Can I take my rental car to Kangaroo Island?
By Vroom Team • Reviewed 17 Jun 2026
One of South Australia’s favourite destinations, Kangaroo Island is famous for its natural beauty and an enormous seal colony. Best of all, you might be able to visit with your rental car. Read on to find out how.
Some mainland South Australia rental car providers may permit their vehicles to travel on the SeaLink ferry to Kangaroo Island, but conditions vary by provider. In cases where driving a rental car to Kangaroo Island is permitted, you’re typically required to advise the rental car provider beforehand of your plans, and in some cases request written authorisation from them.
If you prefer to avoid the cost of taking a rental car on the ferry, as well as any ferry-related restrictions, another option is to hire a car when you get to the island. To do so, start by comparing Kangaroo Island car hire prices, either in Penneshaw or at Kangaroo Island-Kingscote Airport (KGC).
How to get to Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island is connected to the South Australian mainland by both air and sea. A flight from Adelaide Airport to Kangaroo Island-Kingscote Airport takes around 30 minutes, while the ferry from Cape Jervis on the mainland to Penneshaw on Kangaroo Island takes about 45 minutes (subject to weather conditions).
Obviously if you’re planning on taking a rental car to Kangaroo Island (see below for which rental car providers allow this), you’ll be using the ferry service. SeaLink operates vehicle ferries between Cape Jervis and Penneshaw, with multiple services per day. The Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty hire car depots at Penneshaw are all within walking distance of the ferry terminal.
If you’re flying to Kangaroo Island, Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty all have rental car depots at Kangaroo Island-Kingscote Airport.
Can I take a rental car from the mainland to Kangaroo Island?
Europcar, Hertz, and Thrifty generally allow their vehicles to be rented in Adelaide and then taken to Kangaroo Island on the ferry, but they apply strict restrictions regarding such rentals. These include:
Coverage does not include damage to vehicles while travelling on the ferry and while the vehicle is being loaded on and off the ferry to Kangaroo Island.
Any purchased excess reduction insurance may be voided for the ferry trip.
Customers will be required to sign a disclaimer when they collect the car.
In the case of mechanical failure on Kangaroo Island, as there is only one breakdown service location on the island, response times are not guaranteed.
Passenger vehicles are only allowed on sealed roads.
Travel to Kangaroo Island must be advised either at the time of booking or the time of collection, and written authority is required from the rental provider.
Avis and Budget do not permit vehicles from the Australian mainland to travel to Kangaroo Island. For a full breakdown of how rental car ferry travel rules apply across providers and routes, see our ferry travel guide.
Can I rent a car at Cape Jervis before getting the ferry?
As far as we know there are no car hire depots located in Cape Jervis. The closest rental car providers to Cape Jervis are in Adelaide or on Kangaroo Island itself.
Can I hire a car on Kangaroo Island instead?
Yes. Budget, Hertz, and Thrifty all maintain rental car depots within walking distance of the Kangaroo Island ferry terminal at Penneshaw, as well as at Kangaroo Island-Kingscote Airport. In the case of all three rental car providers, the airport depots tend to have a broader range of vehicles.
While Avis and Budget do not permit vehicles rented from their mainland Australian depots to travel to Kangaroo Island, Budget does operate rental car depots on Kangaroo Island itself.
Car hire providers on Kangaroo Island
If your mainland rental provider does not allow ferry travel, or you want to avoid ferry-related restrictions, you can hire a car after arriving on Kangaroo Island.
| Provider | Penneshaw | Kangaroo Island-Kingscote Airport |
| Budget | Kangaroo Island Ferry Terminal | Arronmore Road |
| Hertz | Cnr Thomas Willson/North Terrace | Arronmore Road |
| Thrifty | Cnr Thomas Willson/North Terrace | Arronmore Road |
Can a car hired on Kangaroo Island be taken off the island?
This depends on the provider, and where it is permitted there will be a one-way fee levied upon the rental. Both Hertz and Thrifty, for example, levy a $150 one-way fee for cars rented at Kangaroo Island-Kingscote Airport and returned to Adelaide Airport.
Is driving on unsealed roads on Kangaroo Island allowed?
No. Driving on unsealed roads in a rental car is typically prohibited by rental car providers. This can be an issue on Kangaroo Island as some points of interest can only be reached by unsealed roads.
What should I check in the rental terms?
When booking a rental car for travel to or on Kangaroo Island, check your provider’s Terms and Conditions for sections on restricted areas and/or prohibited uses of the rental car. In some cases providers will have supplementary restrictions specific to Kangaroo Island, so be sure to ask after any additional rental conditions.
About the author
Vroom Team
VroomVroomVroom’s writing team brings together decades of writing expertise to share their insights into travelling around Australia by rental car. Let our team help you get the most out of your rental car experience.
