UK car hire with spanish licence

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bernipops3
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UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby bernipops3 » Mon Aug 26, 2013 10:54 am

Has anyone used Enterprise Car Hire using their Spanish licence?

Many thanks

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gerryh
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby gerryh » Mon Aug 26, 2013 11:40 am

I've used Hertz with my Spanish driving licence.
Spanish driving licences should be valid anywhere within the EU and acceptable by any car hire company operating in the EU.
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby gus-lopez » Tue Aug 27, 2013 9:21 am

As Gerry says they are accepted . The only problem I found when attempting to rent in Germany 3 years ago was a spanish licence holder paid more than a UK licence holder ? :crazy:
& it was the same with all the companies I tried .
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Campo Steve
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Campo Steve » Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:39 am

I've rented from Enterprise at Bristol airport with my Spanish licence. No problem. EU licences are in standard format so should be accepted. The only time you should need an International Driving Permit (easily obtainable at DGT) is if wanting to drive in a non-EU country and then, possibly, if it isn't a Spanish speaking country. I needed one for New Zealand. Back on thread though, no problem with Enterprise in UK.
I've got an inferiority complex, but it's not a very good one!

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Campo Steve
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Campo Steve » Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:55 am

Strangely I have just come across this on the Enterprise help page:
International Driving Permit required with any non-European License or when the driver's license is in a language and/or in characters different to those of renting country.
All overseas renters require a passport as well as a driving license.
That would indicate you may need an IDP as the Spanish licence is in Spanish. I'm sure they didn't insist on one when I rented.

Another car hire site says that your licence should have your home address on it. Spanish ones don't so they recommend taking a recent utility bill with your address on it. Again, I wasn't asked for that either.

Those of us that like to cover all bases might get an IDP just in case, even if not officially required, to save any hassle, and take a utility bill. Guess it depends on who is on the desk at the time.

Can I suggest an email or phonecall to Enterprise to clarify their current policy?
I've got an inferiority complex, but it's not a very good one!

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby El Cid » Wed Aug 28, 2013 10:07 am

Conversely I have heard of people having problems with a UK license when they are resident in Spain.

The UK licence will show an old UK address (quite legitimately) but when the rental company check the address on the licence they find that you are no longer registered at that address and refuse the rental.

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby pete_l » Wed Aug 28, 2013 10:31 am

Campo Steve wrote:Strangely I have just come across this on the Enterprise help page:
International Driving Permit required with any non-European License or when the driver's license is in a language and/or in characters different to those of renting country.
All overseas renters require a passport as well as a driving license.
That would indicate you may need an IDP as the Spanish licence is in Spanish. I'm sure they didn't insist on one when I rented.

Another car hire site says that your licence should have your home address on it. Spanish ones don't so they recommend taking a recent utility bill with your address on it. Again, I wasn't asked for that either.

Those of us that like to cover all bases might get an IDP just in case, even if not officially required, to save any hassle, and take a utility bill. Guess it depends on who is on the desk at the time.

Can I suggest an email or phonecall to Enterprise to clarify their current policy?
Yes, it's an odd stipulation. It would mean that a brit, using a british licence couldn't hire a car in Spain as their licence would not be in the language of the renting country.
Not too long ago I rented a car (back in the UK) that stipulated you needed to bring a recent utility bill and CC statement showing the same address as on your licence before you could get one of their cars. Since the last thing I wanted was to be turned away when I got to their rental desk, I found some qualifying documents. Needless to say, when I got to their office, all they wanted was licence and credit card.

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby gerryh » Wed Aug 28, 2013 10:59 am

Campo Steve wrote:
International Driving Permit required with any non-European License or when the driver's license is in a language and/or in characters different to those of renting country.
All overseas renters require a passport as well as a driving license.
But as you pointed out earlier all EU issued licences are of a standard format.
My name, date of birth, photo, signature and classes of vehicle I can drive are exactly the same in any language.
Cheers
Gerry
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Mowser » Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:05 pm

bernipops3 wrote:Has anyone used Enterprise Car Hire using their Spanish licence?

Many thanks
Yes. No problem.
Dave

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Campo Steve
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Campo Steve » Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:20 pm

Out of interest I emailed Enterprise and asked them about using a Spanish licence. This is their reply:
Good Morning

Thank you for your email. Qualifications for rental:
Over the age of 25
Full valid driving license, with an additional international driving permit if the issued language is not in English.
Your passport and a flight document as Identification.
A major Debit/Credit in the drivers name to pay for the hire: including a deposit of £200

Kind Regards
So much for European harmony.
I've got an inferiority complex, but it's not a very good one!

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Mowser
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Mowser » Wed Aug 28, 2013 1:28 pm

I was in the UK a couple of years back. I went along to the Enterprise office and handed over my Spanish licence. No problem whatsoever. No translation needed. No international driving permit needed.
When I fly with Ryanair, I use Hertz as their office stays open (if you have a Ryanair flight) until one hour after touchdown. Likewise there has never been a problem with Spanish driving licence. Their site also says you need a Credit card. I don't possess one and there wasn't a problem offering my Debit card.
Dave

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby gus-lopez » Wed Aug 28, 2013 8:07 pm

Campo Steve wrote:Out of interest I emailed Enterprise and asked them about using a Spanish licence. This is their reply:
Good Morning

Thank you for your email. Qualifications for rental:
Over the age of 25
Full valid driving license, with an additional international driving permit if the issued language is not in English.
Your passport and a flight document as Identification.
A major Debit/Credit in the drivers name to pay for the hire: including a deposit of £200

Kind Regards
So much for European harmony.
It is illegal under EU law. The EU licence is standardised to be read by pictures & numbers.
make a complaint.
http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/help/index_en.htm
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby El Cid » Wed Aug 28, 2013 8:54 pm

Absolutely right. That's the whole point of having an EU licence. They are completely out of line.

Complain or go somewhere else.

Threaten them with the complaints book if they don't accept the licence.

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Nimrod » Wed Aug 28, 2013 9:58 pm

El Cid wrote:Absolutely right. That's the whole point of having an EU licence. They are completely out of line.

Complain or go somewhere else.

Threaten them with the complaints book if they don't accept the licence.

Sid
OP wants to hire in UK,there isn't gonna be a complaints book.

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby El Cid » Wed Aug 28, 2013 10:36 pm

Nimrod wrote:
OP wants to hire in UK,there isn't gonna be a complaints book.
There is bound to be some equivalent. Threaten to call the police.

Best solution is go somewhere else.

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masterob
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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby masterob » Wed Aug 28, 2013 10:45 pm

You report them the Local Authority Trading Standards office.

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Nimrod » Wed Aug 28, 2013 11:53 pm

If it's EU that'll be the Thought Police then :)

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby Parilla » Thu Aug 29, 2013 6:10 am

Enterprise is a Yank owned operation, so you can't expect them to understand anything that goes on outside the good ol' US of A.

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby MartinEB » Thu Aug 29, 2013 7:19 am

I have used my Spanish driving licence many times without any problem at Europa car Gatwick - very straightforward. However, the last time I did so, a lady in the queue next to me, English with a Spanish driving licence, was asked for her Spanish Residencia Certificate as proof of address in Spain as the Spanish driving licence has no address on it. I can only assume that it was the first time she had used Europa car and they had no address for her in their system?

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Re: UK car hire with spanish licence

Postby bernipops3 » Thu Aug 29, 2013 10:58 am

Thank you all very much for taking the trouble to respond to my question. You have all been very helpful.

Bernipops
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