# Driver requirements for performance and prestige car hire > To hire a car from Performance & Prestige you must meet that specific car's criteria, not a single sitewide rule. Across the current catalogue the minimum driver age runs 25–32, with 2–10 years of full licence held, a tolerance of 0–6 penalty points, a refundable security deposit of £1,500–£50,000 and an insurance excess of £1,500–£35,000. The criteria rise with performance, and the figures for each car are published on its own page before there is anything to fill in. Source page: [https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/requirements](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/requirements) · Updated September 2026 ## Why the criteria are set per car rather than per company The insurer sets the floor, and it moves with the value and the performance of the vehicle. A rear-wheel-drive supercar is not underwritten on the same terms as a luxury SUV, so a single sitewide age limit would be either wrong for one of them or so conservative it would be wrong for both. Every car therefore carries its own minimum age, minimum licence period, points tolerance, deposit and excess, and they are stated on the car's page. ## The criteria by category | Category | Cars | Minimum age | Licence held (years) | Max points | Deposit | Excess | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Supercar | 10 | 28–32 | 5–10 | 0–6 | £5,000–£50,000 | £5,000–£35,000 | | Sports | 13 | 25–30 | 3–5 | 6 | £2,000–£10,000 | £2,000–£10,000 | | Grand Tourer | 10 | 25–30 | 3–8 | 3–6 | £3,500–£30,000 | £3,500–£25,000 | | Luxury SUV | 41 | 25–30 | 3–5 | 6 | £2,000–£10,000 | £2,000–£10,000 | | Saloon | 29 | 25–30 | 2–8 | 3–6 | £1,500–£30,000 | £1,500–£20,000 | | Convertible | 9 | 25–30 | 3–5 | 6 | £3,000–£10,000 | £3,000–£10,000 | ## What we check before a car goes out - **Your full driving licence**, held continuously — a provisional period does not count towards the years-held figure. - **A DVLA check code**, so the endorsements on your licence are seen rather than taken on trust. A code is free, takes about a minute to generate and lasts 21 days. - **Your age against that vehicle's minimum**, which is published on its page. - **Proof of address and identity**, matched to the licence. - **A card in the hirer's own name** for the refundable security deposit. - **Any additional driver**, named and checked the same way before delivery. An unnamed driver is not insured. ## Which cars have the lowest minimum age? The lowest minimum age in the current catalogue is 25. These are the cars that carry it: - [Audi SQ7](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/cars/audi-sq7) — minimum age 25 - [BMW X5 xDrive40i M Sport](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/cars/bmw-x5-m-sport) — minimum age 25 - [Audi S5 Coupe](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/cars/audi-s5-coupe) — minimum age 25 - [BMW M2](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/cars/bmw-m2) — minimum age 25 - [BMW M4 Competition xDrive](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/cars/bmw-m4-competition) — minimum age 25 - [Ford Mustang GT](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/cars/ford-mustang-gt) — minimum age 25 If you do not meet the criteria for the car you want, we say so at the enquiry stage and point you at what you can hire. That is a better conversation to have before delivery than at the kerbside, which is exactly why the figures are published rather than buried in the terms. ## The deposit and the excess are two different things The **security deposit** is refundable. It is held against a card in the hirer's name before delivery and released after the car is back with us. The **insurance excess** is the amount you would be liable for in the event of a claim. Both are stated per car, both are stated before any form, and neither is taken through this website. [Driver requirements page](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/requirements) · [Insurance and excess](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/insurance) · [How delivery works](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/delivery) · [Start an enquiry](https://performanceandprestige.co.uk/enquire) ## Frequently asked questions ### How old do you have to be to lease a performance car? It varies by vehicle, because the insurer sets the floor and it rises with performance. The minimum age for each car is stated on its own page, and we check it with you before anything is confirmed. ### How long do I need to have held my licence? A minimum period of full licence held is required and it differs by vehicle. The figure for each car is on its page. A full UK or EU licence held continuously is what counts, not a provisional period. ### Can I hire with points on my licence? Often, yes. What matters is how many points and what they are for, so tell us at enquiry rather than at handover. Some convictions are excluded by the insurer whatever else is true, and we will say so straight away. ### Can someone else drive the car? Only if they are named on the hire in advance and meet the same criteria as you. An unnamed driver is not insured, which means any incident is uninsured — so we cannot add anyone at the roadside. ### What do I need to have with you on the day? Your full driving licence, a DVLA check code so we can see your endorsements, proof of your address, and the payment card in your own name. We tell you the full list when we confirm, so nothing is a surprise at the door. ### Do I have to pay a deposit? Yes. A refundable security deposit is held for the duration of the hire, separately from the rate. The amount is set per vehicle and shown on that car’s page and on your quote before you commit. ### Is anything taken online? No. No deposit and no payment is taken through this website. Nothing is charged until a person has confirmed the vehicle, the dates and your driver details with you. ### How is the deposit held, and when do I get it back? It is held against a card in the hirer’s own name — not a third party’s. It is released once the vehicle is back and checked and any charges are settled; we tell you the release timing in writing when you book. ### What can be deducted from the deposit? Miles over the included allowance, fuel or charge not replaced, damage up to the excess, and any penalty or congestion charge incurred during your hire plus the admin fee for handling it. Nothing else. ### What does a lease actually cost in total? Three things: the rate for the period, delivery and collection, and the refundable deposit held against the car. Mileage over the included allowance is the only common extra, and the per-mile figure is on the vehicle page. ### Is insurance included? On a vehicle from our own fleet, yes — fully comprehensive self-drive-hire cover is arranged by us and included in the rate. You drive on our policy, subject to the driver criteria for that car and to an excess. ### What is the excess? The excess is the most you would pay towards an insured claim. It is set per vehicle, stated on that car’s page and repeated on your quote, so you see it before you decide rather than after. ### Do I need my own insurance? No, not for a vehicle from our fleet. Do not rely on a driving-other-cars extension on a personal policy either — those almost never cover hire vehicles, and they do not cover cars of this value. ### Am I covered on a track? No. Road policies exclude circuit driving, so a track day is arranged as a separate hire with cover written for it and to the circuit’s own requirements. Tell us it is for a track day at the start and we will quote it properly. ### What happens if the car is damaged? Tell us immediately and do not arrange any repair yourself. On an insured claim your liability is capped at the excess for that vehicle, subject to the policy terms — the exception is damage the policy does not cover at all, such as driving under the influence or an unnamed driver. *Performance & Prestige hires vehicles from its own fleet and, where a vehicle is not one of ours, arranges it through a vetted partner. Cars marked "we can source" are subject to confirmation before anything is agreed. Rates include VAT. Nothing is booked or paid for through this website: a person confirms the car, the full cost and the delivery slot with you first.*