Regulations vary but car hire companies usually require drivers to be around 25 years or older. A foreign National Driving Licence is valid in Britain for one year, although an International Driving Permit may be required if the licence is not in English. A credit card is essential for the deposit and we recommend that you check what level of insurance is included in the price of car hire.

All major car firms have locations all over the city, including:

If you are going to hire when you're in London then the best company by a long way is easyCar! Book now, pay later for your car hire with easyCar.com

The London Congestion Charge applies to all hire cars and drivers will usually be liable for this, in addition to the price quoted for hiring a car. Car hire companies vary but most do not even arrange the payment of the charge and leave it up to drivers to sort this out independently.

There has been a recent growth in budget car hire companies, spearheaded by easyCar, the first Internet-only car hire company. Prices are considerably cheaper than for traditional car rental companies. The easyCar depot at the Barbican is one of the only places in central London where the congestion charge is included in the price of hiring a car.