Car Rental in Crete for Young Drivers Under 25
Rental Center Crete rents cars in Crete to young drivers from age 21 and charges no young driver fee at any age. Rental Center Crete opens categories A and B at 21, categories C, C1, D, D1, K, K1 and K2 at 23, and every other category at 25. Each age limit applies on the day the rental starts, when the driver collects the car, not on the booking date.
Every driver needs a full driving licence held for at least 1 year. Young drivers pay by cash or debit card at pickup, with no security deposit and no credit card guarantee, because fully comprehensive insurance with €0 excess is included in every rate.
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for ages under 25 years old
Rental Center Crete is a family company that has rented cars on the island since 1975, more than 50 years, under Greek National Tourism Organization (GNTO) licence N° 1039E00810009100. Its car hire in Crete applies the same age rules at every pickup point, from Heraklion Airport to Chania Airport.
Which Cars Can Young Drivers Rent in Crete?
Young drivers can rent cars from Rental Center Crete from age 21, and the choice of car categories widens at 23 and again at 25. The car categories open to each driver age are shown in the table below.
| Driver age | Car categories at Rental Center Crete | Example models | Young driver fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 to 20 | None, because the minimum rental age is 21 | None | Not applicable |
| 21 to 22 | A, B | Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108, Volkswagen Up, Fiat Panda, Hyundai i10 | None |
| 23 to 24 | A, B, C, C1, D, D1, K, K1, K2 | Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris, Volkswagen Golf, Peugeot 2008, Toyota Aygo X Automatic, Toyota Yaris Hybrid, plus every A and B car | None |
| 25 to 79 | All categories | Skoda Octavia, Nissan Qashqai, Toyota RAV4, 7-seat and 9-seat minivans, Tesla Model Y, convertibles, plus every car above | None |
The car category appears just above the car's name on every Rental Center Crete car listing. Check that category against the driver's age before booking.
The age that counts is the driver's age on the pickup date, when the rental starts. A driver who is 22 at pickup and turns 23 during the rental still rents under the categories for a 22-year-old, and the same rule applies to the 25th birthday.
Rental Center Crete does not check the driver's age when a booking arrives. The age check takes place at the rental counter. The car cannot be released at pickup if the driver does not meet the minimum age for the booked category, and the full rental amount is still charged for the booked period.
Which Car Models Are in Each Category?
Each Rental Center Crete car category holds a set of similar models, and the category code sits above the car's name on the fleet list. The 9 categories open to drivers under 25 are listed below with the models on the current fleet list.
- Category A (from 21): Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Volkswagen Up. 4 seats, 5 doors, manual gearbox.
- Category B (from 21): Fiat Panda and Hyundai i10. 4 seats, 5 doors, manual gearbox.
- Category C (from 23): Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris, Hyundai i20, Nissan Micra, Peugeot 208, Renault Clio, Citroën C3 and Suzuki Swift. 5 seats, manual gearbox.
- Category C1 (from 23): listed in the rental terms, with no model on the fleet list at the moment.
- Category D (from 23): Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Corolla, Fiat Tipo, Kia Stonic, Seat Arona and Peugeot 308. 5 seats, manual gearbox.
- Category D1 (from 23): Skoda Kamiq, Suzuki Vitara and Peugeot 2008. Small SUVs with 5 seats and a manual gearbox.
- Category K (from 23): Toyota Aygo X Automatic and Hyundai i10 Automatic. 4 seats, automatic gearbox.
- Category K1 (from 23): Volkswagen Polo Automatic, Toyota Yaris Automatic, Nissan Micra Automatic and Opel Corsa Automatic. 5 seats, automatic gearbox.
- Category K2 (from 23): Toyota Yaris Hybrid and Peugeot 208 Hybrid Automatic. 5 seats, automatic hybrid.
Every category A and B car on the fleet list has a manual gearbox, so drivers aged 21 and 22 drive a manual. The first automatic cars, in categories K, K1 and K2, open at 23.
