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Taking a Dog in a Hire Car: UK Rules, Fees and the Best Car to Book

Which UK car hire companies allow dogs, the Highway Code rule you need to follow, and how to avoid cleaning charges. Supplier policies compared.

Most UK car hire companies let you take a dog in a hire car, but not all of them, and the rules differ more than you’d expect. Sixt allows pets as long as they’re secured. Avis and Budget allow them only with prior agreement from the branch. Europcar UK doesn’t allow any animals except assistance dogs. Wherever you hire, the real cost risk is a valeting charge if the car comes back covered in hair.

This guide covers each major supplier’s published policy, the Highway Code rule on dogs in cars, how to avoid cleaning fees, and why an estate is usually the best car to book when your dog is coming too.

Table of Contents

UK Car Hire Pet Policies Compared

These are the policies each company publishes for UK rentals. They can change and some vary by branch, so confirm with the branch you’re collecting from before you book.

Supplier	Dogs allowed?	Conditions	Cleaning charge
Sixt UK	Yes	Pets must be secured, for example in a crate, with a harness or behind a boot divider, and kept under control	May apply for heavy soiling
Avis UK	Yes, with prior agreement	Must be agreed in advance with the branch you’re hiring from	Charged if the interior needs valeting; amount varies by location
Budget UK	Yes, with prior agreement	Must be agreed in advance with the branch you’re hiring from	Charged if the interior needs valeting; amount varies by location
Europcar UK	No (assistance dogs only)	No dog guards or restraints supplied; you’re responsible for restraining an assistance dog	Car must be returned in the same condition
Enterprise	Check with branch	Its published pet policy covers US locations, where pets must be crated. UK rules aren’t published in the same way	US policy: cleaning fees if returned with pet hair
Hertz	Check with branch	No clear UK pet policy published. Terms at some European Hertz locations require prior authorisation and a cage or covered seats	Varies; one Hertz location lists a fixed cleaning charge in its terms

If you book through a comparison or broker site, the supplier’s policy still applies. The broker usually can’t approve a pet for you, so contact the collection branch directly and get any agreement in writing, by email if possible. Mention the dog’s size too, because a branch that’s happy with a terrier may feel differently about a wet Labrador.

The Law: Highway Code Rule 57

Rule 57 of the Highway Code says dogs and other animals in a vehicle should be suitably restrained, so they can’t distract you while driving or injure you or themselves if you stop quickly. It names a seat belt harness, a pet carrier, a dog cage and a dog guard as suitable ways to do this.

Breaking Rule 57 isn’t an offence in itself, but it still has teeth. An unrestrained dog that distracts you could lead to a charge of driving without due care and attention, which carries three to nine penalty points. If your dog causes or contributes to a crash, it may also affect your insurance cover. The same applies in a hire car as in your own.

Why an Estate Is the Best Hire Car for a Dog

If your dog travels in the boot, an estate gives it the most usable space of any five-seat car. Estate boots are long and square, so a crate fits without being wedged at an angle. The boot floor of a Volkswagen Passat Estate measures about 1,150mm long and a Skoda Octavia Estate about 1,090mm, enough for a medium to large dog crate. You can compare estate boot sizes in more detail before you book.

Estates also generally have lower boot floors than SUVs, which makes it easier for a dog to jump in and out, and easier for you to lift an older dog. Larger estates such as the Superb have lashing eyelets in the boot that you can use to secure a crate so it doesn’t slide under braking.

Two practical points. First, measure your crate against the height under the load cover, not just the floor length; you may need to remove the cover to fit a tall crate. Second, hire companies don’t fit dog guards, and Europcar says so explicitly. Bring your own crate or harness rather than relying on the car. If you’re comparing estate car hire UK options for a trip with your dog, ask the branch whether the estate category is guaranteed, since the “or similar” car in the same class could be a hatchback.

How to Restrain a Dog in a Hire Car

Crate in the boot. The safest option for most dogs, and the one that keeps hair off the seats. Secure it to the boot’s lashing points if the car has them.
Car harness clipped to a rear seat belt. Easy to carry to the hire desk, and works in any car. Use a proper crash-rated car harness rather than a walking harness.
Portable boot divider. Sixt names this as an acceptable option. Freestanding versions fit without drilling, but check it suits the car before you travel.
Pet carrier. For small dogs, secured with a seat belt on the back seat or placed in the footwell.

