How to arrange winter tyres and snow chains for a rental

Who sets the winter equipment rules?

Winter-equipment requirements belong to the road rules of the place you are driving. GOV.UK's driving-abroad guidance tells drivers to follow overseas driving rules, including local speed limits and drink-driving laws, and warns that breaking them can mean a fine. [3] [5] Depending on the country being visited, extra equipment may be required — for example, a reflective jacket and a warning triangle in many countries. [3] [5]

For travel inside the European Union, Your Europe — the European Union's official information site for citizens — groups its driving-abroad material under three headings: hiring a car, driving licence and insurance, and road rules and safety. [4] That is the layer where country-specific driving conditions sit, alongside the paperwork for the hire itself. [4]

GOV.UK treats equipment as one of the last items to settle before departure: once documents, insurance and any extra equipment are in place, you can drive abroad. [3] [5] It also sends drivers to the travel advice page for every country they will visit. [3] [5]

How do you confirm winter equipment with the rental company?

The equipment check stays with the renter. GOV.UK states that if you are hiring a car, it is your responsibility to check you have the equipment you need. [3] [5] In practice that means asking the hire company directly, before collection, what the car will be fitted with for the roads on your route, and keeping the answer with your booking. Our pickup and return checklist covers the rest of the collection desk routine.

Cover is a separate conversation. A hire car comes with insurance included, but GOV.UK advises renters to check with the hire company what they are covered for. [3] [5]

Collection paperwork is worth preparing at the same time. The hire company may ask to see your driving licence information, which you can share with a licence 'check code' obtained up to 21 days before your trip. [3] [5] A driver whose licence was issued in Northern Ireland shows the rental company the paper counterpart instead. [3] [5]

What should you confirm before driving into a mountain region?

Work through the list below before you leave, and again if your route changes:

• The country rules on your route. Follow the driving rules of every country you pass through, and read the travel advice for each one. [3] [5]
• The car's own equipment. Confirm it with the hire company, because the check is yours. [3] [5]
• Anything that needs lead time. Emission stickers for some European cities may need to be bought weeks before you go abroad. [3] [5]
• Insurance scope. Ask the hire company what the included cover actually covers. [3] [5]
• Permission to cross borders. A vehicle hired or leased in the UK and taken abroad needs a VE103 certificate. [3] [5] See the cross-border travel guide for the rest of that paperwork.

Exceptions and limits

• Extra equipment is not universal. GOV.UK names a reflective jacket and warning triangle as items needed in many countries, not all of them, so the list for your destination has to come from that destination's rules and travel advice. [3] [5]
• Included insurance is not a coverage answer. The policy comes with the hire, but what it covers is something the hire company has to confirm. [3] [5]
• Licence paperwork can add a step. You might need an international driving permit for some countries, and you might need one for each country you visit. [3] [5] A lost, stolen or damaged licence has to be replaced before you can drive abroad. [3] [5]
• Own car, different kit. Drivers taking their own vehicle also carry the log book (V5C) and insurance certificate. [3] [5]
• Scope. This page covers published driving guidance for renters heading abroad; it does not cover the separate rental terms of individual hire companies, which is where the fitted equipment for a specific car is confirmed. [3] [5]

Frequently asked questions

Is it the rental company's job to make sure the car has winter tyres?

No. GOV.UK says that if you are hiring a car, it is your responsibility to check you have the equipment you need, so the question has to be raised and the answer kept with your booking. [3] [5]

Do I need winter tyres or snow chains to drive abroad?

It depends on the country you are visiting, because extra equipment requirements attach to that country's driving rules; GOV.UK's example of widely required items is a reflective jacket and warning triangle in many countries. [3] [5] Check the rules and travel advice for each country on your route before you travel. [3] [5]

Does the insurance on a hire car cover winter driving?

Insurance is included when you hire a car, but GOV.UK advises renters to check with the hire company what they are covered for rather than assuming the scope. [3] [5]

Can I take a UK hire car into a mountain region abroad?

A vehicle that is hired or leased in the UK and taken abroad needs a VE103 certificate. [3] [5] Sort it alongside the equipment and insurance checks, since all three have to be settled before departure. [3] [5]

What should I bring to collect a car for a winter trip?

The hire company may ask to see your driving licence information through a 'check code', which you can obtain up to 21 days before the trip. [3] [5] Drivers with a Northern Ireland licence show the paper counterpart instead. [3] [5]

Related pages

Start with the car rental guide for booking and collection basics, then use the pickup and return checklist at the desk and the cross-border travel guide if your route leaves the country of hire. Definitions for rental and travel paperwork are in the frequent flyer glossary.

Sources

Sources accessed on 18 October 2026. It covers published driving-abroad guidance for renters from Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union's citizen information on driving abroad; the rental terms of individual hire companies, and airline and hotel loyalty programmes, are not covered here.

1. GOV.UK: Driving abroad, checked 18 October 2026
2. Your Europe: driving abroad and winter tyres, checked 18 October 2026
3. GOV.UK: Winter tyres and snow chains when driving abroad, checked 18 October 2026