Renting a Car in Ireland Guide (Written By an Irish Gal)

There are heaps of articles on the internet about renting a car in Ireland – it is, after all, one of the most scenic countries in the world to take a road trip, but at the same time, it’s one of the most notoriously difficult countries to drive in!

And seeing as there’s so much information out there about renting a car in Ireland, why should you trust my advice?!

Well, I grew up in Ireland (I lived 20+ years here) before moving abroad for over 10 years – so you see, I’m well used to the roads here, and because I lived away for so long, I understand how difficult driving in Ireland can be. And I’ve also rented cars here heaps of times, as I needed one when I came home to visit my family, so I know all about the procedures for renting a car here.

Anyways, what you can read about in the blog post is what you can expect when driving in Ireland, as well as what you can expect/ what you’ll need when renting a car here.

Why you should rent a car in Ireland:

Ireland is known as one of the most stunningly beautiful countries in the world. And the best way to get to its hidden gem spots is by hiring a car. You see, public transport in Ireland is limited and typically only travels between the major towns, villages, and cities in the country!

And one of the best things about having a car in Ireland is that you will be able to go wherever you want, whenever you want, without being constrained by the timetable of a guided tour.

If you’re a semi-confident driver, it is 100% worth renting a car in Ireland – I honestly don’t recommend driving here if you’re a nervous driver or are only used to driving motorways. That’s because the best spots in Ireland are usually found at the end of a narrow, winding road – and you kinda need nerves of steel to drive most of the rural roads here.

When we’ve rented a car here, we booked through Discover Cars – which is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after. I’ve tried many times to rent directly with the companies, and it took me a long time to filter through each company. 

What You Need to Rent a Car in Ireland

The most important thing you will need if renting a vehicle in Ireland is a valid driver’s license. No company will allow you to do so without one. If you are driving with an American license or hold one from the UK or Australia, make sure the license number and photo are clearly visible.

However, if you are traveling from a non-English-speaking country, you might want to get an international driver’s license to make the rental process easier.

It is worth noting that while the official driving age in Ireland is 17, you will find it difficult to find a car hire company that will rent a vehicle to anyone under the age of 25.

Each company has different terms and conditions, so you should be fully aware of them. Additionally, you might also need a valid credit card if you don’t take out full coverage car insurance with the rental company. Rental companies will want to keep a credit card on file as a holding deposit.

If you have a debit card, you will be charged a holding fee of €250. Please note that some companies do not accept a debit card.

Explaining Car rental insurance in Ireland:

This is where many tourists get confused because car rental companies in Ireland offer several types of insurance coverage.

Third Party Insurance:

Third-party insurance is covered by law under your car rental price here in Ireland. It basically covers damage to someone else’s car and any injury to that driver.

Collision Damage Waiver/ Super Collision Damage Waiver:

The most common cause of confusion is the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), which is charged on a per-day basis. This limits your financial liability for damage to the rental vehicle.

However, CDW often comes with a deductible, meaning you’ll still be responsible for a portion of the repair costs unless you purchase a Super CDW, which reduces or eliminates the deductible. Some credit cards offer CDW, so look into this in detail in your credit card policy.

Please note that if you decline CDW, the rental agency may make you sign something to say that you’re responsible for the value of the car in case of the car being a write-off in a crash.

Car Hire Excess:

Car hire excess is something to look out for too; this is the amount the rental agency won’t cover if you have an accident in Ireland (yes, even if you have bought a Collision Damage Waiver or Super CDW) – although having one of these will significantly reduce the amount or eliminate it in the case of some Super CDWs.

Will your credit card cover you for Ireland?

As I said, it is a good idea to check if your credit card already covers you. There are limited credit cards that offer rental car coverage in Ireland. I know that Chase Sapphire and the American Express Gold Card do offer coverage for rental cars in Ireland. However, keep in mind that if you decline the insurance offered by the rental car company, they will place a hold on your card. If you do have an accident, you will need to pay for it from your own pocket, and your credit card will refund you.

Likewise, your travel insurance provider might safeguard you. Therefore, you should refer to them to see what you are already protected for.

Our top tips for booking a rental car in Ireland:

1. Try to rent your vehicle from major cities such as Dublin, Cork, Galway, and Limerick. And in Northern Ireland from Belfast or Derry. Generally speaking, car hire companies in smaller cities tend to have fewer and more expensive options.
2. Hiring a car in the low tourist season months of November to February will be cheaper than if you book one in the height of summer, between June and September.
3. Book a manual (aka stick shift) car. They tend to be cheaper than electric cars, automatic cars, or a 4WD. And they’re much easier to drive along the notoriously narrow driving routes like the Ring of Kerry and the Slea Head Drive.
4. Try to return the car to the same location from which you picked it up, as it tends to be more expensive to drop it off at another.
5. Book as small a car as you can manage! The non-motorway roads in Ireland (regional roads and local roads) are notoriously narrow. We booked a Seat Leon twice here in Ireland and found it much easier to drive than, say, an SUV or other large vehicle!
6. Purchasing additional insurance is essential when renting a car in Ireland – you can either purchase it from the rental agency or use your credit card.
7. Select the Collect Full/ Return Full fuel option.
8. We use Discover Cars for renting our cars here. This is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after. You can also select filters like ‘low deposit’ if you want to pay a minimal deposit when you go to collect the car.

