Although renting a car locally or within the United States is a simple task, it can become a time consuming one if you are traveling oversea. Some of the process remains the same; you search around for the best deal, you reserve your car, and you pick it up at your destination when you arrive. In addition to these steps there are a few other steps in the process that you need to be aware of.

To start with you may be required to obtain an international driving permit in order to rent a vehicle at an overseas destination. This permit is not always required for your international travel rental, but it is mandatory by many other countries. If required, your international driving permit needs to be obtained prior to leaving your country, therefore you will want to look into this several weeks in advance to ensure that if the permit is required you have enough time to get the documentation and paperwork together. In addition to needing an international driving permit, many countries also require that you have a valid drivers license so you will want to be sure that you have both documents on you when you go to pick up your rental.

Once you find out about whether or not you are required to obtain an international driving permit, you should then ask if you will also need to provide an international insurance card. Be sure to ask this during the same conversation as the international driving permit, since this document also needs to be obtained in your home country and needs several weeks notice to obtain. Many insurance companies are located regionally, therefore being covered under your current insurance plan is usually not a problem.

While traveling internationally it is also a wise idea to go with a reputable company that you are familiar with. Since many of the same rental companies from the United States are located around the world this should not be a hard task. Once you have reserved your rental you should then include anything additional that you will need while driving. Many companies offer child safety seats, car racks, GPS devices and other travel necessities, to their customers. These items should be reserved way in advance of your arrival as there is often a limited supply on hand. Another good idea is to always rent a GPS, if they are available. This will not only assist you with traveling on the unfamiliar roads, it will also assist in finding emergency services, gas locations and other areas that you may be in need of while traveling.

International car rentals will go more smoothly if you arrange everything in advance and line up the paperwork you will need prior to your travel. This will ensure that when you arrive you can sign the paperwork and quickly be on your way.