Here at vanrental.co.uk, we receive a surprising number of questions about hiring a van to take abroad — typically across the Channel to continental Europe, although it’s worth remembering that the Republic of Ireland (Southern Ireland) also counts as overseas use and some restrictions also apply on taking rental vans from mainland UK to Northern Ireland.

We’ve got a page that’s dedicated to European van hire (or ‘cross border use’, as it’s sometimes referred to), but I thought I would use this post to answer common questions and gather together all the most essential information needed if you’re thinking about taking a rented van out of the UK.

Q: Can hire vans be taken abroad?

A: Yes. Many companies (but not all) offer this service, but you must arrange it in advance to ensure the extra paperwork and insurance requirements can be dealt with by the hire company before you collect the van.

You should also note that some companies only allow certain types of vehicles to be taken abroad, and not others. If in doubt, check before you book.

Q: Does it cost extra to take a rental van abroad?

A: Yes. As far as I am aware, all companies charge extra to allow you to take a van abroad, but these extra costs can vary widely.

Q: What paperwork is required to take a rented van (or car) out of the UK?

A: Vehicles travelling in Europe must carry a copy of their registration documents. As you are not the owner of a hired vehicle, you won’t be given the V5C vehicle registration document. Instead, the hire company should provide you with a VE103b form, known as a Vehicle On Hire Certificate. This is absolutely essential. Photocopies of the V5 are not acceptable and neither is a letter of authority, even if it is on headed paper!

Without a VE103, European police and border officials are likely to prevent you travelling any further until you receive a valid VE103 document from the vehicle’s owner. This could mean being stuck at a border crossing for several days, for example.

You will also need to make sure that the hire company is providing insurance and breakdown cover for European use, and if not, arrange this yourself.

Q: What if my hire van breaks down while I’m abroad?

A: If you have a breakdown in a hire vehicle, the same basic rules apply as in your own vehicle. Call the breakdown assistance number provided by your hire company, or follow the instructions you were given if these are different. You may also need to contact the hire company or branch directly to let them know what’s happened.

Q: What if I have an accident while I’m abroad?

A: For emergency services in Europe, dial 112. If no one is hurt, then you may need to call police anyway, depending on the law in the country you are driving in. You will also need to follow standard procedure for accidents: don’t admit liability, call the police if there is any dispute, take the names, addresses and vehicle reg. numbers of everyone involved and inform the hire company as soon as possible. They may provide an accident report form for you to fill in. For country-specific information on legal requirements abroad, check out the AA guide to driving abroad.

Q: Will the hire company provide accessories that are required abroad, like warning triangles?

A: That depends on the hire company. You should ask them at the time of booking, and if they do not provide the compulsory accessories for the countries you are visiting, you should provide them yourself. Check the AA’s guide to compulsory equipment abroad to find out what might be required.

How much does it cost, and which companies allow European use?

Most of the main UK van hire companies allow European use, as long as this is booked in advance and the vehicle is returned to a UK branch at the end of the hire. Additional costs apply in each case, but they’re not always the same. Here’s a quick run-down of what each of the main companies listed on vanrental.co.uk offers*:

• Europcar: Europcar allows most vehicles to be taken abroad, but costs and restrictions can vary depending on which countries you want to visit. Contact the company for further information and to arrange for this service. An Overseas Charge applies for the provision of a VE103B and European insurance and breakdown cover. This is paid separately at the branch. At the time of writing, the Overseas Charge ranges from £45 (1-2 days) up to £160 (42+ days).
• Thrifty: Some cars and vans up to 3.5t LWB can be taken out of the UK (that seems to exclude XLWB and luton vans). Travel into most EU countries is permitted and an additional charge for the VE103 form and European breakdown cover will apply in addition to the quoted rate. Make sure you check the ‘Taking a vehicle outside the UK’ box when getting a quote. Additional mileage limits also apply to overseas hires – see the Thrifty website for more details.
• Hertz: Hertz does not allow vans to be taken out of the UK.
• Sixt: A foreign use charge of 60% on the basic rental rate applies. A fee of £24 per rental applies for Northern Ireland. Additional fees also apply for foreign breakdown cover. As always, prior arrangement is required – see the Sixt website for more information.
• Argus Car Hire (broker): As a broker, Van Hire 3000 supplies vans from a number of different hire companies, so restrictions on cross-border use vary. Argus includes information on cross border travel restrictions in the ‘rental conditions’ linked to at the bottom of the booking details page, but costs aren’t included, so contact them on 0800 088 5548 if you are unsure or need more information.

What About European One-Way Hire?

Q: Is one-way hire from the UK to Europe possible?

A: No, with one major exception — Spain. Regular rental companies will not offer international one-way hire, but a number of UK companies do offer a one-way van hire service to and from Spain, mainly to serve the expatriate community on the east cost (Alicante, etc). If you are heading to this area and need a one-way van hire, check out our Van Hire to Spain page for full details.

*All information provided was correct to the best of our knowledge at the time of writing (31/07/2013), but the author and vanrental.co.uk can accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions. Renters should check directly with their hire company to ensure that all necessary arrangements and permissions are provided for travel abroad.

I hope this guide is useful — if you’ve got any questions about European van hire or any experiences (good or bad!) that you’d like to share, leave a comment below, get in touch through Facebook or @vanrentaluk on Twitter, or send us an email.