Hiring a car is one of the most straightforward things you can do — but if you haven’t done it before, or haven’t done it recently, a few questions tend to come up before you get to the booking stage. What licence do you need? What’s actually included in the price? Do you need to bring anything with you? Is there an age limit?
This guide answers all of them. It covers everything a first-time hirer needs to know, and serves as a useful refresher if it’s been a while. By the end, you’ll know exactly what to expect and how to pick the right car for whatever you’ve got planned.
What licence do you need to hire a car?
A full UK driving licence is all you need to hire a standard car from Parkers. That includes both parts of the licence — the photocard and the paper counterpart if you still have one (though the paper counterpart was abolished in 2015, so most drivers will just need the photocard).
If you hold a non-UK licence, we’d ask you to contact us before booking so we can discuss your options. Most EU licences are accepted without issue, and international driving permits are available for licences from further afield.
Licence history matters too. Drivers with more than 6 penalty points accumulated in the last 5 years, any ban in the last 10 years, or more than one at-fault accident in the last 3 years may not be eligible to hire. If you’re unsure, it’s always worth calling us before booking rather than finding out at the counter.
One thing to know in advance: you’ll need to bring a DVLA licence check code when you collect your vehicle. You can generate one quickly at gov.uk/view-driving-licence — it takes a couple of minutes and confirms your licence status electronically. This replaces the old paper counterpart and is now standard practice across the industry.
How old do you need to be?
For most cars in the Parkers fleet, the minimum age is 21. Drivers aged 21–24 can hire standard vehicles without restriction, though it’s worth noting that some insurers apply a young driver excess — contact us if you’d like to discuss this before booking.
The upper age limit is 75. Drivers over 75 are welcome to contact us to discuss their options.
What documents do you need to bring?
When you collect your hire car, you’ll need:
- Your photocard driving licence
- Your DVLA licence check code (generated at gov.uk — valid for 21 days)
- Proof of address — two utility bills work well (e.g. a bank statement plus a phone or energy bill)
- A credit or debit card in your name — Parkers accepts Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, and Visa Electron. The cardholder must be present at collection.
It’s worth getting these together the day before to avoid any last-minute scramble on the morning of collection.
What’s included in the hire price?
All Parkers hire prices include:
- Fully comprehensive insurance
- Unlimited mileage — no per-mile charges, no cap
- Breakdown recovery
- VAT
- Free local delivery within a 5-mile radius of our branches (dependent on hire duration — ask when booking)
There are no hidden extras buried in the small print. The price you see is the price you pay.
What are the collection times?
Standard daily hire runs from 8 AM to 8 AM the following day. If you need to collect in the afternoon or evening, a PM collection is available for a £15 surcharge — useful if you need the car from later in the day but want to keep it overnight.
If you need to return outside of normal branch hours, contact the team when booking and we’ll do our best to accommodate.
Manual or automatic — which should you choose?
Most cars in the Parkers fleet are manual, but automatic options are available if you need them — just mention it when booking to make sure the right vehicle is reserved for you.
Choose manual if: you’re comfortable with a gearbox and just want the most straightforward, widely available option. Manual hire cars tend to be slightly better value too.
Choose automatic if: you only hold an automatic licence (in which case you must drive an automatic — it’s a legal requirement), you’re doing a lot of stop-start town driving and find it easier, or you simply prefer it. Parkers’ automatic options include the Family Car Auto (C4A), Estate Car Auto (C6A), and the Hybrid (E4), which is also the largest car in the fleet with 7 seats.
One important point: if your licence is automatic-only, you cannot legally drive a manual hire car. This is worth double-checking before you book if there’s any uncertainty.
Which car should you hire?
Parkers offers nine car groups, from a compact city car up to a seven-seat hybrid. Here’s a quick guide to which suits which kind of trip.
Group C1 — Budget Car (e.g. Fiat 500)
The smallest and most affordable option. Four seats, three doors, two bags of luggage. Perfect for solo travellers or couples making short trips, nipping to the airport with hand luggage, or getting around town when your own car is in the garage.
