How Old You Should Be To Rent a Car in the U.S.A

How Old You Should Be To Rent a Car in the U.S.A
  • Opening Intro -

    If you are planning to rent a car in U.S.A, there are a number of agencies that provide such services.

    The car rental depends on a number of factors like the car you choose and the duration.

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When you hire a car from an agency, you will not get a driver. You have to drive the car on your own and there is age restriction too. The age of the person who wants to rent the car is required to be at least 25 by most of the agencies. However, there are exceptions too and some companies also allow young guys to rent a car.

This post explains in detail regarding the age requirement to rent a car in U.S.A. Also, it mentions rules regarding renting cars to college students.

Age Required for Renting a Car in U.S.A

The age required for renting a car varies from one company to another. Car rental companies like Avis have the restriction of the person being at least 25 years old. 25 is an average age for majority of the rental companies there. However, companies like Budget allow you to rent a car even at the age of 21. The charges increase with the decrease in age. It is mainly because of the fact that rental companies believe that the young drivers are not experienced and thus the chances of damages or accidents are more.

You also need to buy a separate insurance for the car if it is not included in the agreement. You should buy both liability insurance and comprehensive insurance for the safety of your life and vehicle. In places like New York, the state regulations make it compulsory for the rental companies to include insurance also with the rental agreement. It is obvious that you have to pay higher charges in such places.

Options for underage college students in U.S.A

Even if you are less than 25 years old, there are still some options that allow you to rent a car in U.S.A. Most of the companies charge underage fees that amount to about $25 a day. Again, there can be restrictions on car models if you are an underage. For instance, you might not be allowed to drive cars like Minivan if you are less than 25. If you belong to the age group of 18-24, you will be allowed to rent only regular cars. In order to find the exact scenario regarding the age requirement for renting a car, you need to consult different car rental companies of the particular city.

Thus if you want to rent a car in New York, you should inquire the car rental companies of this place about the charges as per your age. There is no point in hiding your actual age as you will be required to show documents like driving license before renting the car.

You are also required to have a credit card in order to rent a car. However, there is no such restriction for other people accompanying you during your trip or holiday. Another important thing to remember here is that the age requirement for any additional driver may be different. You should get these things cleared by the car rental company before paying the charges. If your company has a corporate account with the car rental agency, you may expect exemptions in terms of age restriction or underage fees. Similarly, the government employees also get various relaxations while renting a car.

Charges and Policies of Different Rental Companies in U.S.A

As a college student, you are always looking for best prices on all deals. If you want to rent a car at the best price, you should be aware about the policies and charges of different companies. One of the biggest rental company Alamo does not allow a person below 25 to rent a car.

However, you may get relaxation if you are having a corporate account. Avis and budget allow the drivers below 25 to rent a car without any problem. You will have to pay a surcharge on a daily basis. Similar policy is followed by other leading companies like Dollar, Enterprise, National and thrifty. There might be strict restriction in certain places too. For instance, if you are under 25, you cannot rent a car in Montgomery Alabama in any condition.

By sharing this post, you can certainly help all your college friends by making them aware about the rules regarding renting cars in USA for underage students.

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