The categories that open at 25 cover the rest of the fleet. The 7 groups are listed below.
- Category E: Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Passat. 5 seats, automatic gearbox.
- Categories G, G1 and G2: SUVs, including the Jeep Renegade, Toyota Yaris Cross, Nissan Qashqai, Kia Sportage, Toyota RAV4, Volkswagen Tiguan and Peugeot 3008.
- Categories H and H1: 7-seat minivans, including the Volkswagen Caddy Maxi, Fiat Doblo and Peugeot Rifter.
- Categories I and I1: 9-seat minibuses, including the Fiat Scudo, Peugeot Traveller, Volkswagen Transporter and Opel Vivaro.
- Category J: Volvo XC90, a 7-seat automatic.
- Category X: Tesla Model Y Long Range, an electric automatic.
- Categories L and L3: convertibles, the Fiat 500C, Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet, Opel Cascada and Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet.
A booking confirms a category, not a specific model, and the models in each category change as the fleet is renewed. The current cars on offer appear on the Rental Center Crete fleet list with the category code above each name.
Can I Rent a Car in Crete Under 21?
No, drivers aged 18 to 20 cannot rent a car from Rental Center Crete, because the minimum rental age is 21 for every car category. The minimum age applies on the pickup date at the rental counter, not on the booking date.
Most car-hire companies in Crete set their minimum rental age at 21 or 23. A few other companies in Crete accept drivers from 18 or 19, usually with a daily young driver surcharge or a narrower choice of cars. Published surcharges for drivers aged 18 to 20 run at about €10 per day at the companies that list them.
A traveller under 21 can still ride in a Rental Center Crete car as a passenger. An older friend or family member who meets the age and licence rules then registers as the driver.
Car Rental in Crete Under 23 (Ages 21 and 22)
Drivers aged 21 and 22 can rent categories A and B at Rental Center Crete, with no young driver fee. Categories A and B are the 2 categories open from the 21st birthday: the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Volkswagen Up in category A, and the Fiat Panda and Hyundai i10 in category B, all 4-seat manual cars. The next 7 categories open at 23, and the age counts on the pickup date.
A 21-year-old or 22-year-old pays no surcharge on top of the category rate. The licence rule still applies at this age: a 21-year-old who passed the driving test 8 months before pickup cannot rent until the licence is 1 year old.
Car Rental in Crete Under 25 (Ages 23 and 24)
Drivers aged 23 and 24 can rent categories A, B, C, C1, D, D1, K, K1 and K2 at Rental Center Crete, with no young driver fee. Turning 23 adds 7 categories to the 2 categories open at 21.
Cars open from 23 include the Volkswagen Polo, Toyota Yaris and Peugeot 208 in category C, the Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Corolla in category D, the Peugeot 2008 and Skoda Kamiq in category D1, and the first automatics, the Toyota Yaris Automatic, Opel Corsa Automatic and Toyota Yaris Hybrid, in categories K1 and K2. Drivers need to be 25 on the pickup date for all other categories in the Rental Center Crete fleet of 600 cars across 55 models.
Is There a Young Driver's Surcharge?
No, Rental Center Crete charges no young driver surcharge at any age, and no senior driver fee. A driver aged 21 pays the same price for a category A car as any older driver on the same dates.
Other car-hire companies in Crete often charge drivers under 25 a daily young driver fee, set the minimum age at 23, or ask for a licence held for 2 years. Published young driver fees in Crete run at about €10 per day at the companies that charge one. The full age rules sit in the Rental Center Crete rental terms and conditions, which are worth reading before arrival.
What Kind of Driving Licence Do I Need?
Every driver needs a full driving licence held for at least 1 year on the pickup date. A licence issued less than 12 months before pickup does not qualify, whatever the driver's age.
Rental Center Crete accepts national driving licences issued in the EU, the UK, the US, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Israel, Russia and Ukraine. Drivers with a licence from any other country need an International Driving Permit (IDP) together with their national licence.
