Taking a rental across borders

By the Viamo editorial team · Editor Terje Moy · Last updated July 2026 · 6 min read

Taking a hire car across a national border is perfectly possible — but it is never automatically permitted, and treating it as though it is can void your insurance, result in heavy fines or land you with a car that technically cannot legally be driven in the country you are in. Here is exactly how cross-border rental works, what the major companies allow, and what paperwork to have ready at the frontier.

Why rental companies restrict cross-border travel

The reasons are practical rather than bureaucratic. A rental company is responsible for its vehicles and needs to be able to recover them if something goes wrong — breakdown, accident, debt recovery. Their insurance arrangements are also structured by country, and a vehicle crossing into a jurisdiction where coverage is not confirmed creates a gap in protection. Add the different road regulations, theft risk profiles and legal environments across Europe and the caution makes commercial sense.

That said, most major companies (Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Sixt) do permit cross-border travel within Europe, subject to prior authorisation and usually a surcharge. The key word is "prior" — you must declare your plans at booking, not at the desk, and certainly not once you have already crossed.

The authorisation letter

If you are permitted to cross a border with a hire car, the company will issue a cross-border authorisation letter (sometimes called a "border crossing letter" or "VE103" in the UK). This document states:

• The rental company's name and the vehicle's registration details
• The driver's name and authorisation to drive the vehicle across borders
• The specific countries to which travel is permitted
• The period of validity

Carry this alongside the vehicle registration document and your proof of insurance. At some border crossings — especially those with active checks (Switzerland, the Western Balkans, Morocco from Spain) — the letter may be asked for explicitly. Without it, a border guard may turn you around or the local police may treat the vehicle as improperly documented.

Which countries are typically permitted

Most large rental companies operating in Western Europe permit travel between EU and EEA member states without difficulty, subject to prior notice. Beyond that, the picture varies:

• Switzerland: Generally permitted, with a surcharge, because cross-border flows (especially France–Switzerland) are commercially important. The country is not in the EU but is Schengen, and most major companies are set up for it.
• Western Balkans (Serbia, North Macedonia, Albania, Bosnia, Kosovo, Montenegro): Restrictions are common. Some companies prohibit entry entirely; others permit some countries with prior agreement and a higher surcharge. Check car by car and company by company.
• Eastern Europe (Moldova, Ukraine, Belarus): Typically not permitted. Many rental agreements specifically name these as prohibited destinations regardless of other arrangements.
• Turkey: Usually restricted to vehicles rented in Turkey; taking a Western European rental into Turkey is rarely permitted.
• Morocco (from Spanish rentals): Some companies operating in Spain have specific products for Morocco crossings from Algeciras or Tarifa to Tangier; most prohibit it. If crossing the Strait is part of your plan, verify before booking — do not assume.
• UK to continental Europe: UK-based rentals crossing via the Channel Tunnel or ferry are subject to specific arrangements. Most major companies allow it with advance notice; a Green Card or extended insurance documentation may be required.

Surcharges and additional insurance

Cross-border surcharges fall into two categories:

1. Administrative or border fee: A flat fee for the paperwork and authorisation, ranging from around €15 to €50 depending on the company.
2. Extended insurance premium: Some countries require higher or differently structured insurance. Crossing into the Western Balkans, for instance, typically triggers a higher daily surcharge because the risk profile is assessed differently and because the cross-border debt recovery process is more complex.

For a one-way cross-border rental — picking up in one country and dropping in another — the surcharge is layered on top of the one-way drop-off fee. See the one-way car rental guide for how one-way fees work in general.

Insurance validity across borders

Your base CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) and third-party liability insurance may not automatically extend to all countries. Third-party cover at the legal minimum extends across all EU countries automatically by law, but comprehensive cover (the waiver of damage liability) may be voided the moment you cross into a non-permitted country.

If you have purchased third-party excess insurance from an independent provider (as described in the renting a car abroad guide), check whether that policy covers cross-border travel and specifically covers the countries on your route. Most annual policies cover EU and EEA travel; cover for Western Balkans or North Africa varies by provider.

Green Card for cross-border rental

If the rental company's insurance is not confirmed in the destination country, you may need a Green Card — an international motor insurance certificate — to prove third-party cover. In the EU, Green Cards are no longer technically required between member states (though they are widely recommended), but they are required for many non-EU destinations. Ask the rental company explicitly whether their insurance includes a Green Card for your destination.

What to check when booking

• Name every country you intend to drive in, including transit countries even if you are only passing through.
• Ask specifically whether the CDW and any excess waiver extend to all of those countries.
• Confirm the cross-border fee and any extended insurance premium that applies.
• Request the authorisation letter (or confirm that it will be ready at pick-up) before you leave the desk.
• Check whether your independent excess insurer also covers all the countries on your route.

If you need an international driving permit for any of the countries on your route, arrange that separately — the rental company's authorisation letter is not a substitute.

Frequently asked questions

Can I drive a UK rental car to France without telling the company?

No. Taking a rental car to another country without prior authorisation breaches the rental agreement in virtually all cases. Even if the company might have agreed — which most would — doing it without telling them voids your insurance for the trip across.

What if I only drive a few kilometres into another country?

The same rules apply regardless of distance. A brief transit through Belgium on the way from France to the Netherlands, for instance, still requires Belgium to be on your permitted list. It is a common itinerary and easily added — but not if you only mention it after the fact.

Can I take a rental car from mainland Spain to Morocco by ferry?

A small number of rental companies in Spain offer specific Morocco-crossing products, but the majority do not permit it. The ferry crossing from Algeciras or Tarifa to Tangier is straightforward; the rental arrangement needs to be verified and authorised well in advance. Do not assume a standard Spanish rental covers it.

Does the cross-border letter need to be the original or is a digital copy acceptable?

A printed original is safest, especially for countries with active border controls. Some border crossings and police checks will not accept a photo on a phone. Ask the rental company to provide a printed letter at pick-up and keep it in the car for the duration of the trip.