car rental for a person in 80's

Some car rental agencies bar octogenarians from
renting their cars. If you rent through www.AutoEurope.com you’ll know ahead of time if age is an issue with the agencies Autoeurope brokers car rentals for. You’ll know up front and, if it is an issue with one company, you can just move on to the next company on AutoEurope’s listings.
Also, AutoEurope will go to bat for you if there are any problems such as what you experienced with Europcar.

It seems to be an issue that is both country and company specific.
Although only mid 70s, we have found that in Europe, Hertz is generally OK.. Avis not necessarily.

It is not always hard to find the age range for car rental. What is hard is to find what it means to you if you are outside the upper age parameter, which may state that a price adjustment may be incurred. You cannot find out what that is. So you are renting blind.
Recently I rented a car. I am 74. The only age reference was “over 19”. At the counter my age came up and I was charged $150 more for being old. That was their limit. I don’t know the daily additional but once it reaches. $150, that is it. I was renting for three weeks.
Here is the thing. That $150 had nothing to do with additional insurance or tied to anything else. Nothing to do with incompetency from age, more accident risk… nothing. All the insurance coverage was the same. Essentially it was a charge tied to age alone. Pure profit based on age.

last fall europecar brought our car to the naxos airport, and when the man looked at my license and saw that I was 81, he did not want to rent a car to me, tho I'd previously filled out all the forms with europcar, including my birthdate. I pointed this out to him, so he relented and did rent me the car. hertz rented to me in spain, but I'm hearing it is getting more diffictult to rent if one is in his 80's. anyone have any experiences or comments on this. thanks, nick b.

I have read that the cut off age for some companies in Europe is as low as 70. I have no personal experience with that, I am only 68, but I also never rent cars in Europe. I am not aware of any max age limit for car rentals in the US.

You have to also be aware that some countries do not allow rentals to older people.

I am 75 but look and act like a much younger person. We continue to travel extensively but have not rented a car in Europe recently.

We booked a car in Scotland in 2023 and our main driver would be 80 at time of rental. The booking company, Celtic Legend, said a doctor's note stating that the driver was fit to drive was required. Upon picking up the car at Arnold Clark Glasgow, no one asked for the doctor's note.