Minimum Age to Rent a Car in Each State

Young woman who meets the minimum age to rent a car driving a vehicle

Short Answer — The minimum age requirement for car rental depends on the state in which you’re renting and the rental company you choose. In most cases, the minimum age is between 18 and 21, with additional fees for renters under the age of 25.

Minimum Age to Rent a Car

The minimum age to rent a car varies by state and rental company but is generally between 18 and 21 years old.

In the table below, we list the minimum age requirements for each U.S. state. We contacted transportation authorities and rental company representatives in every state and viewed state legal codes to confirm this information.

State Minimum Age
Alabama 19
Alaska 18
Arizona 18
Arkansas 18
California 21
Colorado 21
Connecticut 21
Delaware 21
Florida 21
Georgia 21
Hawaii 18
Idaho 21
Illinois 18 on business; otherwise 21
Indiana 21
Iowa Set by each rental company; usually 21
Kansas Set by each rental company; usually 21
Kentucky 21
Louisiana 21
Maine Set by each rental company; usually 21
Maryland 21
Massachusetts 21
Michigan 18
Minnesota Set by each rental company; usually 21
Mississippi 21
Missouri Set by each rental company; usually 21
Montana 21
Nebraska Set by each rental company; usually 21
Nevada 21
New Hampshire 21
New Jersey 21
New Mexico 18
New York 18
North Carolina 21
North Dakota 21
Ohio Set by each rental company; usually 21
Oklahoma 21
Oregon Set by each rental company; usually 21
Pennsylvania 21
Rhode Island Set by each rental company; usually 21
South Carolina 21
South Dakota 18
Tennessee 21
Texas Set by each rental company; usually 21
Utah Set by each rental company; usually 21
Vermont Set by each rental company; usually 21
Virginia 21
Washington 21
West Virginia Set by each rental company; usually 21
Wisconsin Set by each rental company; usually 21
Wyoming Set by each rental company; usually 21
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Note that there is an exception to the standard limits for government employees, who generally only need to be 18 years old regardless of where they’re renting.[1]

Young Driver Fees

Renters under the age of 25 can expect to pay a young driver fee at most rental agencies.

The fee generally ranges from $20 to $50 per day, though it may be higher or lower depending on the location and rental company.[2][3][4]

Some rental companies, including Enterprise, waive this fee for government employees.[5]

USAA members are also eligible to waive this fee at many major rental agencies, including Avis, Hertz, and Enterprise.[6][7]

See our related research to find out more about under-25 fees and how to avoid them.

Other Restrictions

Young renters must follow all of the rental agency’s standard driver qualifications and rental policies. For instance, you can’t rent a car without a valid license (as previously reported).

Rental agencies may also restrict renters under the age of 25 from renting certain vehicle classes. Alamo Rent a Car, Budget, Dollar Car Rental, and Hertz are some of the agencies that don’t allow young renters to drive specialty vehicles.[8][9][10][3]

  1. https://www.travel.dod.mil/Portals/119/Documents/Rental_Car/US_Government_Rental_Car_Agreement_No__4.pdf[]
  2. https://www.avis.com/es/customer-service/faqs/usa/requirement-for-renting[]
  3. https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/misc/index.jsp?targetPage=Hertz_Renting_to_Drivers_Under_25.jsp[][]
  4. https://www.foxrentacar.com/en/faqs.html[]
  5. https://www.enterprise.com/en/car-rental/deals/military-government-rental-discounts.html[]
  6. https://mobile.usaa.com/inet/wc/rental-cars-main[]
  7. https://communities.usaa.com/t5/Money-Matters/You-Asked-We-Answered-Rental-Fees-for-Young-Drivers/ba-p/148236[]
  8. https://www.alamo.com/en/customer-support/car-rental-faqs/age-to-rent-a-car.html[]
  9. https://www.budget.com/en/help/usa-faqs/age-to-rent[]
  10. https://www.dollar.com/travelcenter/traveltools/under_25.aspx[]

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