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Car hire in Greece
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Driving in Greece on an Australian licence
International Driving Permit rules and car hire for Australians.
Yes - Australians need an International Driving Permit for Greece.
Greece requires an International Driving Permit with your Australian licence, and it is one of the countries where police genuinely check. Get it from your state motoring club before you leave.
Drives on the rightOpposite to Australia
Minimum age 18For most hire companies
$45-$95Typical daily hire
IDP required1949 Geneva Convention
Is hiring a car in Greece worth it?
Worth it on Crete, Rhodes and Naxos. Pointless on Santorini and Mykonos, where parking is the whole problem.
Typical daily hire runs $45-$95.
Where to hire a car in Greece
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What Australian drivers need to know in Greece
- Island roads are narrow, unlit and often unsealed at the edges. Take the excess-reduction cover.
- A scooter or ATV needs a motorcycle endorsement on your licence - your travel insurance will check this after an accident, not before.
- Athens has a restricted-traffic ring in the centre and street parking is scarce enough to not be worth attempting.
- Petrol stations in rural areas and on smaller islands often close on Sundays.
Driving without the permit here means driving uninsured. Australian policies exclude claims from driving without a valid licence for that vehicle in that country, and in Greece the International Driving Permit is part of being validly licensed. A car licence does not cover a scooter - riding one needs a motorcycle class on your Australian licence as well as the permit, and scooter accidents are the most expensive claims Australians make in this region.
You can only get an International Driving Permit in Australia, before you fly - the state motoring clubs issue them for about $49 and it takes a fortnight to be safe. How to get one, and where it works.
More Greece essentials
Greece visa and entry rules
Passport, visa, arrival cards and customs rules for Australian passport holders.
Flights to Greece
Search fares from Australia, then sort the rest of the trip.
Greece eSIM plans
Instant data, no physical SIM required.
Greece travel insurance
Medical, cancellation and luggage cover for Australian travellers.
Greece money and cards
Cards, cash and FX fees for Australian travellers.
Greece airport transfers
Trains, buses, private transfers and taxis compared.
Greece travel essentials
Adapters, plugs, tap water, tipping and health basics.
Things to do in Greece
Attractions, tours and passes worth booking ahead.
Further reading: International Driving Permit: which countries Australians need one for
How these comparisons are made
Licence and permit rules come from the destination's road authority and the Australian motoring clubs that issue International Driving Permits, and each page states whether an IDP is legally required, required in practice by hire companies, or genuinely not needed - three different situations most sites blur into one. Read the full editorial policy.
Greece driving FAQs
Do I need an International Driving Permit in Greece?
Yes. Greece requires foreign drivers to carry a 1949 Geneva Convention International Driving Permit alongside their Australian licence, and it is one of the countries where police actually check. Apply through your state motoring club before you leave.
Is travel insurance necessary for Greece?
Australia has no reciprocal health care agreement with Greece, so you pay for all treatment up front. The larger risk on a Greek island holiday is a scooter or quad accident, and most policies exclude those unless you hold a motorcycle endorsement on your Australian licence.
Planning Greece?
We will send you the Greece guide as it grows - what to book before you go, which eSIM and travel card are worth it there, and what things actually cost in Australian dollars.