Renting a car under 25 is allowed at every major U.S. rental company once you turn 21, and in New York and Michigan the minimum drops to 18 by state law. The catch is a daily young driver surcharge that runs roughly $15 to $35 for 21- to 24-year-olds and can climb past $80 a day for 18- to 20-year-olds in states that permit those rentals. Knowing which company charges what, and which memberships waive the fee, is the difference between a reasonable rental and one that doubles at the counter.
Who Can Rent and Where
The standard minimum age at most major companies is 21. Hertz is the exception, renting to 20-year-olds at most U.S. locations, and to 19-year-olds in Alabama and Nebraska.1Hertz. Age Restrictions and Exceptions No federal law sets a rental age floor, so what you can rent depends on the state and the company.
Two states force the age lower. New York and Michigan legally require rental companies to serve drivers as young as 18.2Alamo Rent a Car. Car Rental Age Requirements Everywhere else, if you’re 18 to 20, your options collapse to Hertz in a couple of states or peer-to-peer platforms like Turo. Most counters will turn you away.
What the Young Driver Surcharge Costs
Every major company adds a per-day fee for renters under 25. It vanishes the day you turn 25. Until then, it can add as much to a week-long rental as the base rate itself.
For drivers 21 to 24, the daily surcharge at most locations runs roughly:
- Enterprise: about $15.75 per day, rising to $30.75 in New York3Enterprise Rent-A-Car. What Are Your Age Requirements for Renting
- Avis: $28 per day in Michigan, $35 per day in New York4Avis. Age Requirements
- Budget: $27 per day at most locations5Budget. How Old Do You Have to Be to Rent a Car
- National: approximately $25 per day on average6National Car Rental. How Old Do You Have to Be to Rent a Car
Drivers 18 to 20 pay far more. Enterprise charges $36.50 per day in Michigan and $64.75 per day in New York for this group.3Enterprise Rent-A-Car. What Are Your Age Requirements for Renting Avis charges $41 per day in Michigan and $84 per day in New York.4Avis. Age Requirements On a seven-day rental, that’s between roughly $250 and nearly $600 in surcharges alone.
How to Get the Surcharge Waived
Several memberships and travel programs eliminate the fee entirely. Check every one that might apply before you book.
USAA
USAA insurance-eligible members aged 21 to 24 pay no underage surcharge at Enterprise, National, or Alamo. Bring proof of USAA membership or a military ID to the counter.7National Car Rental. USAA Car Rental Frequently Asked Questions The waiver is worth about $25 a day.
AAA
AAA members aged 20 to 24 get the young renter fee waived at Hertz, saving up to $29 per day. The renter needs a credit card in their own name and has to meet Hertz’s standard qualifications.8AAA. Hertz AAA Member Benefits
Military and Government Travel
U.S. military personnel and government employees 18 and older can rent through official government travel programs. National waives its youthful surcharge for authorized government travel when you show orders.6National Car Rental. How Old Do You Have to Be to Rent a Car Enterprise rents to government employees as young as 18, though 18- to 20-year-olds may still see a surcharge.9Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Military and Government Car Rental Discounts Under the federal rental car program, underage fees for 18- to 20-year-olds are reimbursable when traveling on orders.10Defense Travel Management Office. Rental Car Program
Corporate Accounts
Some employer-negotiated rental contracts include a young driver fee waiver. If the trip is for work, ask your employer whether the company has a corporate account with a major brand before booking on your own.
What You Need at the Counter
Every company requires a valid, unexpired driver’s license that covers the full rental period. Learner’s permits are not accepted; Avis explicitly bars anyone with a learner’s permit from driving its vehicles, and other majors take the same line.11Avis. What Do I Need to Rent a Car Temporary paper licenses are generally fine if they carry no restrictions. Digital driver’s licenses are not accepted at Enterprise or many other companies.12Enterprise Rent-A-Car. What Are Your Driver License Requirements for Renting
You also need a major credit card in your own name. It handles both payment and the security deposit.11Avis. What Do I Need to Rent a Car
If You Only Have a Debit Card
Some companies take debit cards, but expect friction. Dollar runs a credit check on debit card customers and can decline the rental if you don’t pass.13Dollar. Updated Debit Card Policy The hold is larger too. A credit card hold might sit around $200 above estimated charges; a debit hold can reach $500, and that money is locked in your checking account until it releases.14Dollar. Payment Methods Stacked on top of the young driver surcharge, that hold can hit hard. Use a credit card if you have one.
What You Can’t Rent
Passing the age and payment checks doesn’t unlock the whole fleet. Under-25 renters are restricted to standard classes. At Enterprise, drivers 21 to 24 can rent economy, compact, intermediate, standard, and full-size cars.3Enterprise Rent-A-Car. What Are Your Age Requirements for Renting Avis is a bit broader, also allowing premium cars, convertibles, and intermediate or standard SUVs, but still blocking full-size SUVs, luxury vehicles, minivans, passenger vans, and specialty cars.4Avis. Age Requirements For a group trip needing a big SUV or minivan, you may need someone 25 or older in your party to sign as the primary renter.
Insurance for Young Renters
If you carry a personal auto policy with collision and comprehensive coverage, that protection generally extends to a rental car at the same limits and deductibles, and your liability coverage typically carries over as well. A liability-only policy carries over only that liability, leaving you exposed for damage to the rental itself.
Many credit cards include a collision damage waiver when you pay the full rental with the card and decline the counter coverage. Terms vary by issuer and card tier. Some cards offer primary coverage that pays first; others are secondary and only pay after your own policy does. Check the benefit guide before you rely on it.
If you don’t have personal auto insurance and your credit card offers no rental protection, seriously consider buying the rental company’s coverage. Without any protection, you’re on the hook for the full cost of damage, which can run into tens of thousands of dollars.
Booking Through Third-Party Sites
Priceline, Expedia, and similar sites tend to hide the young driver surcharge from the quoted price. It gets added at the counter. Priceline warns that misrepresenting your age at booking can lead the rental company to charge underage fees at pickup or refuse the rental, and Priceline won’t cover cancellations caused by that. Priceline estimates young renter fees at $20 to $50 per day depending on location and vehicle type.15Priceline. What Are the Age Restrictions for Renting a Car Booking directly with the rental company shows an accurate total and lets you apply AAA, USAA, or corporate codes at the point of booking rather than arguing about them at the counter.
If You’re Under 21
Peer-to-peer and car-sharing platforms have lower age floors than the traditional counters. Turo, the largest peer-to-peer marketplace, takes bookings from age 18 with no young driver surcharge mentioned, and additional drivers can be added at no extra cost.16Turo. How Turo Works Zipcar requires members to be 21, though students can join at 18.17Zipcar. How Does Car Sharing Work
These come with trade-offs. Turo availability depends on what individual owners list in your area, pickup logistics are less standardized than a rental counter, and insurance options work differently. For an 18- or 19-year-old outside New York or Michigan, though, Turo is often the only realistic path to a car.
Don’t Have Someone Else Rent the Car for You
When a young driver can’t clear the age minimum, it’s tempting to have an older friend or relative sign the rental agreement and hand over the keys. Don’t. If an unauthorized driver has an accident, the rental contract’s insurance protections are voided entirely, including liability protection, collision coverage, and any optional insurance that was purchased. The person who signed becomes personally liable for damage, penalties, and fines. Even the unauthorized driver’s own auto insurance may deny the claim, since the vehicle was being used in violation of a rental contract.
Rental companies watch for this. Getting caught means fines on top of voided coverage, and an accident can leave you with a five-figure repair bill and nothing to pay it with. The surcharge, however painful, is always cheaper than an uninsured wreck.