When you’re at the Car Rental Agency:

Now that you’ve selected the right car for you and purchased additional car rental insurance, it’s time to go and pick up your rental car. You will likely be asked at the agency desk if you want to purchase any essentials, and you’ll also get a walk-through of the car with a staff member (although sometimes you may have to do this alone).

Consider any extras you may want to add on

There are some optional extras you might want to consider when renting a car in Ireland.

Those extras include child seats and GPS (some cars do come with this). But it’s worth double-checking with the rental company. I do highly recommend adding GPS to your booking if you’re not familiar with driving in Ireland.

You can also add on additional drivers, which might be something for you to consider – if you fancy being a passenger and taking in the scenery for a while.  Another reason I use Discover Cars is that it has a filter to see prices based on the number of drivers.

Inspect the car before driving off

Before renting a car, most rental companies will do an inspection of it with you, which serves as a baseline to measure any dints or damage that might occur when you drive it.

You should now take photos of the vehicle yourself and do a thorough once-over so you are aware of all the scratches, marks, and bumps it currently has.

By doing this, you will be able to prove that they were already on the vehicle when you hired it, if they try to charge you for them.

It is also a good idea to take a photo of the mileage meter if you are driving a petrol car to make sure it matches the records you are given by the company.

Check their Northern Ireland policy

Most car rental agencies charge a fee for entering/ exiting Northern Ireland, so it’s important to check if this is a one-off charge or if they charge you every time you cross the border.

There is no border control between the Republic and Northern Ireland; thus, the car rental agency will track if you enter Northern Ireland via the car’s GPS system.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Ireland?

Generally speaking, you can expect to pay around €300 per week for a manual (stick shift) economy car; this will rise to around €350 during the peak months of June, July, and August. For an automatic economy car, you’re looking at around €420 per week, again add on an extra €50 per week if you plan to rent during the peak season.

If you need bigger trunk space, then your best bet is to hire an SUV. For a manual SUV, the average weekly rate is around €430, while an automatic SUV is a lot more at approximately €520 per week.

My tips for driving in Ireland

Remember, they drive on the left –

Just like in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand, they drive on the left-hand side in Ireland. So, that means that the steering wheel will be on the right-hand side of the car. And don’t be surprised if you try to get into the wrong door for much of the first day! It’s also important to remember that if you are driving a manual (which most rental cars here are), the gearstick will be on the opposite side.

The roads here –

Most of the roads in Ireland that link towns and cities are in good condition, but in rural areas, some of the roads can be very narrow, twisty, and dotted with potholes. And you may even come across a tractor or other large vehicle coming towards you (you’ll likely be thinking how do I get past this!!), not to worry, our tractor drivers are well used to driving these roads, try to pull in to the side of the road as much as you can – keeping an eye out for ditches.

You may even experience gravel roads or really narrow roads with grass growing down the middle (if you’ve been to rural Ireland, you’ll know what I mean).

Toll roads in Ireland –

There are some toll roads in Ireland. These are typically paid for at the barrier of the toll. However, the M50 is the exception to this. You must pay for this before 8 pm the next day by paying online, in branded Payzone outlets, or by calling 1890 501050.

Car hire companies are not obliged to remind you about paying the M50 toll charge, though most will give you a courtesy heads-up.

There are no toll roads in Northern Ireland.

Fueling up in Ireland –

As for fueling up in Ireland, you will do so at a petrol station. Just be careful – the green pump is for unleaded and the black pump is for diesel. They should be clearly marked as such.

If you decide to rent an electric vehicle, do not worry. There are plenty of charge points throughout the country. They are most commonly found at gas stations (called petrol stations here).

📌 Practice makes perfect!

Because I’m someone who likes to be prepared when I travel, I’ve recently checked out Tripiamo’s Ireland Driving Guide. It’s a video driving guide that is specifically designed to teach you how to navigate Ireland’s challenging roads. It’s validated by the Irish School of Motoring and by completing this detailed driving guide (there are 11 sections), you’ll feel confident to tackle driving in Ireland. The course costs just $39.99 USD – a worthy investment, in my opinion!

Ireland’s Road Rules:

Speed limits are in kilometers, with 50 km/h being the limit in built-up and urban areas and 100 km/h on national roads. On motorways, the speed limit is 120 km/h and on non-national roads the speed limit is 80 km/h. Seatbelts are mandatory for all passengers in the vehicle, including those in the backseats. Additionally, all children under 150 cm in height or 36 kg (79 lbs) in weight must use a car seat.

You are strongly recommended not to drink any alcohol and then drive. The limit is a BAC of 50mg. This means 50 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood.

Using mobile phones while you drive is also illegal, so if you need to make a call, either pull over somewhere safe or use hands-free or Bluetooth.

Slainte!

Now, I know that was a very lengthy and detailed blog post – but honestly, it’s probably the most common question I’m asked – ‘should I rent a car in Ireland?’. And I hope the information I’ve given will help you decide if you’re hardy enough to drive here. And once you see the guidelines for renting a car in Ireland in black and white, it’s pretty easy to understand.

You may also like reading:

Where to Stop on the Drive from Cork to Dublin

The Drive from Cork City to Bantry (& Where to Stop Along the Way)

Driving from Cork to Kilkenny (Where to Stop Along the Way)