There is a saying in Australia, when you hit a dirt road that it is made for 4WD’s or hire cars. Of course it is said in jest.  Hire companies, with their 20 plus pages of terms and conditions combined with prominently displayed penalties are rightly a tad scary.

Most people therefore instinctively know that you cannot take your normal passenger hire car off road. But did you know that some hire companies also do not allow you to travel on any dirt roads in a passenger car or take the car to any island? The fact is that hire companies have quite a sizeable collection of ‘do nots’ contained within their terms and conditions. So in order to give you a straight answer to the question ‘where can I go?’ we have examined the documents and called the experts.

So where can’t you go?

Getting straight down to the detail, you are not allowed to take your hire car, regardless of make or model:

It is against all rules, even in a four-wheel drive to take it off road. Most simplistically, this is any road that is not labelled on a map with a street name, including fire trails, paddocks and sand.

A normal passenger car with Avis and Budget will allow you go on gravel roads that are graded and well maintained, whereas the others do not. It is important to check this before you hire as many parts of Australia still have stretches of dirt road away from the major city centres.

Islands are completely off limits wherever you need to cross to them by use of a car ferry. This includes Bruny Island, Kangaroo Island and Fraser Island. Most companies only list these three main islands, however the rule applies to all islands. If you can’t get there by bridge or tunnel, you are not permitted to take your hire car there.

Kangaroo Island does however, due to its larger size, have two hire companies located on it. Both Budget and Hertz offer car hire for driving on the Island only, but ensure you acquaint yourself with their conditions. Hertz, for example, restricts driving to daylight hours only.

If you wish to hire a car in these locations, you need to do it from within Tasmania or the Northern Territory. For Tasmania, this is because you cannot travel by ferry. The Northern Territory, however, is restricted due to the massive expanse of desert you will need to travel through in order to reach a city. Thrifty also applies this restriction to Western Australia.

All companies restrict you from taking one of their hire cars into any amount of moving water.

Beaches and sand, including any exposure to salt water is not permitted in a hire car.

With certain provision

The following are the grey areas, restricted by one company, but may be allowed by another. Before you do any of the following, ensure you have specifically covered it off with your car hire provider.

This is permitted with Hertz, Europcar and Thrifty car rentals on the condition that their ‘snow option’ has been purchased. Avis and Budget’s terms and conditions both restrict taking the car to the snow. On contacting both companies, they indicated that a ‘few’ of their offices located near the snow fields may offer the option.

Above the snow line is determined in Victoria as above Bright and in New South Wales as above Jindabyne.

Note: Even with a snow option you are liable for every day’s car hire that the car remains away from the provider, regardless of reason, including being snowed in.

Each company has some restrictions relating to the Northern Territory.

All prohibit driving the road to Jim Jim Gorge and Twin Falls and on the Tanami Track. It is worth checking directly with the hire company if you plan to go outside the major cities as there are many restrictions including, for Budget and Hertz, no night driving in certain locations.

Similar to the Northern Territory, WA has a number of restrictions. You should check directly with your car hire company if you want to travel north of Carnarvon. Most companies restrict this travel in its entirety, while others restrict the majority of roads and areas north of this point. Budget and Hertz both have restrictions on driving at night.

Avis and Budget restrict travel west of Chilagoe (Highway 27), south of Normanton (Highway 1) and north of Karumba. They both restrict travel north of Cooktown and Cape Tribulation or travel west past Lakeland if you are in a passenger vehicle or truck. Certain 4WD’s may travel the coast road between Helenvale to Cape Tribulation or from Laura to Lakeland.

Although Hertz and Thrifty do not specifically list these areas, their restrictions on dirt roads rule out a number of these roads. Europcar has a tighter set of regulations restricting a number of roads including the Savannah Way.

Understanding the why?

Most of these restrictions are in place because the hire company can’t obtain insurance for that particular activity.  If they can’t get cover, they will not provide it to the customer. This is particularly prevalent in the areas of car ferry travel and night driving (due to kangaroos). In addition remote areas are restricted due to the difficulty of vehicle retrieval.

