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Live chat Email us Service Code: 8474903069
From United States
+1-8007618913
From Canada
+1-2897685366
From United Kingdom
+44-2035140670
From Japan
+81 3-4578-4029
From Argentina
+54-2657459025
From Chile
+56-226665927
From Colombia
+57-6017940262
From Mexico
+52-7449800692
From New Zealand
+64-99508740
From Peru
+51-17009061
From Switzerland
+41-445514539
From Thailand
+66-25088458
From Singapore
+65-31585008
From Australia
+61-1800-507-258
From Turkey
+90-850-390-7486
From Italy
+39-800729010
From Portugal
+351-304500663
From Brazil
+55-6140426960
From France
+33-970019487
From Israel
+972-23752163
From Germany
+49 6107 6353100
From China
+86-1089171020
From South Korea (Domestic calls only)
00308 491 0209
From other countries or regions
+1-8007618913
Available between 10.00 a.m. and 19.00 p.m. (Japan Time)
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The Complete United Kingdom Driving and Rental Guide

Consisting of England, Wales, Scotland and North Ireland, the United Kingdom is renowned for its beautiful natural sceneries and a wide mix of architectures, making it an attractive destination country to discover by car. Here are a few basic driving instructions and tips to help you serenely prepare your journey.

  • Speed Limit and Traffic Signs
  • Seatbelt and Child Safety
  • Parking, Fuel and Toll
  • Traffic Violation
  • Driving Licence and Age Requirements

Speed Limit and Traffic Signs

In the United Kingdom, driving is on the left-hand side of the road and overtaking is on the right. Mobile phones cannot be used to call or text while driving. On Roundabouts, drivers on the right have right of way. 

Drivers should remain alert on countryside’s roads, as farm animals and agricultural vehicles can turn out to be difficult obstacles to pass. 

Speed Limit

There are speed limits of 30 mph(48 km/h) on urban areas, 60 mph(96 km/h) in rural areas and 70 mph(112 km/h) in motorways unless signs say otherwise. 

Traffic Signs

Traffic signs used in the UK include signs giving orders, warning and indicating direction or information. Here are some frequently used signs in the UK. 


Regulatory signs feature a circular shape with some exceptions. 

UK Traffic Sign Give Priority to Vehicles from Opposite DirectionGive Priority to Vehicles from Opposite DirectionUK Traffic Sign Give Way to Traffic on Major RoadGive Way to Traffic on major roadUK Traffic Sign No Vehicles Except Bicycles Being PushedNo Vehicles Except Bicycles Being Pushed UK Traffic Sign No OvertakingNo OvertakingUK Traffic Sign No WaitingNo Waiting

UK Traffic Sign No StoppingNo Stopping
(Clearway)

Warning signs are mostly triangular with a red border.

UK Traffic Sign RoundaboutRoundaboutUK Traffic Sign Uneven RoadUneven RoadUK Traffic Sign Two-way Traffic on Route Crossing AheadTwo-way Traffic on Route Crossing AheadUK Traffic Sign Wild AnimalsWild AnimalsUK Traffic Sign Level Crossing WIth Barrier or Gate AheadLevel Crossing WIth Barrier or Gate AheadUK Traffic Sign Level Crossing Without Barrier or Gate AheadLevel Crossing Without Barrier or Gate AheadUK Traffic Sign Level Crossing Without BarrierLevel Crossing Without Barrier

Information signs in the UK are rectangular with various colour backgrounds.

UK Traffic Sign Primary Route Forming Part of a Ring RoadPrimary Route Forming Part of a Ring Road

UK Traffic Sign Entrance to Congestion Charging ZoneEntrance to Congestion Charging ZoneUK Traffic Sign Hospital Ahead with Accident and Emergency FacilitiesHospital Ahead with Accident and Emergency FacilitiesUK Traffic Sign Tourist Information PointTourist Information Point

Click here for a complete road signs guide in the United Kingdom.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Seatbelt and Child Safety

Seatbelt Laws

All passengers over 12 or 13 years, or over 135cm tall must wear a seat belt at all times. Failure to do so could result in a fine up to £500.

