William Lipovsky
Most major car rental companies allow you to drive your rental vehicle out of state, though this policy can vary by location.
Some companies require a one-way reservation when traveling out of state. There is usually an additional fee for one-way reservations; the amount can vary by company, pick-up location, drop-off location, and time of year.[1][2]
Below, we provide policy details and any applicable fees for each car rental company.
What We Recommend
The peer-to-peer car-sharing service Turo is a good option for out-of-state trips, as rentals are available nationwide and there are no restrictions on driving across state borders.[3][4]
While each vehicle owner sets their own terms, some also offer unlimited mileage.[5]
Enterprise is the best option if you’d prefer a traditional car rental agency.
It offers unlimited mileage on most car classes at no additional charge, doesn’t require one-way bookings for out-of-state travel, and has no restrictions on driving out of state.[6][7]
Comparison Table
Use the table below for a quick comparison of each car rental company’s policy on driving out of state.
You can tap the arrows at the top of each column to sort the table or select a company name to see more details in our list below.
| Car Rental Company | Allows Out of State Driving | Requires a One-Way Booking |
|---|---|---|
| ACE Rent a Car | Varies by location | Varies by location |
| Alamo Rent a Car | Yes | No |
| Avis Rent a Car | Yes | No |
| Budget | Yes, in most locations | No |
| Dollar Car Rental | Yes, at some locations | Varies by location |
| Enterprise Rent-A-Car | Yes | No |
| Fox Rent A Car | Yes; some states have restrictions | No |
| Getaround | Yes | No |
| Hertz | Yes | Yes |
| National Car Rental | Yes | No |
| Payless Car Rental | Yes | Yes |
| SIXT | Yes | No, though not doing so may lead to restrictions |
| Thrifty Car Rental | Varies by location | No |
| Turo | Yes | No |
| Zipcar | Yes | No |
The List
Below, we list out-of-state driving policies for each major car rental company, including whether they require one-way bookings or charge any fees.
The list is in order of the companies with the least restrictions and lowest fees.
We confirmed this information by viewing policy documentation online and contacting company representatives.
Note that if the policy varies by location and your rental agreement doesn’t specify whether out-of-state travel is allowed, it’s best to inform local representatives of your travel plans to avoid any unforeseen fees or other penalties.
Turo
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[3][4]
- Requires one-way booking? No[4]
- Fees: None[4]
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Enterprise Rent-A-Car
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[8][6]
- Requires one-way booking? No[8]
- Fees: None[8]
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National Car Rental
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[9]
- Requires one-way booking? No[9]
- Fees: None[9]
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Alamo Rent a Car
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[10]
- Requires one-way booking? No[10]
- Fees: None[10]
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Avis Rent a Car
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[11][12]
- Requires one-way booking? No[11][12]
- Fees: None[11]
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Getaround
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[13]
- Requires one-way booking? No; Getaround doesn’t offer one-way bookings.[14][13]
- Fees: None[13]
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Zipcar
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[15][16]
- Requires one-way booking? No; Zipcar doesn’t offer one-way bookings in North America.[17]
- Fees: None[16]
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Payless Car Rental
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes; you must notify representatives at pick-up.[18][19]
- Requires one-way booking? Yes[19]
- Fees: None, unless you take a rental out of state without authorization.[18][19]
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Budget
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes, at most locations[20][21]
- Requires one-way booking? No[22]
- Fees: If you don’t have a one-way booking, Budget charges an Unauthorized Return Location fee of $45 when returning a rental to a different location.[23][20]
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Hertz
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes[24]
- Requires one-way booking? Yes;[24] if a location doesn’t allow one-way bookings, the system won’t permit you to complete the reservation online.[25]
- Fees: Vary by location and vehicle availability[25]
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SIXT
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes;[26] however, there are restrictions on which states you can drive to if the booking isn’t one-way.[27]
- Requires one-way booking? No[27]
- Fees: Vary by location and distance traveled;[26] violations incur a fee of $0.50 per mile driven during the rental.[27]
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Fox Rent A Car
- Allows out-of-state driving? Most locations don’t restrict out-of-state travel. However, you can only drive rentals originating in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Washington to designated states.[28][29]
- Requires one-way booking? No[29]
- Fees: If you choose a one-way rental or return the vehicle to a different location than in your rental agreement, you’ll pay a drop charge ranging anywhere from $20 to $500.[28][29]
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Dollar Car Rental
- Allows out-of-state driving? Yes, at some locations[30][31]
- Requires one-way booking? Varies by location[30][31]
- Fees: You may pay an additional intercity fee, which varies by location.[30][31]
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Thrifty Car Rental
- Allows out-of-state driving? Depends on the location[32][33]
- Requires one-way booking? No[32][33]
- Fees: None[32][33]
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ACE Rent a Car
- Allows out-of-state driving? Each location sets its own policy.[34]
- Requires one-way booking? Each location sets its own policy.[34]
- Fees: Vary by location; driving outside of the specified boundaries may result in a fine of around $500 to $1,000.[35][36]
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