Car hire with an EU driving licence at Catania Airport

Airport car rental in Catania

Italian airports hand cars over at in-terminal desks or at off-airport offices reached by a shuttle from the arrivals hall. The voucher states which applies, and the shuttle option is usually what makes a cheaper rate cheaper.

For late arrivals, confirm the desk opening hours, whether the supplier tracks the flight number, any out-of-hours fee and how the car is returned when the office is closed.

Car rental conditions

Bring your passport or national ID and a valid driving licence. Licences issued in the EU, the EEA and the UK are accepted directly; for other countries Italian law requires an International Driving Permit alongside the national licence, and desks do check for it.

The minimum age is usually 21, with at least one to two years of licence held. Drivers under 25 normally pay a young-driver surcharge, and premium, SUV and minivan classes often set the threshold at 25 or higher.

A deposit is standard and is blocked on the main driver's credit card at handover. Some Italian suppliers accept debit cards or sell a zero-excess tariff without a hold, but that is an offer-level rule rather than a national one.

Check the fuel policy — full-to-full is the fairest and is what most reputable suppliers use. Read the excess and the exclusions too: tyres, glass, mirrors, the underbody and unsurfaced roads are commonly outside the cover.

Car brands and categories

The catalog covers the main rental categories:

• Economy
• Comfort
• SUV
• Minivan
• Premium
• Convertible
• Electric
• Hybrid

Italian fleets are built mostly around Fiat, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Renault, Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Volkswagen, Toyota and similar models, and manual gearboxes are still the default here — confirm the transmission on the offer card if you need an automatic.

Compare the total price together with the deposit, insurance excess, mileage policy, fuel rule, accepted payment methods and the return conditions.

Airport pickup details

Have the passport, driving licence, booking voucher and the deposit card of the main driver ready before the counter, and photograph the bodywork, glass and wheels during the joint inspection.

On the way back allow time for refuelling near the airport, the return inspection and the walk from the drop-off level to the terminal.

Rental with an EU driving licence

A licence issued in the EU or the EEA is accepted in Italy on its own, with no International Driving Permit and no translation.

The licence still has to be valid, held for the minimum period the tariff sets and carried in the original — a photo on a phone is not accepted at the counter.