If visiting Canada is on your vacation or business itinerary, then renting a vehicle might very well be too. Before your trip is upon you, take the time to learn the basic facts outlined below and then enjoy your trip to Canada!
Drivers License
In order to rent a vehicle in Canada you are required to be in possession of a valid driver’s license. If your driver’s license does not have a photograph some companies will require you to provide a major credit card and/or your passport, while other companies might be willing to settle for another form of photo ID (such as a work ID) along with your driver’s license.
Foreign visitors to Canada must have drivers’ licenses that are either written in English or French (the two official languages of Canada). An international permit is required if licenses are in any other language. Visitors from the UK may be required to bring both parts of their license with them in order to rent a vehicle. The reason for this is because information on both sides is relevant to Canadian authorities. Car rental agencies need to see both parts and the counterpart is important in case of an accident.
A Drivers License From Other Countries
A driver’s licence from anywhere other than Canada that clearly shows the following pieces of information- date of birth, class, expiry date and conditions- can be used in Canada for up to six months but no longer than that. International driving permits on the other hand, can be used in Canada for up to a year provided that the holder of the permit is a visitor and not a resident. These special permits must be obtained from the visitor’s country of residence before they embark on their trip to Canada. They cannot be issued once a foreign visitor arrives in Canada. This last point cannot be stressed enough.
Reservations
It is always a smart idea to book a car rental well in advance of your trip to Canada. It is recommended in order to get the best rate that visitors book a rental car at a weekly rate (a week is generally considered between 5-7 days) instead of at a daily rate. This makes sense of course, the longer the duration of your trip. Rates are based in part on how many cars the rental company has available at the pick up location.
Relevant Information
Make sure you have all the relevant information before making a reservation. This includes the following things:
Verifying the date and time for the pick up and return of the car.
Deciding upon the size and/or class of car you wish to rent. Keep in mind that most rental companies break down the cars they have available into classes. The classes include compact, economy, mid-size, standard, full-size, premium, minivan, SUV and luxury. Many smaller Canadian companies have only three classes or categories. These include compact, economy and mid-size.
Name of the person who will be picking up the vehicle.
Any special requests you have. For example some rental companies can accommodate the special needs of customers such as car seats for children, air conditioning, a luggage rack, automatic versus manual transmission and an extra key if it is requested (for people who have a tendency to lose or misplace things easily!).
If you qualify for any discounts (such as a senior’s discount or a discount due to a membership in CAA) or any specials or coupons find out this information before you make your reservation.
Canada’s Highways
In Canada the speed limit is according to the metric system, which means that it is measured in kilometres (km) and not miles, as it is in the United States. As a rough estimate, if you are used to calculating your driving speed in miles, 90 km/h is approximately 60 mph and 50 km/h converts to 30 mph. On most Canadian highways the speed limit is 100 km/h but can change suddenly so being aware of the speed limit signs displayed along the side of the road is very important. There are stretches of highway where the speed limit will be 100 km/h and then change to 110 km/h and then back again.
Wearing a seatbelt in Canada is required by law and motorcyclists are required to wear helmets, as are their passengers. These rules are strongly enforced and if you are caught breaking them the penalties can be stiff.