Booster Seat Laws

Children until the age of 12th or the height of 135cm should be placed in an appropriate seat for their height and weight.

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Parking, Fuel and Toll

Parking

· Forbidden Parking


Finding parking space in town and city centres can prove difficult, especially in the centre of London. Parking your car in the following spots is strictly forbidden and could result in a fine:


- Beyond the time restriction marked on poles, lampposts or even screwed onto adjacent walls of buildings with a single, continuous yellow line along the kerb


- With double, continuous yellow lines along the kerb, which indicates no parking at any time

United Kingdom Double and Continuous Yellow Lines(Image from alphamarkingservices.co.uk)


· Paid Parking


White marked bays with white markings indicate a metered street parking. These are generally "pay-and-display" parking for which a ticket needs to be purchased from an adjacent machine, and displayed on the car’s windshield or dashboard. 


Be careful to check the "controlled hours" which are marked on the payment machines and on adjacent signs (again, usually on lamp posts and on walls). Parking outside the controlled hours is free.

United Kingdom Paid Parking Signs

(Image from eppingforestdc.gov.uk)


When finding a parking spot, we strongly suggest you not to let the absence of yellow lines lull you into a false sense of security, and always look for parking signs or meter machines.

Fuel Prices

The average value for the United Kingdom gasoline price during the period from August to November 2017 was 1.21£ per litre, while diesel is 3 cents higher.

Toll

Currently, there is a single major road - the M6 Toll - and a small number of bridges and tunnels where tolls are collected. Each toll road and bridge in the United Kingdom has its own fee, varying and depending on the type of vehicle you are driving. Fees are collected at toll gates and can be paid in cash or by credit card or by fuel equipment for automatic toll payment.

United Kingdom Toll Road(Image from alamy.com) 


Some car hire companies will debit your credit card in order to pay the tolls on your behalf if you missed paying one (depending on different car hire companies). If you have any questions concerning toll fee billing, feel free to contact QEEQ' 24/7 customer service team for help.


Additional Tips

In London, the Congestion Charge is a £11.50 daily charge for driving a vehicle within the charging zone between 07:00 and 18:00, Monday to Friday. Usually, the congestion charge will be collected and informed by the car hire company at the rental desk. 

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Traffic Violation

DUI Laws

Except for Scotland – whose limit is set at 0.05%, other locations within the UK have a legal blood alcohol concentration limit of 0.08% per driver. Driving over the alcohol limit can result in a penalty up to six months of imprisonment, a fine of up to £5,000 and a minimum of twelve months' disqualification. 

Traffic Fines

The minimum speeding fine for an infringement is £100. A notice will be sent to the car’s registered keeper by the enforcement authority. In a renter’s case, the notice will be sent to the car hire company and passed on to the renter. 


Parking tickets usually need to be paid within 28 days. In some cases, the fine is reduced by 50% if the payment is made within 14 days. Failure to pay the parking tickets within the given period will result in the penalty notice being passed onto the car hire company.


In some cases, the car hire company will debit your credit card for the penalty fee and add an administration charge. It is advisable for you to contact QEEQ’ customer service team if you believe you have been charged incorrectly. 

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Driving Licence and Age Requirements

All drivers must be in possession of a full driver's licence, many car hire companies may require driver's licence held for at least 2 years. The minimum age generally to rent a vehicle in the UK is 21 years old. But the age restrictions may vary by different car categories. 

*Please be aware that rules are subject to change. QEEQ.COM will try the best to maintain the accuracy of this information.

Guest reviews

1 /
J

March 4, 2025

Destination: London

10Very easy and smooth

The vehicle was clean and tidy. Customer service was smooth and they were polite

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J

March 4, 2025

Destination: London

5Poor in general

The vehicle was very dirty inside with alot of external damage. Green motion accidently charged me for an additional day prior to the vehicle return (the return date on qeeq was correct on the signed vehicle contract). They promised to refund me and never did. Luckily qeeq assisted with refunding me

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J.Paul

February 20, 2025

Destination: Leeds

10Very efficient.