Even though these restrictions are contained within the terms and conditions, you physically can still break the rules. Should you choose to do so, you will immediately become fully liable for ANY damage to that vehicle during that time, regardless of fault. For example if you took the hire car to Bruny Island then had an accident unrelated to the ferry trip, but which occurred later on the Island (hence the hire company will know you broke the rules), you will be liable for the FULL cost of repair.

Take the time when booking or when collecting your car to run through your travel plans, especially if it involves northern Queensland, Western Australia or anywhere in the Northern Territory, so you have a clear understanding of what is and is not allowed with your rental car. A little research beforehand can save you a whole lot of pain later.

No related posts.

Inter-City Driving Routes Map

For complete details including directions, open this Inter-City Driving Route map on Google Maps.

View Major Inter-City Routes in a larger map

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2. Adelaide Airport-City Public Transport
3. Sydney Airport-City Public Transport

1. Click on any of the cities’ badges to display the exact addresses of the petrol stations offering the low prices
2. Use Google Maps to navigate your way to your chosen station
3. And save!

Unleaded fuel price data below is manually collected and updated twice daily in the morning and afternoon on Mondays to Saturdays, and once daily on Sundays.

For specific suburb search and prices of other types of fuel, use MotorMouth’s Price Search.

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1. Best Comparison Site for the Major Car Hire Companies
2. Inter-City Driving Distances and Times

The toll roads are fully electronic meaning cash is not accepted. To pay for your usage if you don’t have an electronic tag fitted in your car, you’ll need to pay for your trips by credit card online with a go viavideo pass or over the phone by calling 1 3000 GO VIA (1 3000 46 842). Alternatively, cash payments can be made at customer service centres but will incur a further $1.00 fee.

go viavideo passes are valid for 30 days and can also be bought up to three days after using the toll road. They are only for the Queensland Motorway network. On top of the regular toll fee, you’ll be charged an additional $0.40 ‘video matching fee’ per toll point.

Toll prices are charged depending on which of the five toll points you pass through.

Queensland Motorways Map (0.2 Mb)

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1. Sydney Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
2. Melbourne Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
3. Toll Roads in Australia

CityLink

CityLink in its entirety, connects Malvern (Monash Fwy) in the south-east to Essendon (Tullamarine Fwy) in the north-west via the City. This is made up of two parts: the Southern Link (connects Monash Fwy to CBD) and the Western Link (connects West Gate Fwy and Tullamarine Fwy). There are several toll passes available for you to buy depending on your needs.

CityLink Map and Toll Details PDF (0.8 Mb)

Eastlink

Eastlink is a north-south tollway that connects the Eastern, Monash and Frankston Freeways. It is a fair bit more expensive for those without an electronic tag because each Eastlink pass costs the maximum trip fee instead of being aggregated to the distance travelled.

A single Trip Pass in one direction costs $5.15. Buying passes over-the-counter will unnecessarily incur you an extra $2.45 purchase fee. Avoid this by getting them either over the phone (call 13 54 65 or 13 LINK) or over the internet via Breeze.

Passes remain valid for 6 months and you don’t have to specify your travel dates. You can exit and re-enter Eastlink in the same trip, provided you keep going in the same direction, don’t repeat any section, and complete your trip within 60 minutes. Any unused passes are non-refundable.

Alternatively, consider the Melbourne Pass which covers travel on both the Eastlink and CityLink toll roads (refer to CityLink section).

You can pay for your pass either before or up to 3 days after travelling on the Eastlink.

Eastlink Map and Toll Details PDF (2.0 Mb)

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1. Brisbane Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
2. Sydney Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
3. Toll Roads in Australia

Just what driving licence is required for you to be able to legally hire a car and drive around in Australia?

Valid Licence: First and foremost, you must hold a valid full driver’s license. As tourists, visitors to Australia are allowed to drive with their existing driving licence for up to three months. Beyond that, an International Driving Permit (IDP) will be required.
Full Licence: All the major companies require that you have a full license to rent a car. Learner’s permits, provisional and/or probationary licenses are not accepted.
Duration held: Some car hire companies may impose a minimum duration for which you must have held your current licence e.g. Avis and Hertz expect a one-year minimum.
Licence Language: Any valid drivers license in English is accepted. This means if your licence is issued in e.g. UK, USA, New Zealand, etc. you’re set. For licenses in other languages, you should have an International Driving Permit (IDP) to accompany your current driver’s license.

