Rental companies in Australia generally require drivers to be over 21 years of age. Some companies require the driver be over 25 and under 75. Surcharges may be payable for drivers aged 21 to 24 years old. Some suppliers of rental cars may forbid younger drivers from renting certain categories of vehicle, which is within their rights.
The driver must have a full license. If your license is expired, canceled or suspended, or does not cover the class of car you will be driving, you will be refused rental of the car. A foreign driver's license must be in English. If it is not, you must produce an International Driving Permit or an English translation of the license along with the original license.
In order to drive in Australia you must have insurance. The rental agency can provide you with this but can charge an excess in case of a claim. Insurance is invalid if an unlicensed person was driving the car.
It is possible to take a rental car across territorial borders in Australia. However, driving laws are controlled by each individual territory. For example, New South Wales operates a 50 kilometer per hour (km/h) speed limit in built up areas and a 40 km/h limit around schools in the morning and the afternoon. Their maximum highway speed is 100km/h and 110km/h on motorways and freeways. Rental agencies can give you information on your proposed route. Police regularly conduct speed checks on motorists.
Car rental drivers must also abide by Australian and Territory driving laws. For example, random alcohol breath tests are performed by police all over the country. It is an offense not to comply with these tests and an offense to have a blood alcohol of more than 0.05 grams per 100ml as of October 2010. Everybody must use seat belts at all times when in a car, and the driver must stop at the scene of an accident to render assistance if necessary. If there is any damage, personal injury or possible injury, the driver must report the accident immediately to the police and their insurer and give contact details to the other party involved.
