The usual requirement
One to three years of licence-held time is the common range. Economy classes sit at the lower end, while premium, sports and large SUV classes are usually at two or three years.
The clock runs from the date the licence was first issued, not from your current card's issue date — which matters if the licence has been renewed or replaced.
Why a replaced licence causes confusion
A reissued licence often shows a recent issue date even though the entitlement is decades old. Suppliers that read only the front of the card can mistake that for a new driver.
If your card was recently replaced, carry anything that shows the original date of entitlement. It resolves the question quickly at the desk.
How it interacts with age
A supplier can require both a minimum age and a minimum experience, and both have to be satisfied. Being over 25 does not help if the licence was issued last year.
Conversely, long experience does not lift an age floor on a premium class.
What to check before booking
The requirement for your class
Check the experience requirement for the exact class you are booking, since it rises with the value of the car.
Which date the supplier counts
Ask whether they count first entitlement or the current card's issue date, especially after a licence replacement.
Whether it applies to extra drivers
It normally does. Every named driver has to satisfy the same experience rule.