Adding a second driver to a rental car

Can someone else drive my rental car?

Yes, if they're approved first. At the time of writing our rental terms set it out in three places:

• [Clause 1.3](/terms#s1-the-agreement): "you" means the hirer named on the booking, and you are responsible for every authorised driver.
• [Clause 2.1](/terms#s2-drivers-and-eligibility): only you, and any driver we approve in writing, may drive the vehicle.
• [Clause 7.2](/terms#s7-use-of-the-vehicle): you must not let an unauthorised person drive.

So a partner, housemate or friend can share the driving, but the approval has to exist before they drive, and it has to be in writing. A text saying "my brother might drive at the weekend" sent on the Saturday morning isn't the same as having a reply approving him. Tell us who else will drive as early as you can, and if a second driver comes up mid-rental, contact us and wait for the written yes before they get in the driver's seat.

Who can be added as an extra driver?

Anyone who meets clause 2.2, the same test the hirer passes. Drivers aged 21 to 75 with a full licence held for at least 1 year (no learner or provisional licences). Age is checked against each driver, not the hirer, so a parent renting for the family can't add a child under 21, and a 30-year-old renting with a friend on green P-plates can't hand over for the last hour of a long drive.

A visiting partner or friend can drive on their overseas licence. Overseas licences are accepted, and years held on an overseas licence count towards the minimum; a licence not in English must be carried with an International Driving Permit or an accredited English translation. Years they've held a full licence back home count towards the licence-history rule. What the law asks of an overseas driver in Queensland is in driving on an overseas licence.

What happens if an unapproved person drives?

Three things, all from the rental terms at the time of writing:

1. The excess cap stops protecting you. Normally your liability for damage is limited to the A$2,500 excess per incident. Clause 9.3 says that limit doesn't apply where the loss arises from a breach of clause 2 or 7.2. Letting an unapproved person drive is both, so you'd be liable for the full loss and for anything our insurer refuses to pay.
2. We can end the rental. Under clause 11, a breach of clause 2 or 7.2 lets us end the rental and recover the car straight away.
3. You still answer for everything they did. Clause 1.3 makes the hirer responsible for every authorised driver, and clause 10.1 makes you responsible for fines and tolls during the rental, whoever was driving.

None of this depends on who was at fault in a crash. Approving every driver first is what keeps the excess limit in place whoever is driving.

Who pays the fines and tolls an extra driver runs up?

You do, as the hirer, under clause 10.1, which also lets us name you to the issuing authority as the person in charge of the car. If the other driver was behind the wheel, sort it out between you; the notice comes to you either way. How a fine reaches a renter, and the fee involved, is covered in fuel, parking and fines, and tolls in tolls in Brisbane.

Agree up front who pays for what: tolls on the trips they make, their share of fuel, and what happens if their driving costs part of the bond. It's an awkward conversation before the trip and a worse one after.

Does every driver need their licence with them?

Each driver should carry their own licence whenever they drive, because Queensland's rules differ by licence type:

Those 48 hours are something police may allow, not a reason to leave the card at home. On a long drive with two drivers, keep both licences in the car.

What should I ask any rental company about extra drivers?

The ACCC says a car hire contract explains who can drive the vehicle, what happens after a collision or breakdown and whether you're covered for liability, and recommends reading it before you sign. Its pre-hire questions include who is permitted to drive and whether there are gaps in the liability coverage.^[1] Applied to a second driver, that means asking:

• How is a driver approved, and in what form (an entry on the agreement, an email)?
• Does the second driver have to meet the same age and licence rules as me?
• Is there a charge per extra driver, and is it in the quote?
• What happens to my damage liability if an unlisted person drives?

The ACCC also says businesses must include all mandatory fees in the headline price and state liability exclusions clearly rather than burying them in fine print.^[1] At Rentzy, the answers to the first and last questions are clauses 2.1 and 9.3 above; the full rental conditions and fees and charges cover the rest.