Special situations
Child seats and extras on South African car hire
By CarRentalZA editorial team · 5 min read · Updated 25 July 2026
- The law
- Young children must be in an appropriate restraint
- Booking
- Seats are on request, so book early and reconfirm
- Charged
- Usually per day, sometimes capped per rental
- Fitting
- Check who fits it, and inspect it yourself
- Alternative
- Bringing your own seat, if your airline allows it
South African road traffic law requires young children in a car to be secured in an appropriate child restraint, and rental operators supply child seats as an optional extra, charged per day and available on request rather than guaranteed, so book one early and reconfirm it.
Seats are the extra people most need and most often assume will just be there. They are not always.
The rest of the extras on offer range from genuinely useful to easily replaced by something you already own.
The law on child restraints
South Africa's National Road Traffic Regulations require that a young child in a motor vehicle be seated in an appropriate child restraint where one is available in the vehicle, and where no restraint is available, that the child be seated on a rear seat.
The practical reading for a family hiring a car: bring or book an appropriate seat, and use it. Enforcement varies, but the safety case does not, and it is a fineable offence.
Because the regulations are amended from time to time, confirm the current requirement with the RTMC (rtmc.co.za) rather than relying on second-hand summaries. If you receive a fine while driving a hire car, it is redirected to you with an administration fee.
Booking a child seat with a hire car
- Add it at booking, specifying the child's age and weight so the right type is allocated.
- Reconfirm a week before, in writing, because seats are held on request rather than reserved absolutely.
- Ask how it is charged. Usually per day, sometimes capped over a longer rental.
- Ask who fits it. Some branches fit it for you, some hand it over, and liability for correct fitting usually rests with you.
- Inspect it at collection. Check the harness, the buckle, the expiry or manufacture date if marked, and that it is not visibly damaged.
- Fit it yourself if you are confident, and check the vehicle has the anchor points the seat needs.
If the seat you booked is not there, ask what alternative is available before you accept the vehicle. Driving away and sorting it out later is not a safe plan with a small child in the car.
Bringing your own seat
Many families travel with their own seat, and there are good reasons to.
Advantages: you know its history, you know it fits your child, you know how to install it, and over a longer rental it can be cheaper than the daily charge.
Disadvantages: airlines vary on whether a car seat flies free, it is bulky to move through an airport, and it can be damaged in the hold.
Check with your airline before assuming it travels free. And check the seat against the vehicle class you booked, since a very large seat in a small car with three passengers is a tight fit.
If you are hiring a 7 or 9 seater for a family group, confirm which seat positions have the anchor points you need. Not every row is equipped.
The other extras, ranked
| Extra | Worth it? |
|---|---|
| Child seat | Essential if you have a young child, book early |
| Additional driver | Usually yes on long trips, and required if they will drive |
| GPS unit | Rarely, a phone with offline maps does the job |
| Mobile data or Wi-Fi device | Sometimes, for visitors without a local SIM |
| Boot or roof rack | Only if you genuinely need it, and check the fitment |
| Tow bar | Only on a vehicle authorised for towing, and confirm the limits |
| Glass and tyre cover | Often worth it, particularly on longer or rural routes |
| Super cover | Depends on the excess and deposit, see the waiver guide |
The two that reliably earn their money are the child seat, which you may have no alternative to, and the additional driver, which is not really an extra so much as a requirement if a second person will drive.
Offline maps on a phone have replaced the GPS unit for most travellers. Download the region before you leave a signal area, because rural coverage is patchy.
Practical points for family trips
- Book the vehicle class for the luggage, not just the seats. A 7 seater with all rows up often has very little boot space.
- Ask about anchor points in the specific vehicle class if you are fitting more than one child seat.
- Plan stops. South African distances mean long stretches between towns, and children do not absorb that well.
- Keep water and snacks in the car, not in the boot.
- Check the air conditioning works at collection, in summer particularly.
- Do not leave anything visible in a parked car, and put bags in the boot before you arrive rather than at the destination.
If you are hiring a larger vehicle for a group, note that minibus and 9 seater classes often carry higher minimum ages and stricter licence tenure requirements, which is worth checking before you decide who drives.
Frequently asked questions
Is a child car seat required by law in South Africa?
Yes. National Road Traffic Regulations require young children to be secured in an appropriate child restraint where one is available in the vehicle. Requirements are amended from time to time, so confirm the current position with the RTMC (rtmc.co.za).
Can I rent a child seat with a hire car?
Yes, as an optional extra charged per day, but seats are supplied on request rather than guaranteed. Add it at booking with the child's age and weight, then reconfirm in writing about a week before collection.
Who fits the child seat?
It varies. Some branches fit it, some hand it over, and responsibility for correct fitting usually rests with you. Inspect the seat at collection, check the harness and buckle, and confirm the vehicle has the anchor points the seat needs.
Is it cheaper to bring my own seat?
Over a longer rental, often yes, and you know the seat's history and how to fit it. Check with your airline first, since policies on carrying a car seat free of charge vary, and hold damage is a real risk.
Do I need to hire a GPS?
Rarely. A phone with offline maps downloaded before you leave a signal area does the job for most travellers. A local data SIM or a Wi-Fi device is more useful for visitors than a dedicated GPS unit.
Does a 7 seater have room for luggage?
Often very little with all rows up. If you need both the seats and the bags, check the boot capacity with the third row in use, or plan for a roof box, confirming the fitment with the operator first.
Are there age restrictions on minibus and 9 seater classes?
Usually stricter than for cars, with a higher minimum age and longer licence tenure required. Confirm before deciding who in the group will drive, since it is a common reason a family booking falls apart at the counter.