Keep dogs off the front seat. Beyond the distraction, a front airbag deploying next to a dog can cause serious injury.

How to Avoid a Cleaning Charge

None of the suppliers above lists a standard pet fee. The charge comes at the end, when the car needs more than a normal clean. Avis and Budget say the amount varies by location, so ask at pickup what it would be. To avoid it:

Cover everything the dog touches with blankets or a waterproof boot liner. Sixt specifically recommends blankets for heavy shedders.
Groom your dog a day or two before collection, which Avis suggests to cut down shedding.
Do a quick daily clean with a lint roller or rubber brush, so hair doesn’t work its way into the carpet.
Vacuum before you return the car, including seat gaps and under the mats. A petrol station vacuum costs far less than a valet.

Photograph the interior at pickup and again at drop-off, including the boot and seats. If you’re charged for cleaning you disagree with, those photos are your evidence.

Never Leave Your Dog in the Car

The RSPCA warns that when it’s 22°C outside, the inside of a car can reach 47°C within an hour, even with the windows open or parked in the shade. Hire cars are no different, and you may be less familiar with how quickly an unfamiliar car heats up. If you see a dog in distress in a hot car, the RSPCA advises calling 999. On long journeys, stop regularly so your dog can drink and stretch its legs.

Taking Your Dog Abroad in a UK Hire Car

You need two separate permissions: one for the car and one for the dog. For the car, most UK suppliers need to know about cross-border travel at booking, and you’ll need a VE103 certificate to take a hired vehicle out of the UK.

For the dog, GOV.UK sets out the requirements for travel from Great Britain to an EU country:

A microchip.
A rabies vaccination, with a 21-day wait after a first vaccination before your dog can travel.
An animal health certificate from your vet, valid for entry to the EU within 10 days of issue. Pet passports issued in Great Britain are no longer accepted for EU entry.
Tapeworm treatment if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway, given between 24 hours and five days before you arrive.

Travel from Great Britain to Northern Ireland has its own scheme, the Northern Ireland pet travel document. Pet travel rules have changed several times since 2021, so check GOV.UK close to your travel date.

Assistance Dogs

Assistance dogs are treated differently. Europcar UK, which doesn’t allow pets, accepts assistance dogs. Sixt says it waives its special cleaning fee for service animals, and Enterprise’s published policy allows service animals to travel without a carrier. The Highway Code restraint guidance still applies, so bring a suitable harness or crate.

Dogs in Hire Cars: FAQs

Can you take a dog in a hire car in the UK?

Usually, yes. Sixt allows secured pets, and Avis and Budget allow them with prior agreement from the branch. Europcar UK allows assistance dogs only. Always confirm with the collection branch.

Is there a pet fee for hire cars?

Not usually up front. You risk a cleaning charge if the car is returned with pet hair or soiling, and the amount varies by supplier and location.

Does my dog have to be restrained in a hire car?

Highway Code Rule 57 says it should be, using a harness, carrier, cage or dog guard. Sixt also requires pets to be secured as a condition of hire.

Do hire companies provide dog guards?

No. Bring your own crate or a car harness.

What’s the best type of hire car for a dog?

An estate. Its long, square boot fits a crate easily, and the lower boot floor makes it easier for dogs to get in and out than an SUV.

Can I take my dog to Europe in a UK hire car?

Yes, if the supplier allows both pets and cross-border travel. You’ll need a VE103 certificate for the car, and a microchip, rabies vaccination and animal health certificate for your dog, plus tapeworm treatment for some countries.

How This Guide Was Researched

Supplier policies come from each company’s own UK FAQs and rental terms, checked in September 2026. Where a supplier doesn’t publish a clear UK policy, we’ve said so rather than guessing. Legal and travel requirements come from the Highway Code, GOV.UK, the RSPCA and GoCompare’s summary of the penalty rules. Pet policies change, so we review this guide at least [every six months] and recommend confirming with your collection branch before every hire.

Sources

estatecarhire.co.uk 2026