Do you have to hand over a copy of your driving licence when hiring a car?

When you rent a car, most car rental companies will ask you to bring your driving licence and passport when you pick up the car. This makes sense, as the car rental company will naturally want to know if you are legally entitled to drive. Therefore, you must be able to show that you have a valid driving licence and that it has not, for example, been confiscated. However, is it permissible to copy your driving licence? Or is it permissible to scan it? This blog will attempt to answer the question: Do you have to provide a copy of your driving licence when renting a car? And is this allowed?

Is a car hire company allowed to ask for a copy of your driving licence?

You are planning to take a test drive in a new car or you are planning to to hire a carIn this case, a car rental company may make a copy of your identification, such as your driving licence or passport. The rental company makes a copy so that they can report it to the police if they suspect theft of the rental car. The copy or scan must meet a number of conditions, otherwise the rental company may not use it. The same applies to the Van hire or at the Minibus hire.

What conditions must the car rental company adhere to?

When taking a test drive or hiring a car, the rental company or seller may make a copy or scan of your identification under certain conditions. The first condition is that the rental company must have a legitimate purpose for making a copy. Furthermore, the lessor must:

• Black out your passport photo and BSN. The landlord does not need these for things like filing a report. You can, however, explicitly give permission for a copy or scan, in which case the photo and BSN do not need to be blacked out.
• To explain what legal obligation requires them to have a scan or copy.
• A copy or scan must be stored safely somewhere.
• The copy or scan must be given to you after you have handed back the car.
• The copy or scan must be destroyed once you have returned the car.

AVG

The GDPR stands for General Data Protection Regulation. This new European privacy law gives individuals more rights and companies/organisations more responsibility to handle your (digital) data carefully and to inform you about it. In short, companies need a good reason to process personal data. If this is not done correctly, it is punishable. There is a breach of the GDPR when the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of you as a tenant are compromised. For example, when your data is leaked to a third party.

Identity fraud

Covering important data, such as your citizen service number and your passport photo, when making a copy or scan of your driving licence is important to prevent identity fraud. Malicious individuals can indeed commit fraud with a copy of your driving licence. For example, they can apply for a loan or subscribe to services in your name. It is even safer to just register your driving licence with the car rental company without making a copy. Registration of your driving licence looks like this: ‘Driving licence, document number.’

Make a safe copy yourself

Did you know you need a copy of your driving licence to hire a car? Make a scan or copy yourself in advance. Please note the following:

• Make your BSN invisible.
• Make the digit series at the bottom of your card invisible.
• Write on the copy that it is the copy.
• Schrijf op kopie voor welke autoverhuurder kopie bedoeld is.
• Write on the copy date you hand in the copy to the rental company.

Copy of car registration document when hiring a car?

Many car rental companies will provide you with a copy of the vehicle registration document. When you ask about it, the rental company will say this is standard practice. But is that indeed the case? Although it happens more often, this is not covered by Dutch law. You are obliged to carry the original vehicle registration document with you. If you do not have this with you when you are stopped, you, as the driver, will receive the fine. The same applies when you drive abroad.

Rent your car safely without a copy of your driving licence

At Adrem Car Hire, you can rest assured that at the car hire No copy or scan will be made of your driving licence, passport, or identity card. However, at the start of the rental, your details (driving licence number, date and place of birth) will be recorded. You will get your driving licence back, uncopied and unscanned.