Extra Notes for Specific Countries
United Kingdom: If you hold one of those new photo driving licences, you’ll have to bring along your paper licence too.
China: A China Notarial Certificate is accepted as an alternative to the International Driving Permit as long as you have your original Chinese licence with you too.

The International Driving Permit (IDP)
An IDP is required for anyone whose drivers license is not in English, or intends to stay and drive in Australia for longer than three months. The IDP is in effect a legal translation of your current valid driver’s licence that remains valid for 12 months. It resembles a passport-sized booklet with translations into 9 international languages. It does NOT constitute a licence on its own and rather must be carried around together with your actual valid drivers licence. The IDP is recognized by a large list of countries (over 150), including Australia.

Be careful when applying for your IDP online. There are many versions of sites claiming to offer IDPs for a whole range of prices (up to the hundreds!) yet many of these sites aren’t officially government sanctioned. To avoid being scammed, go to the sites of government-approved and well-established automobile associations within your country. As an indication of the price to expect, in the UK it currently costs about £8, USA US$15, Germany €16, and in Australia A$25-30.

In Practice
These are the official rules you should abide by to ensure you have no problems renting and driving. It is, however, not uncommon for car hire company employees to close an eye if you try to rent with a country licence they are familiar with even though it’s not in English. Your success will depend on your luck whether the person serving you is feeling flexible or in a good mood. But remember that even if you do manage to hire your car, if you get stopped by the Police, you may be fined for not carrying the appropriate documents. In summary, it’s better to be properly prepared!

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1. Driving In Australia: Road Rules
2. Toll Roads in Australia

Toll roads are found in the metropolitan areas of Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Everywhere there is a move towards electronic payment sensors with the acceptance of cash being phased out. This means it is possible to use the toll road without physically paying for it on the spot (your car registration plate will be photographed as you go through the toll and it’s your responsibility to make sure you have paid for it before or within a couple days of using it).

Any fines will be sent to your car hire company and not only will you be charged for it (in the vicinity of $140 each) but they will also add on a “processing fee” which commonly comes in at about $35-60 each.

With all the care taken to save on your car hire, the last thing you need is a fine for unpaid toll charges. So you don’t accidentally miss one, below you’ll find information for toll road locations, toll charges and purchasing passes, payment methods and meanings of toll road signs.

Toll Roads, Charges and Electronic Passes

• Sydney Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
• Melbourne Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
• Brisbane Toll Roads, Charges and Passes

Payment Methods

Cash Payments

If your toll road accept cash payments, that’s easy. You’ll just want to make sure you have some change. Some toll booths only accept the exact amount while others will give you change. Keep to the left lane as that’s where most cash booths are located and pay attention to the signs:

• Exact change lanes are labelled ‘exact toll’ or ‘auto’
• Booths marked ‘change’ will, you guessed it, give you change.

Cashless Electronic Toll Payments

As mentioned, not all toll roads have cash booths in which case payment must be made electronically with an E-Tag or pass, or over the phone by credit card after using the road.

• Over the Phone
 
Along the road you will see large signs with the relevant phone number so remember it and make the call to pay within 48 hours of passing the toll. A small fee will be charged for credit card payments. Online payments are also possible and incurs a lower fee than over the phone.
• The Electronic Pass
 
For interstate and foreign visitors, the electronic pass will likely be your best option. All you need is a credit card and they are usually valid for 30 days with minimum or no start-up fees. If you’re travelling to multiple places e.g. Sydney, Melbourne AND Brisbane, you’ll need to get the relevant passes for each city i.e. unlike the E-Tag, a pass bought in Sydney will NOT be usable in other cities.
• The E-Tag
 
The E-Tag is a little device you attach to your car’s windscreen which automatically deducts from your account each time pass a toll sensor. Naturally having an E-Tag in the car is the most efficient option and spares you having to worry about forgetting to pay.