A UK driving licence is accepted on its own, so UK drivers need no IDP for a Rental Center Crete rental.
Do Young Drivers Need a Credit Card or Deposit?
No, young drivers rent from Rental Center Crete with no security deposit and no credit card guarantee. The driver pays by cash or debit card at pickup, including Visa, Mastercard and Maestro debit cards.
Nothing is blocked on a card at pickup, because fully comprehensive insurance with €0 excess is already included in the rate. A credit or debit card is needed only to prepay a booking online. The page on car rental without a credit card explains each payment option in detail.
What Is Included in a Young Driver's Rental?
Young drivers get the same 4 inclusions as every other Rental Center Crete customer, and each one is described below.
- Insurance: fully comprehensive insurance with €0 excess is included in every rate.
- Mileage: unlimited mileage is included, so long drives across Crete cost nothing extra.
- VAT: 24% VAT is included in the price shown at booking.
- Additional driver: one additional driver is free, each further driver costs €3 per day, and a rental allows 3 drivers at most, including the main driver.
Each registered driver must meet the same age and licence rules as the main driver.
Which Cars Suit a Getaway With Friends?
A Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 or Volkswagen Up suits a group of up to 4 friends from age 21, and a Volkswagen Golf or Toyota Corolla suits 5 friends once the driver is 23. The category A cars are small 4-seat city cars that every young driver from 21 can rent.
The Volkswagen Golf and Toyota Corolla in category D have 5 seats and more luggage space than a category A city car. Rental Center Crete offers manual cars in categories A to D1 and automatic cars from category K, which opens at 23.
How Do I Book or Ask a Question?
To book a car, young drivers pick the dates and a car category that matches the driver's age, and the all-inclusive price appears before payment. The Rental Center Crete online reservation form, reached from the booking button at the top of this page, handles the whole booking.
To ask a question first, young drivers contact the Rental Center Crete office in Heraklion about age, licence or car categories. The team answers through the Rental Center Crete contact page or by phone on +30 2810 240120.
Rental Center Crete delivers cars across Crete, and young drivers collect the car at either airport or in the two main towns. Visitors who land in central Crete collect the car through car hire at Heraklion Airport, and visitors who land in the west collect it through car hire at Chania Airport. Pickups in Heraklion and Chania towns follow the same age rules.
Can I rent a car in Crete at 18, 19 or 20?
No, Rental Center Crete does not rent to drivers aged 18 to 20, because its minimum rental age is 21. A few other companies in Crete rent to drivers from 18 or 19, usually with a daily surcharge.
Can a 21-year-old rent a car in Crete?
Yes, a 21-year-old can rent categories A and B at Rental Center Crete with no young driver fee. The driving licence must be at least 1 year old on the pickup date.
Can a 21-year-old rent an automatic car in Crete?
No, every category A and B car on the Rental Center Crete fleet list has a manual gearbox. The first automatic cars, in categories K, K1 and K2, open at 23.
Does my age count on the booking date or the pickup date?
The pickup date. Age limits apply at the time the rental starts, when the driver collects the car. A driver who turns 23 or 25 during the rental still rents under the categories for the age on the pickup date.
Do drivers under 25 pay more?
No, drivers under 25 pay no young driver fee at Rental Center Crete. Driver age only limits the car categories until the 25th birthday.
Do I need an International Driving Permit with a UK licence?
No, Rental Center Crete accepts a UK driving licence without an International Driving Permit. An IDP is required only for licences from countries outside the EU, the UK, the US, Switzerland, Canada, Australia, Israel, Russia and Ukraine.
Can I rent a car in Crete without a credit card?
Yes, young drivers can rent a car in Crete without a credit card at Rental Center Crete. Payment is by cash or debit card at pickup, with no security deposit and no credit card guarantee.
What happens if I am under the minimum age at pickup?
The car is not released when the driver is under the minimum age for the booked category at pickup. The full rental amount is still charged for the booked period.
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