Rental Car Additional Driver Policies for All Major Companies

Most car rental companies — including Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, Payless, and U-Save — charge an additional driver fee for each day of the rental period. However, Silvercar, Turo, Zipcar, and some ACE Rent a Car locations don’t charge additional driver fees.

It’s sometimes possible to have the fee waived; most companies do not charge for additional drivers on government- or business-related reservations. And, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Fox, and Hertz waive the fee for spouses and domestic partners.

Below, we list the additional driver policies and fees for each major U.S. car rental company.

Jump Links

Rental Car Additional Driver Policies

Rental car companies typically allow additional drivers for a daily fee.

Most companies require that you register any other person who will be driving the rental car as an additional driver. That means your spouse, children, siblings, parents, coworkers, or friends shouldn’t drive a rental car in your name unless they’re registered as an additional driver.

Keep in mind, the primary driver must be present to pick up the rental car. And, most rental car companies require that the primary and any additional drivers appear at pick-up, show their driver’s licenses, and sign the rental agreement.

During our research, we found that only Zipcar doesn’t explicitly require you to register additional drivers; instead, Zipcar requires all drivers must be Zipcar members.

Reasons to Register Additional Drivers

Requiring additional drivers to be registered is meant to protect both the renter and the rental company in the event of damages or accidents.

Insurance — whether it’s your own policy or insurance included with your rental — typically only covers authorized drivers.

In addition, allowing unregistered drivers to drive your rental car is a violation of the rental agreement. and may lead the rental company to charge a fine or put you on the “Do Not Rent” list.

Waiving Additional Driver Fees

Most car rental companies offer a list of exceptions to their additional driver fees.

The following groups are commonly exempt from additional driver fees, though policies vary by rental company and sometimes by location:

Companion/surrogate drivers: Renters with mobility challenges or who qualify as non-licensed renters may add a companion or surrogate driver to their rental contract at no additional charge.
Corporate renters: Renters using corporate rate plans, such as coworkers traveling together on business, usually do not require an additional driver fee.
Government renters: Government employees renting for work-related travel under official orders do not usually pay additional driver fees.
Rewards members: Companies like Dollar, National Car Rental, and Thrifty waive the additional driver fees for members of their rewards programs.
Spouses: In California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, and Wisconsin, state law allows automatic driver authorization for spouses of the primary renter, even if the rental company typically does not waive the rental fee for spouses. You must still meet the company’s rental qualification requirements to drive your spouse’s rental car in these states.

You can also save on additional driver fees by using certain travel affiliations or booking services, including:

AAA Travel:
- Free additional driver when you book a Hertz rental through AAA Travel
- Hertz also waives the young driver fee for drivers between age 20 and 24, so if your additional driver is under 25, you can avoid two fees
- Additional drivers must meet Hertz’s rental qualifications
AARP Travel Center:
- Waives one additional driver fee at participating Avis, Budget, and Payless rental centers
- Additional drivers must meet the rental company’s qualifications and provide a driver’s license for verification
Costco Travel:
- Waives one additional driver fee for an Alamo, Avis, Budget, or Enterprise rental
- Additional drivers must meet the rental company’s requirements and appear at the rental counter to show their license along with the primary renter
- You must be a Costco member to purchase a rental through Costco Travel, but your additional driver does not need a Costco membership

Additional Driver Policies by Rental Company

Below, we list the additional driver policies by the rental company, including the required age, identification, and fees.

To compile this list, we contacted each rental company and viewed their official rental policies online.

If your additional driver is younger than the company’s usual minimum driving age, you may be subject to an underage driver fee, as well as the additional driver fee.

Car Rental Companies That Don’t Charge for Additional Drivers

Silvercar

Requirements: Must be at least 22 with a valid driver’s license
Registration: You can add an additional driver at the time of pick-up or by visiting the rental location at any time during the rental period. The additional driver will need to show his/her ID for verification and approval.
Fees: None
Make a Reservation

Turo

Requirements: Additional drivers must be at least 21 and have an approved Turo account before they can be added to the rental. Any trip with an additional driver must include Turo protection plan coverage.
Registration: If your trip is with a Commercial Host, you will need to contact the host directly to add an additional driver. Otherwise, the primary driver should visit the Trip page in the Turo app or on the website. Under the “Booked” tab, there will be a “Drivers” section with the renter listed as the primary driver. The primary driver will need to add the email address associated with the additional driver’s Turo account; as long as his/her Turo account is valid, Turo will automatically approve the additional driver.
Fees: None
Make a Reservation

