What do you need to rent a van and how much does it cost?

When moving house, renting a van is often the preferred solution, both compared to hiring a professional moving company, which can be very expensive and not always reliable in terms of safeguarding your belongings, and compared to using your own car, which takes more time due to the limited trunk space and also subjects the vehicle to significant wear and tear.

In short, van rental is often the ideal compromise in terms of cost and convenience. So let’s take a look at how much it costs and what you need to rent a van for a move or for other similar transportation needs in terms of cargo.

How much does it cost to rent a van?

To answer the question of how much it costs to rent a van, it’s important to understand the variables involved. The most significant factor is the type of van: renting a truck clearly isn’t comparable in cost to renting a long-wheelbase van.

Another factor affecting the rental price is the selection of optional features. If you need to make a specialized move requiring specific safety measures such as transporting motorcycles you’ll need to choose essential add-ons to ensure the security of your cargo.

Other optional features, while not strictly necessary, are still in high demand due to the added safety they provide during transport. These include extended insurance coverage and the option to add additional drivers, and they also contribute to the overall cost.

As for rental duration, the cost of renting a van for a single day versus a longer period tends to have a less significant impact. Rental plans are generally tailored to match the budget of the customer types who use them most frequently, aiming to be as cost-effective as possible.

Finally, van rental generally includes a base daily mileage allowance as part of the standard rate, which can be extended through additional mileage packages available for purchase. Getting a clear understanding of all these aspects before booking your van is definitely a smart way to save on rental

What you need to rent a van

To rent a van, the only document you'll need is a valid driver’s license appropriate for the type of vehicle you plan to drive. As mentioned in our article on the type of license required to drive a van, most vans can be driven with a Category B license; a Category C license is required only for transporting loads over 3.5 tons.

Although a B license can be obtained in Italy at the age of 18, the minimum age for renting a van is almost always 21. Additionally, if you're renting the van on behalf of a company, you'll need to have the VAT number and related tax information ready in order to benefit from tax deductions.

Once you've rented your van, we recommend keeping the rental agency’s phone number handy in case of breakdowns, accidents, or other needs.