Car was fine but a Fiat 500 was smaller than a Corsa - which I booked.

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P.Cronin

February 20, 2025

Destination: Birmingham

8Fine except for the payment issue.

Budget debited my payment card for nearly 400 euro which still hasn’t been returned to my account.

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L.Howorth

February 14, 2025

Destination: East Midlands

10Great service from start to finish.

I find Enterprise to be a premium supplier and their staff are well mannered and helpful. Their cars are good quality and immaculately kept.

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A.Cartner

February 12, 2025

Destination: Newcastle Upon Tyne

7Green Motion hidden cost spoil experience

Whilst the car was as expected and the counter staff were polite, we were forced due to Green Motion not being able to process our credit card for pre authorisation to purchase insurance that was more than the cost of the rental. We witnessed another customer suffer the same fate, which made us think it was a bit of a scam. Will not use Green Motion again.

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S.KIM

February 10, 2025

Destination: London

10가족이 같이 다닐때 좋아요

좋았습니다

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p.papagiannis

February 10, 2025

Destination: Edinburgh

6Average

I have paid the full insurance from axa insurance from the qued application and the employee in the desk said that my axa insurance isn't valid because it's a third party..obviously it was lie and I paid almost 210 euros for an insurance she told me about the glasses and the tires

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L.Lai

February 6, 2025

Destination: London

7Not a great car.

Please see above. Car had many faults. The dent should be fixed before being rented again.

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….

February 4, 2025

Destination: Edinburgh

10Magical ride

No

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January 28, 2025

Destination: Edinburgh

5Not fantastic

Ordered a transit van but given a Toyota Proace - significantly smaller and almost not fit for the purpose I hired for. Counter agent demanded I fill out a positive review of his service before giving me the van keys… only then to give me keys for a significantly smaller van than I ordered. Not impressed.

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Thomas Moloney

January 28, 2025

Destination: Newcastle Upon Tyne

9Excellent service

Counter staff excellet, after hours service & response to my questions on a Saturday evening were answered.

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Toni B

January 26, 2025

Destination: London

8Comany Policy means that you are made to wait 2 hours

Booked whilst standing in the Alamo premises que, due to an issue with another car hire company ,But the company policy meant I was made to wait 2 hours before being allowed to pick up the car. Even though it was ready to be picked up immediately.

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January 22, 2025

Destination: London

6Great staff. Bad car.

Staff very helpful and friendly. Car availability very poor unfortunately.

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N.Watt

January 22, 2025

Destination: Perth

10Excellent

Good

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January 15, 2025

Destination: London

10Smooth and easy rental. Recommended.

Brand new car and excellent customer service.

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January 14, 2025

Destination: London

9A different but not unpleasant experience.

The extra insurance was super expensive. It was more than the rental price, which seems ridiculous.

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Ralph Davies

January 2, 2025

Destination: London

10Excellent

Wait was a little longer than I would have liked but once I was served by Will, it was a very smooth and quick process. Drop off was very quick indeed and Harry was very helpful.

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December 30, 2024

Destination: Leeds

8Very Helpful Enterprise Staff.

Car was adequate. Counter staff very helpful, on pick up and drop off.

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C.Jose

December 29, 2024

Destination: Sheffield

10Excellent!

It took a while to pick up the car but there was two of us picking up cars so that’s probably why. Connor who organised our cars was excellent! I’ve never got the extra insurance before when hiring a car but he explained the benefits really well which encouraged us to pay the extra. However it did mean that the daily rate was comparable to other companies and Enterprise weren’t the bargain we initially thought. Connor was friendly and personable. He explained the wear and tear conditions of the hire really well which I don’t think I’ve ever really understood before. Excellent customer service! And they upgraded us to an automatic which was much appreciated.

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Arran Hunt

December 27, 2024

Destination: Edinburgh

10Perfect in every way.

It was much nicer than I expected, and certainly much larger. It was an AMG model which I wasn't expecting.

