. If you need a car for a weekend, a daily rental company will suit you better. If you need one for a month or more, weekly billing usually works out simpler. Our complete guide to car rental in Melbourne covers how the whole process works.
When you're ready, browse the vehicle list, where every car shows its weekly rent and bond, or contact us with your licence type and we'll tell you what applies before you request.
Questions people ask
Can I rent a car on a learner permit?
No. A learner must always drive with a supervising driver who holds a full licence, so a learner permit won't get you a rental car on its own. We accept full licences, red and green P-plates and overseas licences.
Do I need an International Driving Permit if my licence is in English?
No. VicRoads only requires an English translation or an International Driving Permit when your overseas licence isn't in English. Carry the licence itself whenever you drive.
Will a photo of my licence be accepted?
Generally not. Avis, for example, says a photo of a physical licence is not a valid digital licence, and screenshots aren't accepted. We check the front and back of the physical card at pickup.
Can a friend drive the car I rent?
Only if they are approved. With us, additional drivers must be approved in writing before they drive. Ask about the cost and what they need to bring when you request the car.
Is the bond the same as a deposit?
No. Our bond is held as security for amounts you might owe and isn't a fee. It is refunded within 30 days of return, with any deductions itemised in writing.
Sources
We checked the rules and figures in this guide against these official sources on 3 October 2026. Rules change, so confirm anything critical with the source before you rely on it.