Renting a Car with a "Restriction" on Your Driver's License

On the back of the driver’s license (the rightmost column, labeled “Section 12”), there are sometimes codes listed, such as 01 or 100. These codes indicate that there are restrictions on the license. For example, you may only drive while wearing glasses or contact lenses. Or you may only drive for personal use, not for professional purposes.

The rule of thumb is: if you’re allowed to drive in the Netherlands, you can drive in all countries of the European Union, as well as in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom, and Norway. That’s because these countries recognize each other’s driver’s licenses. But what about car rentals? Can you rent a car if your driver’s license has a code on it? And how does that work in countries where you’re required to have an international driver’s license? We’ll explain it below.

Codes Valid Throughout the European Union

The codes on driver’s licenses are standardized across European Union countries. This means that all EU driver’s licenses have a “Section 12” where one or more codes may be listed. There are many codes, and we can’t cover them all, so we’ll mention a few common ones.

Code 01
This code relates to your visual acuity and is only partially shown on your driver’s license, as it is followed by two additional digits. During a traffic stop, the police can see the full code, which is also listed in the official notice you received. This means you know exactly what the additional requirement is for being allowed to drive a car. Code 01.01 means you must wear glasses with the correct prescription; code 01.02 means you may only drive while wearing the correct contact lenses; and code 01.06 means you may drive while wearing either glasses or contact lenses. Of course, you can rent a car without any problems with this code, provided you are wearing those glasses and/or contact lenses.

Code 78 or 10
If you passed your driving test in an automatic transmission vehicle, you’ll receive code 78 on your driver’s license. This means you may only drive a car with an automatic transmission, and this naturally applies to rental cars as well. Most car rental companies are familiar with this code. If you can only drive an automatic vehicle due to a medical condition, this is indicated by code 10. Please note: with code 78 or 10, you cannot be registered as a second driver of a manual rental car.

Driver’s license codes that vary by country

Three-digit codes are country-specific codes. They apply only to the country where the driver’s license was issued and are not recognized outside that country. The best-known Dutch examples are codes 100 and 101.

Code 100
This code means you may only use a car for private purposes, including commuting to and from work. You may not drive for professional purposes, such as working as a taxi driver. Renting a car with this code on your driver’s license is usually not a problem. If stopped for a check, you can explain that the code means “for private driving only” (and try to memorize this phrase in the language of the country where you’re driving the rental car, or write it down).

Code 101
This is essentially an extension of code 100: you may drive a car for personal use as well as for professional purposes, though the latter is restricted to non-passenger transport. This means you may not work as a taxi driver but may, for example, work as a courier. Renting a car with this code is also no problem.

International Driver’s License

In some countries outside the European Union, an international driver’s license is required. Even if it’s not mandatory, car rental companies may still ask for one, for example, in South Africa and the United States. The endorsements on your official driver’s license aren’t listed on it, but you must always present both documents: your regular driver’s license and your international driver’s license. Since driver’s license codes are completely unknown outside the EU, it’s best to check with the rental company in advance to see if you can rent a car with a specific code.

Codes for vehicle modifications

There are also codes that indicate you may only drive a modified vehicle. For example, 15.01 (modified clutch pedal) and 20.01 (modified brake pedal). Rental cars obviously do not have these modifications, and you cannot rent a car if your driver’s license contains such codes.

Driver’s License Code and Car Rental

Car rental companies may impose specific conditions for renting a car. For example, many rental companies have a minimum age requirement and charge a higher rate if you’re younger. Another common requirement is that anyone wishing to rent a car must have held a driver’s license for at least 1 or 2 years. Because not all driver’s license codes are familiar to car rental companies—especially outside the European Union—they may sometimes ask for further clarification. Be prepared for this and, if necessary, check in advance whether the code on your driver’s license could be an issue. And if one car rental company turns you down, there are always others where that code isn’t a problem. That’s the advantage of EasyTerra—with us, you can compare different providers.