You must have held a full licence for 2 years prior to the rental so if you have information on your licence that you passed your driving test before April 2009 there should be no problem. I would email Dooley's pointing out your problem as it is their response that matters.

http://www.dan-dooley.ie/contactus.php

Good advice from Tony above... call and find out for sure.

I have been driving for 40 years. But my Ontario
license shows only the date from last year when it was renewed. There is nothing on the license to show how long I have held it.

I can't believe Ontario is the only jurisdiction where this happens... surely the rental company must be aware of this?

Thanks, Tony. I will be calling in a few minutes! Like ParisAmsterdam, there is nothing on my license other than the reissue date of June 2010, even though I have had a license since I was 18. I can't imagine I'm the first person this has happened to! I'll let everyone know what Dan Dooley says.

Dan Dooley's US office is supposed to be open at 9:30am EST and they're not answering their phones yet! Will update soon.

Still no answer on the phone. I have also emailed the office. This is getting a bit ridiculous.

Finally talked to Mary via email (she says that Monday mornings are crazy). She asked for my license expiration date (April 2013). She said I should not have a problem. I'm bringing my driving record and her email just in case. Hopefully this will help someone else in my position!

Here's what it says on the Dooley website:

"Drivers must be in possession of a full unendorsed driving license and be driving on a regular basis for 2 years prior to the commencement of rental."

Note it does not say your license has to have been issued 2 years ago, only that you've been driving on a regular basis in the 2 years prior to the rental date. They never even asked us about it when we rented from them.

I think there is some confusion. No one is asking when your license was RENEWED. they want to know that you have had a valid license for at least 2 years - that is - you didn;t get your FIRST license only 6 months ago (since drivers tend to have a much higher incidence of accidents in the first couple of years of driving).

An expired license will prove that you were driving before your present license was issued.

The insert that I received is worded differently and said that it must have been issued at least two years prior to rental date. I realize that this is because they don't want inexperienced drivers on the road; however, my Virginia driver's license has no information about how long I have actually had a license; it only shows my last issue date. So, there was no way that I could prove that I had been driving for at least two years. I'm assuming they just take everyone's word for it, but I will still be taking documentation and the NJ office recommended that I present the email conversation about this matter when I pick up the rental.

The restriction will be a condition of the Insurance so if anyone has an accident they will have to provide information on the claim as to the date they passed their full driving test. If this turns out to be less than 2years then the insurance would be null and void. I think the rental agencies are a little more vigilant when it comes to younger drivers.