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L.Bjerring

December 26, 2024

Destination: London

6Average

The clutch was very Strange. Very soft and the slip was very small. Next time I will go automatic gear.

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S.Bean

December 22, 2024

Destination: Leeds

10Easy and value

All good as above

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December 16, 2024

Destination: Manchester

5Pickup a car with scratches

This was second time I used this agent. Counter staff explained about the car situation. Although the car condition is not perfect good, counter explained to me that it functions well. The problem is only about the appearance. They marked all at the paper which didn't cause me any trouble when I returned the car.

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December 14, 2024

Destination: Manchester

10Perfect! No complaint.

Staff very helpful explaining the breakdown of the cost and not pushing to buy additional insurance. Gave a discounted rate to upgrade from Peugeot 5008 to Volvo XC60. No regret for the upgrade.

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AlamoUKuser

December 8, 2024

Destination: London

10Excellent

Very smooth pick-up process. Helpful staff at pick-up and return locations.

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November 29, 2024

Destination: Glasgow

10Excellent

Quick and essy

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A.Hegarty

November 20, 2024

Destination: Belfast

10Excellent

All very good very pleasant and helpful stafff

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D.De lorenzo

November 20, 2024

Destination: London

8A beautiful car and a reasonable price. I just got the unlucky one.

Waited pretty long and my tire had a slow leak. No one was rude or anything so I enjoyed the employees for sure.

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Tom Frost

November 18, 2024

Destination: London

7Good company, average spec vehicles. Will be using again

Although I wasn’t a fan of the manufacturing quality of the MG I had, I was grateful for the upgrade to automatic and the friendliness of Mark at the desk when I picked up and dropped off the car

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James

November 16, 2024

Destination: Nottingham

6Beware. Heathrow Enterprise cannot be trusted.

Beware. Car clearly hadn’t been checked before renting out. AdBlue warning came on after 30 minutes. Despite checking the car back in, and the vehicle having a thorough inspection at that time, and getting a full refund of the deposit, Enterprise proceeded to charge me 2 weeks later for a nail in a tyre. This was clearly a vindictive act just because I complained about the state of the vehicle.

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James

November 16, 2024

Destination: London

10All very smooth and easy. Would recommend.

All very smooth and easy. Would recommend.

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James

November 16, 2024

Destination: Nottingham

7Check your paperwork during booking. Enterprise change things without telling you.

Car was ok. Staff somehow changed my booking so I got hit with an unexpected charge that I had to spend a few days claiming back after the event.

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P.Griffin

November 14, 2024

Destination: Derry

10Excellent experience in booking car hire through QEEQ and service from Dollar at Derry airport

Have used Dollar at Derry airport twice recently and on both occasions the staff have been very friendly, helpful and efficient in getting me on the road and booking the car back in on return.

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J.SONG

November 11, 2024

Destination: London

8편리함

없음

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M.E

November 4, 2024

Destination: London

10Mmmm coulda been smoother, but satisfied in the end - mostly staff made the systems better

Messed up booking, but counter staff came through.... Took time nonetheless. Surprised (and somewhat mortified) to arrive at Greenmotion - obvs rebranded on App. Actually staff good this time (previously nightmare - fictitious damage - obvs. common as 3rd party insurance exclude them) anyways this time ok. Gave me 1/2 tank of free fuel for the delay.

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B.Chambers

November 3, 2024

Destination: Southampton

8Happy, if overly fragrant driving through the Cotswolds.

The counter staff at pickup were very helpful. The delay in completing paperwork etc was due to an internet outage for the whole south-east due to Storm Ashley. No staff to receive car at Gatwick North terminal, but just parked and left key in the box.

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shanerotten

November 2, 2024

Destination: Birmingham

10Great

Wonderful Hire co, very experienced

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N.Seemakurti

October 22, 2024

Destination: London

10Excellent experience

Team was very friendly and understanding, will recommend taking car from them.

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M.Clemens

October 19, 2024

Destination: London

8Should have been made more aware.

Really should have been made aware of the importance of preregistering our car with TFL and been made aware of Congestion Charge Zone.