However, it is designed for longer term or frequent usage, often requiring a security deposit and prepaid toll balance which may not be appropriate for a visitor. Most rental car companies do not equip their cars with an E-Tag but if you find one that does, great!

E-Tags from NSW, VIC or QLD are usable throughout Australia so if you have an existing one, you can use it with your rental car or consider borrowing a friend’s. Just notify your E-Tag provider of your hire car registration number (and remember to call them to remove it after finishing your rental unless you are feeling particularly charitable).

E-Tags are available from RTA, RoamExpress, and Roam (NSW providers), Breeze (VIC provider), go via (QLD provider). Each provider has a slightly different payment structure and you’ll need an Australian address.

If you are a visitor to Australia or infrequent traveller (one or two trips on a toll road), look instead at getting yourself an electronic pass for the city you require.

Toll Road Signs

E-tags are accepted in these lanes

Electronic Passes are accepted in these lanes

An E-tag ONLY lane

A lane where you can use an E-tag or pay with the EXACT amount of cash

A lane where you can use an E-tag or pay with ANY amount of cash and change will be given

A lane where you can use an E-tag or an Electronic Pass

A lane where cash is accepted and change is given

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1. Brisbane Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
2. Melbourne Toll Roads, Charges and Passes
3. Sydney Toll Roads, Charges and Passes

Many unhappy car rental stories stem from customers not realizing what they were protected for (the car rental companies don’t exactly make it easy), and end up having to pay for damages they didn’t think they had to.

So first things first – what do all those car hire insurance acronyms and confusing lingo mean? Understanding what you are getting will enable you to make the right decision of the level of coverage you need and are willing to pay for. These are the common terms and offerings you will find:

Once you are ready, be sure to find out how to bag yourself major savings with alternative car hire excess insurance options that give you better protection for a lot less!

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NT Public Holidays

2010
Friday 1 January – New Year’s Day
Tuesday 26 January – Australia Day
Friday 2 April – Good Friday
Saturday 3 April – Easter Saturday
Monday 5 April – Easter Monday
Monday 26 April – Anzac Day (replacement for 25 April)
Monday 3 May – May Day
Monday 14 June – Queen’s Birthday
Monday 2 August – Picnic Day
Monday 27 December – Christmas Day (replacement for 25 December)
Tuesday 28 December – Boxing Day (replacement for 26 December)

Friday 25 June – Borroloola Show Day *
Friday 2 July – Alice Springs Show Day *
Friday 9 July – Tennant Creek Show Day *
Friday 16 July – Katherine Show Day *
Friday 23 July – Darwin Show Day *

2011
Monday 3 January – New Year’s Day (replacement for 1 January)
Wednesday 26 January – Australia Day
Friday 22 April – Good Friday
Saturday 23 April – Easter Saturday
Monday 25 April – Easter Monday, Anzac Day
Monday 2 May – May Day
Monday 13 June – Queen’s Birthday
Monday 1 August – Picnic Day
Monday 26 December – Christmas Day (replacement for 25 December)
Tuesday 27 December – Boxing Day (replacement for 26 December)

Friday 24 June – Borroloola Show Day *
Friday 1 July – Alice Springs Show Day *
Friday 8 July – Tennant Creek Show Day *
Friday 15 July – Katherine Show Day *
Friday 22 July – Darwin Show Day *

NT School Holidays

2009 / 2010
Summer: 12 December 2009 – 26 January 2010
Autumn: 2 April – 11 April
Winter: 19 June – 18 July
Spring: 25 September – 3 October

2010 / 2011
Summer: 11 December 2010 – 24 January 2011
Autumn: 2 April – 10 April
Easter Break: 22 April – 25 April
Winter: 25 June – 25 July
Spring: 1 October – 9 October
Summer: 17 December 2011 – 30 January 2012

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1. QLD Public and School Holidays 2010 / 2011
2. SA Public and School Holidays 2010 / 2011
3. WA Public and School Holidays 2010 / 2011