When renting a car in Canada there are a few things to remember for those drivers used to driving in another country. It is important to obey driving laws as fines for breaking them can be high. Drivers are also warned to take care when driving in rural areas as the roads can be in a much poorer condition than they are in the cities. There are also other hazards that you would not normally encounter such as moose and other wildlife on the roads.

There are many car rental companies which have outlets in Canada and these are names which are known across the world such as Alamo, Budget, Hertz and Enterprise. All international airports in Canada have car rental outlets and all offer deals for different types of cars and rental period.

There are a number of regulations which need to be met. The minimum age for renting a car or other vehicle in Canada is 21, although if you are renting in the province of Saskatchewan the age drops to 18. Those who are aged between 21 and 24 may find that they are charged more than those who are 25 and offer. This depends upon the individual hire company and the amount you will be expected to pay will vary.

You may also be expected to pay if you want to add an additional driver to the hire agreement. The fees for this also vary and are normally charged per day, although most companies will have a maximum set amount that can be charged. There are certain categories of additional drivers that will not incur a fee, provided they are at least 25 years old and have a valid licence. These include the employer of the person hiring the vehicle if it is for business and the spouse or partner of the hirer.

Those who are aged between 21 and 24 are restricted with the type of vehicle that they are permitted to hire. Luxury cars, speciality vehicles and minivans are among the vehicles that they are unable to rent as are both full-size and premium SUVs and passenger vans.

Drivers in Canada need to have their drivers licence with them at all times as you will need to have this if you are stopped by the police while driving. Foreign drivers who do not yet have a Canadian licence are often advised to carry their passport with them as well, particularly if your licence does not have a photo of you on it. The photo licence issued by the UK does not carry all your details so you should also carry the paper copy to comply with rental company regulations. When driving a rented car, it is also a requirement to carry a copy of the rental agreement as well.

Payments for car rental are normally required via an approved credit card. Some rental companies will offer a cash option and renters will need to complete the cash qualification process. This process requires a certain amount of documentation. Renters will need to have one of their utility bills that is in their own name. The rental company must be able to verify the address and other details on the bill. Those who are in the country for a relatively short period of time will need to have a return ticket from their airline or train company. A phone number in the name of the person renting must be verifiable and the renter must be prepared to pay a deposit as well as the rental costs. If you choose to go through this process you should be aware that there are a number of companies that will not permit additional drivers on this type of agreement.

There are also restrictions on the type of car that can be rented on a cash qualification and many companies will not allow a luxury car to be rented on this type of payment. As with car rental in all countries you will be required to take out insurance, but you should be aware that the excess on such policies is usually very high. You can take out additional insurance to cover the excess so that in the event of an accident you do not have to pay out any monies. This additional insurance can be bought via the car rental company or purchased separately.