How Old Do You Need to Be to Drive a Rental Car

Thinking about taking a road trip with your friends? Wondering if you spend your spring break driving home in a sick rental car? There’s a popular idea out there that you have to be 25 to rent a car, and you may be wondering if there’s any way around that. The good news is that there is! While there used to be a hard rule out there that you had to be 25 to rent a car, most agencies have softened up on that these days and there may be a workaround depending on where you live.

Steps

What is the standard minimum age to rent a car?

1. You typically have to be 25 to rent a car—at the standard price. There are workarounds and variables here that may make it possible for you to rent a vehicle when you’re 18-24, but it’s usually more expensive and you won’t always be able to do it. However, if you’re 25 or older, you’re good to go anywhere at any time. If it has 4 wheels and it’s available, you won’t have any issues renting it if you’re 25 or older.
   • The standard price for a car rental ranges from $30-50 a day on the low end to $140-150 a day on the high end. It all depends on where you are and how much demand there is.

Why is 25 the minimum age to rent a car?

1. You’re less likely to crash a car if you’re 25 or older. Statistically speaking, 25 is a turning point for driving behavior. Insurance companies track accidents by demographic, and over the years they’ve noticed that drivers between 16 and 24 tend to be much more likely to get into accidents. Don’t take it personally—even if you’ve got a perfect driving record, they’re just playing the odds by denying you or charging a high fee for a rental car.
   • You can try to explain that you’re responsible and have never been in an accident, but it’s not likely to get you anywhere. These policies are pretty set in stone for the folks working at the car rental counter.

Can you rent a car at 21?

1. Usually, yes, although you may need to pay additional fees. Unless the demand is really high where you live and the car rental agencies can get away with avoiding everyone under 25, you can usually rent a car if you’re 21-24 years old. Most car rental agencies will charge an additional $25-30 a day if you’re in this age group, and that’s on top of their standard fees.
   • If you’re a AAA or USAA member, you can usually get the fees waived.
   • The minimum rental age at certain rental agencies, like Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty, is actually 20.

Can I rent a car when I’m 18?

1. Sometimes, but it’s typically pretty difficult unless you pay a lot in fees. Certain car rental agencies will rent vehicles to drivers who are 18 or 19 years old. Unfortunately, they often charge a lot in daily fees (often $40-100 a day). This is designed to discourage teens from renting any of their vehicles. You’ll need to call around where you want to rent the car as well—some rental agencies only rent to 18- to 19-year-olds at certain locations.
   • Some agencies will waive the fees if you’re a AAA or USAA member.
   • Avis is one of the rental agencies that seems more open to renting to teenagers.
   • Unfortunately, there is no scenario where you’ll be able to rent a car when you’re 16-17, since you aren’t old enough to sign an official contract.
2. If you’re renting a car for work, you can usually get away with it. Most car rental agencies will have no problem renting you a vehicle if you’re 18-24 so long as you’re booking it through your employer and you’re driving for work. In these cases, work with your employer to get a car booked for you—they will likely need to reserve it on your behalf.
   • This also applies to the military and government employees. If you’re active duty, you can typically find an agency that rents to you at the normal rate so long as you’re on government business.
3. If you’re in Michigan or New York, agencies have to rent to you at 18. These two states have laws on the book that require the agencies to offer their services to drivers who are 18 or older. If you’re in Michigan or New York, you’re at least 18 years old, and you have a valid license, you can walk into any car rental agency in you’re the state and they’re required to render services.
   • Unfortunately, they just have to offer you a service—they don’t have to offer it as a fair price. The daily fees that most agencies charge in these states tend to be high for younger customers.
   • Outside of those two states, it is entirely up to the businesses whether they offer rental cars to drivers aged 18-24. There are no bans or laws on this, but certain areas are more likely to offer younger driver cars than others.

What can I do if I’m not old enough to rent a car?

1. Use a car sharing service if you’re not going out of town! Car sharing services, like ZipCar, Maven, or Turo, usually have much more lenient age restrictions than car rental agencies. By borrowing a person’s car directly, you’ll get around the corporate restrictions associated with car rental companies. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to take a big trip, since you’ll need to return it to the same place you pick it up.
   • Some of these services require you to be a student if you’re 18-20 and you want to use their service.
   • If you do want to go this route, submit your application at least few weeks before you actually need to use a car. You’ll need to submit your personal information and upload copies of your driver’s license to be approved.

Can I drive a rental if someone else signs the contract?

1. Not without being added as an additional driver. When you rent a car, you can often add “additional drivers” to the contract. The fees for this vary from location to location, but expect to spend an extra $3-15 a day for each driver being added to the rental agreement.
   • There is usually no need to add an additional driver if your spouse is renting the car; they’re typically allowed to drive it without being added to the contract or paying extra fees.
2. The same age restrictions apply to additional drivers. It depends on the rental company and the agency you’re using, but whatever their age restriction is for the main driver, that’s the restriction for additional drivers. In other words, if you have to be 21 to rent a car at a given agency, you have to be 21 to qualify as an additional driver.
   • The “main driver” must also stay with the vehicle. Just to put a finer point on it, your mom or dad can’t rent a vehicle for you and hand you the keys.

How do I actually rent a car if I’m old enough?

1. You call or go online to reserve a vehicle ahead of time. Renting a vehicle isn’t especially difficult. Once you find an agency that will rent to you, you can call them directly to reserve a vehicle for the day you need it. You can also do it online. Simply visit the agency’s website, enter your pickup and drop off locations, and follow the prompts to pay for your reservation.
   • You do need a debit credit card to rent a vehicle. This will be charged in the event that you return the car damaged.
   • The insurance is optional—if you have home or car insurance, check with your carrier to see if rental cars are covered (they usually are). If you don’t, get their insurance.
   • Fill up the tank before returning the car. It’s a lot cheaper to pay for the gas yourself; if the company fills it up for you, you’ll be charged.

References

See also

• Rent a Car when You're Under 25
• Rent a Car in Europe
• Rent a 4WD
• React if Your Rental Car Breaks Down
• Use a Car Rental Coupon
• Rent Out Your Car
• Rent a Car in Australia
• Rent a Car in Puerto Vallarta
• Rent a Limousine at Chicago O'Hare
• Know if You Need an International Drivers Permit for a Car Rental Overseas

Read more ...