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Teenagers and Rental Cars

satisfied teenage girl sitting in a car rental

The minimum age requirement when renting a car in the United States is 25 years old. However, most major car rental companies allow drivers below 25 years old to drive a rental car as long as they pay the underage driver fee and meet all the requirements. The youngest age allowed to rent a car by some of our car rental partners is 18 and this depends on the location as well.

Which companies allow teens to rent a car?

Alamo, Avis, Dollar, Hertz, National and Thrifty allow 18-year-old drivers to rent a car in New York and Michigan for an additional fee. Budget, on the other hand, only allows renters aged 18 in New York. The minimum age to rent a car through Fox is 19, but the minimum age for renters and drivers on government orders is 18. U.S. military personnel and government employers ages 18 or older will not incur a young driver surcharge when renting for authorized government travel. This may vary on each location and it would still be best to contact the provider once a booking is confirmed.

Which car rental company is cheapest for teenage drivers?

 Avis has the cheapest underage surcharge for 18-year-olds renting a car in New York while National and Alamo offer the lowest young renter fee in Michigan for renters age 18. Rates may change so make sure to coordinate with us so we can help you find the best deal.

For example:

James wants to rent a car in New York...

James just turned 18 and is wanting to rent a car. He may be allowed to drive a rental car in New York because the minimum rental age there is 18. James will need to pay an underage fee before he can drive. Note that the young drivers surcharge may vary depending on the location. James must check the local policies of the rental location he is considering.