Car Hire at Auckland airport (AKL)

The car hire offices at the International Terminal are located on the northern side of the Transport Hub: upon exiting the arrivals area, walk through the Transport Hub past the pick-up zones and the valet kiosk, and you will find them on your left and right. At the Domestic Terminal, the counters are on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park, opposite the terminal’s pick-up and drop-off area.

The companies authorised by the airport are:

• Alamo
• Avis
• Budget
• Enterprise
• Europcar
• Ezi Car Rentals
• Hertz
• National
• Thrifty

Requirements for hiring a vehicle

To hire a car in New Zealand, the following general requirements must be met, although each company may set additional specific conditions:

• Minimum age: 21 years. Drivers under 25 are usually subject to a young driver surcharge. Some vehicle categories may require a minimum age of 25.
• Driving licence: It must be full, unrestricted and held for at least 12 consecutive months. If the licence is not in English or does not use the Latin alphabet, it must be presented together with an International Driving Permit (IDP) or an official English translation.
• Payment method: Most companies require a credit or debit card in the name of the main driver to process the security deposit. Check in advance whether the company accepts debit cards, as some only accept credit cards.
• Insurance: All car hire companies in New Zealand include basic mandatory insurance in their rates. Additional cover can be purchased to reduce or eliminate the excess in case of damage or theft. Some credit cards offer supplementary cover; check with your bank before travelling.
• Road rules: In New Zealand, you drive on the left. Roundabouts are navigated clockwise. There are toll roads on some routes on the North Island (including the Northern Gateway in Auckland), payable online via the NZTA website.