Hire car travelling from north to south

[MoBry]

Can you take a hire car to the south? I've read conflicting advice about this and wondered if anyone knows for sure what the rules and regs are on this.

[rigsby]

We used Acmenya about three years ago.He had to supply a letter with the cars details to show customs.We used them for holidays in the South and Airport trips.No problems.

[Keithcaley]

I think that the issue is really about getting permission - and not all hirers will give permission.

If you try to take a vehicle to the South without permission, then at that point you are actually driving the vehicle without the owner's permission, and even if you managed to get insurance, the insurance would be automatically invalid, and you would be driving without insurance.

I believe that is why the Police at the check point on the South side (rather than Customs) would want to see that you had such a letter giving permission.

Bear in mind that the cost of recovery in the event of an accident or breakdown would be yours, not the car hire company's, and could be quite expensive.

Be sure to hire a nice, safe, well maintained car!

[paula121s]

We have a hire car at the mo as our car has been sold. We use Acmenya and have got permission letter plus copy of documents allowing us to go to the South, you will need to get a tax certificate for the South when you go through Metehan, but that is free. You will also need to get south insurance.
When you get paperwork from hire company a word of warning check they all have the same car reg on them!!

[MoBry]

Thanks very much, folks, clear and precise responses, just what we need!

[wanderer]

The insurance cover for the south is only 3rd party as it is for south cars coming north
can you afford to replace a car if its your fault that its written off £8k to £20k
We wanted to go to the Trudos for the snow in March parked up at Ledra north side
We had booked a hire car on line taxi to the car hire depot cost for the day only £10 more than the insurance for the south

[Halffull]

We use A one car hire and I wanted to take a car South last year and told him and he arranged the paperwork for me to take one of their cars over the boarder all I had to do was pay for the insurance at the boarder, when I crossed (did it 4 times during the time I had the car)
I just had to show the paperwork A one gave me this side then buy the insurance the other. Had no problems at all

[cyprusishome]

halffull
You had no problems at all and that is good, however if you have a problem you are in the deep brown potentially.

First insurance is third party only so any accident you will have to pay all your own vehicles costs plus you may get landed with additional costs from police, hospitals etc.

Second, if you have a break down you are potentially on your own again. Try getting a garage to repair a north side hire car!!!

It is for these reasons a friend who had a hire company would not allow their vehicles to go south.

I have not heard of anyone caught out.....yet, but as more people take advantage of the relaxation of rules it is bound to happen.

[Halffull]

Thanks for the warning, A one have a South side contact whose number they give you and their "taxis" are up and down to Larnaca, and from what you say anyone taking a car south has the same problems not just a hire car, infact I would be better off in the hire car as the hire company would help to recover their car.

[cyprusishome]

I hear what you say about own car, however if you drive on south side on a regular basis some insurance companies will offer fully comp cover for you. You still have to by stuff at crossing though but at least your insurance company will pick up the tab.

[Philoz]

Taking the OP one step further- are there any car hire firms in the south that will allow to to pick up at larnaca, and then use the car in the north?
This would save the cost of the return taxi from here to larnaca(about£100),which many do and then hire a car here.
Alternately are there any north based car hire firms that will get a car to larnaca for you to collect on your arrival which you can then drive south?

Ideally of course,for those who live here full time, the best arrangement would be if you could pick up a hire car at larnaca,pay for one days hire (£25 perhaps in high season), and then either have the car collected,or drop it off somewhere the next day-This would halve the taxi fare,even more so in the low season ,when the daily rate drops to around £15 per day.

[Bert]

Sixt and Avis can definitely be used across the island as can a private firm called Demis. I have used all frequently and been satisfied with thier service. Check them out on line it actually states on the WWW that you can, unlike Hertz and some of the others.

Still the same 3rd party problem with insurance though so drive safely.

As for Acmenya they have just (last week) written to me saying Ic ant take them south for all the usual reasons!!!!!!!
the reasons given were understandable although not sure why they worry if its the responsibility of the person hireing the car were
they do not allow our cars to cross the boarder, the reason for this is that the insurance that you purchase at the boarder is 3rd party only. If anything were to happen to the car then the person renting would be wholly responsible for the damage and also to bring the car back to the North, as they only have 65 cars they cannot afford for this to happen in another country.

[MoBry]

Thank for all the info, but we decided in the end to trade in our Dead Parrot Land Rover for a Suzuki sedan and are now mobile again. Problem solved! And yes, we will drive carefully, experience in the north teaches one to have eyes swivelling in all directions!