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A.Woodall

October 18, 2024

Destination: Manchester

10Great experience

The car had some lights that came on intermittently on the dashboard which staff said were due to a sensor. I would recommend this get fixed, there were no issues with the running of the car.

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I.Mitchell

October 18, 2024

Destination: Perth

9Did what I needed it for

The car was a lower class of vehicle but was good and did what I needed it to do. Good on fuel. Staff were helpful and process at pick up and drop off

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JN

October 18, 2024

Destination: Guildford

9Very straightforward!

Very friendly staff, though I haven't driven many other cars and would have valued the offer of a quick overview of the car (eg how to open the fuel cap!) The car was exactly as ordered and very easy to drive.

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October 16, 2024

Destination: London

8Very good

Overall good, but shuttle bus to the airport is irregular and took longer than expected. Allow an hour for wait and travel time

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D.Dillon

October 12, 2024

Destination: Newquay

10Smooth no dramas

All good maybe show customers where spare wheel / Jack is etc

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October 12, 2024

Destination: London

10Excellent

Great to deal with, very helpful

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Brian Paterson

October 10, 2024

Destination: London

9Excellent service, very good price and no hassles

Car was as booked and checking person was very helpful, freindly and efficient

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S

October 6, 2024

Destination: London

6Disappointed with added financial costs

Very disappointed to pay €120 waiver as I only had a visa debit card.

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s.benn

October 4, 2024

Destination: Manchester

6Everything was very good apart from hassle at the counter

The car was as expected but the counter staff were not. They tried to push me into extra insurance. Which I didn't need and indicated I could not get the car unless I agreed to the insurance. After I contacted customer service it was resolved. Not what you need after a 12 hour flight and need to make an appointment.

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October 2, 2024

Destination: Milton Keynes

7Good

I reset tire pressure button later on collection day for it to come back on the day after saying tire pressure was low again. Advised staff when they collected car that something wrong with tires. I said I thought it may have been the change in outside temperature making it that way when I collected. Realized it was something more the day it came back on and also the drive felt a bit different when it did as well. Always enjoy speaking to staff. Staff great as always.

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Best car rental deals in United Kingdom

Best rates found by QEEQ users in the last 30 days.

Frequently asked questions

Q1.What is an insurance excess?

The excess is the amount you'll only be liable for in case of damage(under Collision Damage Waiver) or theft(under Theft Protection) of the vehicle.
Information about the excess will be clearly stated in the price inclusion when you reserve a car on QEEQ.

Q2. How can I add an addtional driver?

You are advised to make a request upon your arrival at the rental counter. Additional charge per day will incur unless '1 Additional Driver Included' is stipulated on the rental.
Please note that the same licence and age requirement applys to the additonal driver. The addtional driver is supposed to present the required licence document along with the main driver at pickup.

Q3.What if I want to pick up or drop off my rental car out of office hours?

QEEQ will show you the car offers available at your chosen time on the search results.
However, pick-up or drop-off out of general opening hours may subject to an extra fee unless self-service pick-up or drop-off is available.
After you reserve a car on QEEQ, we will inform you of specific policy of the car hire company by email.

Q4. Can I take the hired car to another country or cross border?

If you want to pick up your car in one country and drop it in another, your search results will show you cars you can do that with.
If you're planning to cross any borders during your trip, bear in mind:
1. You may have to pay more.
There are often extra fees, taxes or additional cover you'll pay at the car hire counter.
2.It may not be allowed.
Depending on where you're hiring, you may not be able to take your car to another country.
Please email us if you want to take your hire car into a different country during your trip, and we'll talk you through your options.

Q5. Can I pick up my car at one location and return it at different location?

Yes. You can pick up the vehicle in one place and drop it off in another. An ‘one-way fee’ will incur. Whether it is inclued in the rental price or what additional cost may arise will be clearly stated at the time of booking on QEEQ.
Please inform the car hire company of your drop-off location when you pick up the vehicle or contact them directly during your trip. You will find a phone number on the rental agreement you signed at pickup.

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