Zipcar

Requirements: All people who drive Zipcars must have an active Zipcar membership. Fellow members can drive a car that you reserve, but only the primary renter’s card will be able to unlock the car. When the additional driver is behind the wheel, the primary renter must be in the car.
Registration: You do not need to register the additional driver. As long as the person is an active, approved Zipcar member, he/she can also drive the car.
Fees: None; however, if any damage occurs during the ride, the fees and charges will be the responsibility of the member who reserved the car. Since the additional driver must also be a Zipcar member, you may want to ask that he/she reserve the car under his/her own account in case of damage.
Make a Reservation

Companies With Additional Driver Fees

The following car rental companies charge additional driver fees.

However, it may be possible to get the fee waived; our list includes the details of which drivers are exempt from additional driver fees.

ACE Rent a Car

Requirements: Additional drivers must meet the same requirements as primary drivers. All drivers should be at least 21, have a valid driver’s license and good driving record, and present a credit card in his/her name at the pick-up counter.
Registration: Additional drivers can present their IDs and credit cards at the time of pick-up to be registered.
Fees: Fees vary by location, so you may want to contact your pick-up location before booking. About 40% of the ACE Rent a Car locations we contacted do not charge additional driver fees unless the additional driver is underage. The locations we contacted that do charge additional driver fees typically charge between $5 and $15 per day.
Make a Reservation

Alamo Rent A Car

Requirements: Additional drivers must be at least 21 (25 for certain vehicles or to avoid the young driver fee) and have a valid driver’s license.
Registration: The additional driver must appear at the counter with the primary renter and must show his/her valid driver’s license to verify eligibility.
Fees: Varies by location, but usually around $12 per day; Alamo waives fees for spouses in California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, and Wisconsin and drivers under corporate contracts in all states
Make a Reservation

Avis Rent a Car

Requirements: Additional drivers must be at least 25 and have a valid driver’s license.
Registration: A rental agent will add any additional drivers and calculate additional driver fees at the counter when you pick up the car. Additional drivers will need to fill out and sign an application providing their name, credit card information, residential address, and driver’s license information. The primary renter will also need to sign this form.
Fees: $13 per day in most states with a maximum of $65 per rental, per driver; Avis waives fees for additional drivers who are on company business, are the primary renter’s spouse or domestic partner, or are the companion to a non-licensed renter
Make a Reservation

Budget Car Rental

Requirements: Additional drivers must be at least 25 and have a valid driver’s license with a good driving record. Additional drivers must not have any convictions for reckless driving, possession of a stolen vehicle, use of a vehicle in an illegal manner, DUI, DWI, or DWAI.
Registration: You can add additional drivers at the counter when you pick up your rental or online during the booking process. Online, the additional driver option will appear under “Equipment & Services” after you select the vehicle type. All drivers must be present and have their driver’s license on hand for validation.
Fees: $13 per day in most states, but $10 per day in Nevada, $3 per day in New York, and fee-free in California. There is a maximum charge of $65 per rental. The fee is waived for renters on company business under a corporate account, companions to non-licensed disabled renters, insurance replacement rentals, and the primary renter’s spouse or domestic partner.
Make a Reservation

Dollar

Requirements: Additional drivers must meet Dollar’s general renter requirements, including a minimum age of 20, a valid driver’s license, and a credit card or debit card in his/her name.
Registration: The additional driver should present a valid, unexpired license at the rental desk at pick-up. The primary renter must also be present. You can add a driver at any time during the rental by visiting a Dollar location.
Fees: Vary by location, but usually around $13 to $14 per day; waived for Dollar Express Rewards members, government drivers on official business, customers renting on corporate rate plans, and companions of disabled renters
Make a Reservation

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Requirements: Must meet the minimum rental age (usually 21) in the state where the rental will take place, with a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
Registration: You can add a driver at any location, not just the pick-up location; however, both the primary driver and additional driver must appear in-person to validate their IDs and sign the rental agreement.
Fees: Vary by location, but usually around $12 per day; does not apply to spouses, domestic partners, or surrogate drivers for renters with mobility challenges
Make a Reservation

