Hire a self-drive car in Chennai and the actual pickup is simple, as long as you have three things ready: a valid driving licence, a government photo ID, and the refundable security deposit. Here's exactly what each one means in practice.
You need a valid driving licence held for at least one year — checked at delivery, not before. A learner's licence or a licence held for under a year doesn't qualify. Self-drive rentals also aren't available to students, regardless of licence.
Along with your licence, bring one government-issued photo ID for verification: Aadhaar, passport, or voter ID. Any one of the three works.
A refundable deposit applies — most cars in the fleet carry a ₹5,000 refundable deposit, returned once the car comes back in the condition it left in. The exact amount for a specific car is confirmed on the call after you submit a booking, since it can vary by vehicle.
Every car comes fitted with FASTag already, so you're not hunting one down before a highway trip. A ₹500 charge for it is added to your booking, and after that, tolls are handled automatically.
No dealership visit, no paperwork beyond the licence and ID above, and no driver — every rental is self-drive only, with the keys handed to you directly at delivery.
Once you have your licence and ID in hand, picking a car takes a couple of minutes. Check the full fleet for live availability and pricing, or head straight to booking if you already know which car you want. Questions about a specific situation? The FAQ covers deposits, cancellations, insurance and more.
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