Is A Passport Really Necessary? Car hire requirements can be quite a tricky subject and a bit of a minefield to work your way around and the slightest of mistakes can leave you stranded without a car. In the United Kingdom they are especially strict on the identification required. It differs on the identification you need however if you are living in the UK or if you are flying in from another country.
In regards to whether you can actually hire a car without a passport you can if you are a UK resident however you have to prove that you are. You are required to have both parts of your licence and another form of ID which can vary but something like a utility bill will do the trick as long as it is dated within the last three months. Some of the more strict suppliers do actually require even if you are a UK resident for you to have a passport, however if you let us know before booking the vehicle then we can arrange your car hire with a different supplier.
If you are planning to travel to the United Kingdom from another country then you WILL require a passport, this can also be said if you are living in the country but don’t have a proof of address. If you are arriving from overseas then you are required to present both parts of your licence, return flight details and your passport. Again with this some suppliers are more strict than others but there are however some companies that will allow you to have an EU ID card instead of a passport given of course you are flying from within the EU but for this you will need to contact us directly.
Please make sure that you always speak to our reservation agents if you are unsure instead of just booking online. We are happy to help answer any questions that you may have an get you booked in, if you want more information on this then please call us on +44 (0)113 880 0748 or email us at sales@thealternativeagency.co.uk.