From £45/day · £179/week — View Group C1 →
Group C2 — Small Car (e.g. Vauxhall Corsa)
A step up in practicality with five doors and slightly more boot space than the budget car, while remaining easy to drive and park. Good for couples or small families on shorter trips where luggage is light.
From £51/day · £199/week — View Group C2 →
Group C3 — Medium Car (e.g. Vauxhall Corsa)
More boot space than the small car with four bags of luggage capacity — a good middle ground for couples travelling with more kit, or a small family on a day trip where you need room for a pushchair or sports gear.
From £54/day · £230/week — View Group C3 →
Group C4 — Family Car (e.g. Ford Focus)
Five seats, five doors, five bags. The classic family hire car — comfortable for longer journeys, plenty of boot space, and well suited to a family of four or five heading off for the day or the weekend.
From £59/day · £270/week — View Group C4 →
Group C4A — Family Car Auto (e.g. Skoda Fabia)
The automatic version of the family car. Five seats, five doors, three bags. Choose this if you hold an automatic-only licence or simply prefer an automatic gearbox for town driving or motorway cruising.
From £62/day · £299/week — View Group C4A →
Group C5 — Large Car (e.g. Nissan Qashqai)
Five seats, four doors, five bags — a larger, more commanding car that’s well suited to longer motorway journeys or anyone who wants a bit more space and comfort. Good choice for a couple or small family heading somewhere further afield.
From £69/day · £299/week — View Group C5 →
Group C6 — Estate Car (e.g. Vauxhall Astra Estate)
An estate brings the same passenger comfort as the family car but with significantly more boot space — ideal when you’re carrying bulky luggage, sports equipment, pushchairs, or anything that a standard boot won’t swallow. Four bags listed, but the extended boot area means real-world capacity is considerably more.
From £69/day · £290/week — View Group C6 →
Group C6A — Estate Car Auto (e.g. Kia Cee’d Estate)
The automatic estate — all the boot space of the C6, with an automatic gearbox. Five seats, four bags.
From £71/day · £299/week — View Group C6A →
Group E4 — Hybrid (e.g. Chery Tiggo)
The largest car in the fleet and the only one with seven seats. An automatic hybrid SUV, it’s the right choice when you need to move a larger group — extended family, a group of friends, or a mix of passengers and luggage — in a single comfortable vehicle.
From £72/day · £360/week — View Group E4 →
Prices shown are correct at time of publication. For the latest rates, please check the car hire page or call us on 01444 413 672.
Quick reference: which car for which trip?
| Trip type | Recommended group |
|---|---|
| Solo or couple, light luggage, short trip | C1 Budget or C2 Small |
| Couple or small family, day trip | C3 Medium or C4 Family |
| Family of four or five, weekend away | C4 Family or C5 Large |
| Lots of luggage, sports kit, or a pushchair | C6 Estate |
| Automatic required | C4A, C6A, or E4 Hybrid |
| Seven passengers | E4 Hybrid |
| Airport run with hand luggage only | C1 Budget |
| Longer motorway journey, extra comfort | C5 Large or C6 Estate |
Can you hire a car for an airport run?
Yes — airport runs are one of the most common reasons people hire from Parkers. Both Gatwick and Heathrow are easily accessible from the Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill branches, and hiring a car is often more convenient and better value than a taxi, particularly for early morning departures or late-night arrivals when prices surge.
If you’re arriving at Gatwick or Heathrow from abroad and need a vehicle waiting for you, Parkers also offers a Meet & Greet service — where we bring the vehicle to the airport and hand over the keys on arrival.
How far in advance should you book?
As early as you can, particularly for weekends, Bank Holidays, and the summer months when demand is highest. That said, Parkers can often accommodate last-minute bookings depending on what’s available — it’s always worth calling if you need something at short notice.
Ready to hire?
Parkers Car and Truck Rental has been hiring vehicles across Sussex since 1949, with branches in Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill. All prices include fully comprehensive insurance, unlimited mileage, breakdown recovery, and VAT — no hidden extras.
Or call us on 01444 413 672 — we’re happy to help you find the right vehicle.
