Car hire in Italy for young and new drivers (under 25)

Of the 24 companies whose terms we read on October 19, 2026, 4 rent from age 18, 17 from 19 and 24 from 21, usually only for the smallest cars. 2 also accept drivers who have held their licence for less than a year, some with limits. Under 25 you almost always pay a surcharge: from €6 to €37 per day, median €16.

Official sources read on October 19, 2026.

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From what age you can hire a car

The minimum age varies from one rental company to another and, within the same company, with the car category: small cars start younger, SUVs, premium cars and vans later. The chart counts the rental companies that accept a driver of that age at least for the smallest cars.

Bar chart: how many rental companies, out of 24, accept a driver of that age: 18: 4, 19: 17, 21: 24, 23: 24, 25: 24.

Driver age	Rental companies accepting it
18	4 of 24
19	17 of 24
21	24 of 24
23	24 of 24
25	24 of 24

How long you must have held your licence

Almost all require at least one year of licence; 5 require two or more. If you have had your licence for less than a year you will find few offers: 2 of 24 rental companies accept it, some only for specific categories.

The young driver surcharge

Under 25 (sometimes under 23) you pay a daily surcharge, often with a cap per rental. In the terms we read it ranges from €6 to €37 per day, with a median of €16; some quote it excluding VAT. When you search with your age, the price shown already includes the surcharge when the partner applies it: always search with the driver's real age.

New drivers in Italy: power, speed and alcohol limits

With an Italian category B licence obtained under the new rules, limits on the car's power, on speed and on alcohol apply for the first 3 years. The small cars in the economy offers usually fall within the power limits; the power is shown on the vehicle registration document.

For the first 3 years after obtaining a category B licence you may not drive cars above 75 kW per tonne and, for passenger cars, above 105 kW of power.Source: Normattiva – Codice della Strada, art. 117
In the first 3 years the limit is 100 km/h on motorways and 90 km/h on main roads outside built-up areas.Source: Codice della Strada art. 117 c.2 – Normattiva (testo in vigore dal 14-12-2024)
Zero alcohol for drivers under 21 and for those who have held a category B licence for less than 3 years.Source: Codice della Strada art. 186-bis c.1 lett. a) – Normattiva (testo in vigore dal 15-1-2021)

Frequently asked questions

Can you hire a car at 18 in Italy?

Yes, with 4 of the 24 companies whose terms we read, usually only for the smallest cars and with the young driver surcharge.

And at 19 or 21?

At 19 the number of available companies rises to 17, at 21 to 24 of 24. Under 25 the surcharge almost always remains.

How much is the young driver surcharge?

From €6 to €37 per day in the terms we read, median €16; many have a cap per rental.

Can I hire a car if I've had my licence for less than a year?

With few rental companies: 2 of 24, some only for certain categories. The “young and new drivers” pages for each place show which companies are there and their offers.