Fox Rent A Car

Requirements: Additional drivers must be at least 19, have a valid driver’s license, and provide a major credit card in their name. Primary renters using cash or a debit card to pay for their rental cannot add additional drivers.
Registration: You can add additional drivers during the web reservation process. Additional drivers will need to visit the rental counter at pick-up for ID verification. The additional driver’s license and credit card must feature matching names.
Fees: Vary by location, but usually around $13 per day; there is no fee in California, for spouses and domestic partners, or companion drivers of disabled renters
Make a Reservation

Hertz

Requirements: All drivers must be at least 25 (20 for certain vehicles with a young driver fee) and be in good standing with Hertz based on previous rentals; all drivers must have a valid driver’s license.
Registration: Potential additional drivers may accompany the primary renter to the rental counter at the time of pick-up to apply. The additional driver will need to show a valid driver’s license and credit card in his/her name. You can also add a driver at any time during the rental period by visiting a Hertz location.
Fees: $13.50 per day with a maximum of $189 per rental; Hertz waives the fee for drivers on company business and USAA members as well as for the primary renter’s spouse or domestic partner if the primary is renting in California or Iowa or is a AAA member
Make a Reservation

National Car Rental

Requirements: Additional renters must be at least 21 and must have a valid driver’s license.
Registration: Additional renters must appear at the counter along with the primary renter when picking up the car to provide identification and verify their driving history.
Fees: $12 per day; waived for spouses in California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, and Wisconsin, as well as the spouses and immediate family of Emerald Club members, corporate rentals, and companions of disabled renters who cannot drive
Make a Reservation

NextCar Rental

Requirements: NextCar’s minimum rental age varies by location, but is usually 21. All drivers must pass a driving record check and may need to submit to a credit check.
Registration: The primary driver and all additional drivers, including spouses, must visit the rental counter and sign the rental agreement. All drivers will need to provide a valid driver’s license, residential address, and a payment card in their name to the rental agent.
Fees: $12 per day; spouses with the same last name and address, government renters, corporate renters, and companions of disabled renters are exempt from the additional driver fee
Make a Reservation

Payless Car Rental

Requirements: Additional drivers must be at least 25 and must have a valid driver’s license with a good driving record. The additional driver must also present a credit card in his/her name.
Registration: You can add a driver when booking your reservation online. Your additional driver will need to accompany you to pick up the car and show their valid driver’s license at the counter.
Fees: $13 per additional driver per day
Make a Reservation

SIXT Rent a Car

Requirements: Additional drivers must meet the minimum age for the type of vehicle you are renting, which may be anywhere from 21 to 24. The driver must have a valid driver’s license, which he/she has held for at least one year.
Registration: Additional drivers will appear as an add-on during the booking process. All drivers must visit the counter and show their valid driver’s licenses when you pick up the vehicle.
Fees: Vary by location but usually around $13 to $14 per day with a maximum of about $140 per rental
Make a Reservation

Rent-A-Wreck

Requirements: Additional drivers must present a valid driver’s license or state-issued temporary license, which is valid for the entire rental period.
Registration: All additional drivers, including spouses, must appear with the primary renter at the time of rental and provide ID, residential address, and a credit card in their name. The primary and additional drivers must all sign the rental agreement.
Fees: Vary by location, but usually around $10 per day; the additional driver fee does not apply for renters on corporate rate plans, government renters on official business, or companions of physically impaired customers
Make a Reservation

Thrifty Car Rental

Requirements: Additional drivers must meet the Thrifty location’s minimum age requirements (20 at most locations) and must have a valid driver’s license with a good driving record.
Registration: All drivers must appear at the time of rental pick-up and must sign the rental agreement. Additional drivers will need to validate their driver’s license, provide their residential address, and provide a credit or debit card in their own name at the counter.
Fees: $13.50 per day; waived for Thrifty Blue Chip members, government renters on official orders, customers on corporate rate plans, and companions of disabled customers
Make a Reservation

U-Save

Requirements: Must be 25 or older and have a valid driver’s license which will remain valid throughout the entire rental
Registration: If the additional driver option is available at your pick-up location and for the vehicle you choose, you can add a driver online during the booking process or at the rental counter.
Fees: Vary by location; usually around $10 per day
Make a Reservation

Companies That Don’t Allow Additional Drivers

In the course of our research, we only found one company that doesn’t allow additional drivers: Getaround.

Getaround doesn’t allow additional drivers for any rental, even if the potential driver is a Getaround member or otherwise eligible for Getaround reservations, as noted in the Getaround Renter Policy and confirmed by customer service.

There’s an unauthorized driver fine of $250.

Rental Car Additional Driver Policies for All Major Companies