Can I hire a car with penalty points on my licence?
How can penalty points affect your ability to hire a car? Learn what motoring offences mean for your next hire.
Are you planning to hire a car in the UK? There are many factors to consider when choosing which company to go with.
Of course, you want to make sure the price is right. And the service is good. And the company is situated in a location that works well with your travel plans. We could go on and on…
However, it's equally important to look at the situation from the hiring company's perspective. For insurance and business reasons, they want to make sure they hire out their cars to the right customers.
One important aspect the firm will look into is penalty points on your driving licence.
Unfortunately, the rules about penalty points aren't always straightforward. There is no general law dictating the specifics. That's why different companies have different rules when approving car hire to customers with penalty points.
In this guide, we look at penalty points, how they work and how they might affect your ability to hire a car.
(And don't worry – you'll see that you don't always need a squeaky clean record to hire a car.)
What are penalty points?
Let's start with the basics and learn how penalty points work in the UK.
If a person is convicted of a motoring offence, the court will endorse their driver's license with penalty points. That's why these records, together with their respective penalty points, are referred to as "endorsements".
Depending on the type or severity of the offence, the court will endorse the driver with a different amount of points.
The time the points must stay on the driver's record also varies for different endorsements.
What types of endorsements are there?
Each endorsement has a special code. These codes consist of two letters that denote the category (such as CD for careless driving), followed by a number which specifies the actual offence.
Severe offences include DR10, which corresponds to "driving or attempting to drive with alcohol level above limit". This offence will net you 11 points and must stay on a driving record for 11 years.
Among the less severe endorsements is SP30 ("exceeding statutory speed limit on a public road"). This leads to three to six points and stays on your record for four years. MS30 ("play street offences"), to cite another example, comes with two points and also lasts for four years.
To see a complete list of offences and their codes, visit GOV.UK.
Will I get a driving ban?
If the driver is convicted of a serious offence, it usually results in – among other things – an outright driving ban.
The rules are different for less serious offences. In these cases, the driver will be disqualified if they get 12 or more points over three years.
Different house, different rules
If a person is banned from driving, they cannot be approved for a car hire.
However, what if you have a few active endorsements but are still legally allowed to drive?
In this case, it's important to carefully check the terms of the hire company you wish to do business with. That's because each company has its own rules for hiring cars to drivers with penalty points.
If you've been convicted of a serious offence, it's unlikely the company will approve you for car hire. This includes offences like:
- Reckless driving
- Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs
- Theft of a vehicle
For less serious cases, such as speeding or traffic light violations, the chance of being approved is greater.
Generally speaking, companies are still likely to offer their services if you have three or fewer points related to minor offences. However, with six or more points, the options will shrink considerably.
Car hire companies can also set their own timeframes.
Let's say an endorsement expires after four years. The company might require more years to pass before they agree to hire out a car. Similarly, if a one-year driving ban has expired, the company might wait five or more years before allowing a person to hire a car.
What are the rules at MVH Rental?
We believe that a minor mistake or two shouldn't keep an otherwise responsible driver from hiring a car.
Therefore, if you are between 21 and 24 years, we're happy to consider leasing you a car if you have three or fewer penalty points.
For drivers over the age of 25, the limit is six penalty points.
However, we're unable to offer our services if you've been banned from driving or have had your licence revoked within the last 10 years.
Let's find you the perfect hire car
All this talk about offences and penalties can get pretty serious, so let's end on a happy note.
At MVH Rental, we're always delighted to go the extra mile for responsible drivers – even if they have a penalty point or two.
For you, this means great prices, great service and – above all else – a clean, modern hire car that's a joy to drive.
Will you be our next satisfied customer?
Do you live in the North East and want to hire a vehicle near you? You won't find a more affordable solution than MVH Rental. You can start by browsing our fleetor chatting with our friendly customer service team on (0191) 4888 700.
