Car hire in the United Kingdom

If this is your first time driving in the United Kingdom, we'd always recommend checking the road rules of the UK before you travel. Key road rules include: 

Which side of the road?

In the United Kingdom, please drive on the left side of the road. Your rental car in the UK will always be a right-hand drive.

Country driving laws

• Mobile phones may only be used with a headset or hands-free device
• There is a congestion charge payable when driving in London.
• Use the outside lane to overtake on motorways and dual carriageways, however, only overtake on the right side of the road. Overtaking on the left could result in prosecution for dangerous driving. 
• Zebra crossings (black and white stripes on the road) give pedestrians right of way to cross the road

Speed Limits
All speed signs will be in miles per hour (mph).
For a standard Avis rental vehicle with no trailers, unless indicated by road signs: 

• Urban areas: lowest 20 mph (31 km/h, for congested city centres like central London) and usually 30mph (48km/h)
• Motorways: 70 mph (112 km/h)
• Rural areas: 60 mph (96 km/h).

Child safety / Seatbelt laws

• It is compulsory for the driver and all passengers to wear a seatbelt.
• Children aged under 12 or less than 135cm tall must be seated in an appropriate seat restraint for their size.

Hiring a car in the UK unlocks a diverse mix of historic landmarks, dramatic, fast-changing scenery from mountains to coast and access to a vibrant culture across every corner of the country from the Scilly Isles in the south west to the northen tip of Scotland.

Whether you're planning a trip to England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland, Avis has you covered. You might want a city break to London, Birmingham or Manchester or tour the south east of England to see historic centres like Windsor, Oxford or Cambridge, or you might plan to head west to the rolling hills and stunning coastline of Devon or the remote and rugged moorlands of Cornwall. You might want to experience the culture and history of Cardiff, capital of Wales, or cross the border north to Scotland to take in the Highlands and Islands or stop off at the world famous Edinburgh festival. In Northern Ireland, you can pick up a hire car in Belfast and explore the northern coastline to the world-famous Giant's Causeway.

Key highlights to explore;

• Historic castles and country houses many with Royal connections running back through history.
• Medieval university cities like Oxford and Cambridge
• Scenic national parks from the Scottish Highlands, Snowdonia in Wales, to the honey-coloured villages of the Cotswolds, the rivers and lakes of the Norfolk Broads and dramatic, rugged peaks of the Lake District
• Sports venues and events from international football stadia to cultural events and music festivals
• Stunning coastal drives: from the North Coast 500 in Scotland to the Atlantic Highway in Cornwall.

A hire car lets you explore Great Britain and Northern Ireland at your own place, to discover hidden gems and out of the way places in comfort without sticking to timetables and relying on public transport.