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13 May 2024To the question whether it is possible to rent a car outside Greece, the answer is divided into two categories.
The first category is if you are in a foreign country and need to rent a car in that country. The answer is yes, of course you can if the necessary conditions are met. The main requirement is that the licence must be recognised in the country where you are going to hire the vehicle. In the European Union, Greek licences are accepted as long as the driver's details are written in Latin characters.In addition, in countries outside Europe or outside the European Union the driver must have an international driving licence. The international driving licence is an additional document that accompanies the original licence and is issued only through the ELPA. The cost is €60 for one year and €110 for 3 years. It requires the original licence, a valid passport or a new type of identity card and a photograph. In addition, for renting a vehicle abroad you should be aware that it is unlikely that the lessee will not be asked to have a credit card. Also the legal framework is much stricter than in Greece and the charges are certainly higher.
The second case is if you already have a leased vehicle from Greece and you want to transfer the vehicle abroad.
The situation in this case is complex and unattractive. First and foremost, Greece is a Balkan country with neighbouring countries that are either not in the European Union or do not fully apply the European framework and law. As a result, green cards are not easily issued for vehicles belonging to vehicle rental companies. In addition, roadside assistance is very difficult to accept to cooperate with rental vehicle companies and serve in countries such as Albania, Bulgaria and Turkey. In exceptional cases where hiring can be made possible in foreign countries the charges and guarantees requested by vehicle hire companies are exorbitant .
Someone will say that if I rent a car in Italy or Belgium, it is very easy to move the vehicle to the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, etc. The reason why it is allowed is that on the one hand these countries belong to the European Union and on the other hand they have land borders so that the whole process is more favourable both for the lessee and for the rental car provider. In any case, the ideal scenario is to choose to rent a vehicle in the country you are going to visit so that you always receive the best service.

