William Lipovsky
Most car rental companies prohibit the use of snow chains on their rentals due to the risk of damage to the vehicle.[1][2]
If an agency allows you to rent or use your own snow chains, you will generally be held responsible for any damages.
Some rental companies that don’t allow snow chains, like ACE Rent a Car and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, instead offer rentals with all-season tires to safeguard against slick roads.[3][4]
Below, we have the list of car rental companies that offer chain rental or allow customers to use snow chains on their vehicles, as well as those that don’t.
What We Recommend
Turo offers the most options for driving with chains.
It’s a peer-to-peer car-sharing company, meaning that individual car owners offer a variety of vehicles for rent, each with a unique list of optional add-ons.[5]
Though chain availability and rental costs will vary by the owner, Turo is the only rental company we found that offers chains as an add-on accessory.[6]
You can also filter your search to find vehicles with all-wheel drive and other amenities.[6]
Companies That Rent Chains
Of the companies we checked, only Turo offers chain rental as an add-on.
Turo
- Chain policy: You can’t use your own chains, but some vehicle owners offer chains as an add-on. Filter your vehicle search by selecting “Features,” then “Snow tires/chains.”[7] Note that each host sets their own price for add-ons.[6][8]
- Find a rental
Companies That Allow Chain Use
The following car rental agencies don’t offer snow chains as an add-on but will allow you to use your own chains.
We confirmed this information by viewing each agency’s policies and contacting customer service representatives.
Note that while these companies don’t prohibit chain use, all except Avis told us that they discourage it, and all will hold the renter responsible for any damage to the vehicle as a result of chain use.
Car Rental Companies That Don’t Allow Chains
In the course of our research, we found that the following car rental companies don’t rent out chains or allow snow chains on any of their rentals:
- ACE Rent a Car[3]
- Alamo Rent a Car[15][16]
- Budget[1]
- Enterprise Rent-A-Car[17][4]
- Fox Rent A Car[18]
- National Car Rental[19]
- SIXT[20][21]
- Zipcar[22]
Note that there are exceptions in areas where snow chains are required by law.[19][15] It’s best to confirm the policy when picking up your rental to avoid penalties.
Using snow chains when prohibited can result in a number of negative consequences. You will be responsible for any damage the snow chains cause to the rental vehicle and may pay a fine for violating your rental agreement.[13][23]
In addition, using chains could void any car rental protection plans you purchased or lead the rental agency to bar you from renting with the company in the future.[23]
