William Lipovsky
When you’re on a trip and using a rental vehicle, you may need to tow something like a boat, car, motorcycle trailer, or cargo trailer. While most car rental companies prohibit towing using any of their rental vehicles, several truck rental companies allow it.
These companies rent vehicles like pickup trucks, moving trucks, and cargo trailers, and some will also allow you to rent things like car carriers and tow dollies that you can attach to your own car, SUV, or truck. Others will require you to use your own towing equipment.
Pricing for trucks typically works the same as pricing for other rental vehicles — you pay based on the size of the vehicle, destination, and length of the trip.
Note, however, that while you must pay to use a company’s accessories like carriers and tow dollies, they typically do not come with per-mile charges like trucks do (unless unlimited mileage is offered), so you do not need to pay twice the mileage for the same trip.
What We Recommend
The rental company you choose will ultimately depend on your priorities, how far you need to travel, and the size of the vehicle and/or trailer you need.
For the widest selection of truck and towing options that come with virtually no restrictions, U-Haul will likely be your best choice. It is the only rental company that allows you to use its vehicles to tow your personal trailer or use your personal vehicle to tow its trailers.
Penske is another company that provides a variety of moving vehicles and trailers, and it comes with the option for unlimited mileage, but it does not permit you to tow your own trailer.
The List
Below, we list the rental car companies that allow towing, including information about available vehicles and trailers, as well as other restrictions.
Note that all of the rental companies that allow towing only rent vans, trucks, or trailers — they do not rent SUVs or other towing-capable vehicles. With U-Haul, though, you can rent a trailer and tow it with your own SUV.
We’ve ordered the list starting with the best overall options in terms of vehicle availability, towing equipment available for rent, etc.
1. U-Haul
- Type of vehicles that can tow: Eight-foot pickup trucks; 10′, 15′, 17′, 20′, and 26′ moving trucks[1]
- Types of trailers you can rent: U-Haul offers a wide variety of trailers, although availability varies by location. Options include several sizes of cargo (closed-top) trailers and utility (open-top) trailers. It also rents tow dollies, car carriers, and motorcycle trailers. You can attach these items to your car, SUV, truck, or another vehicle.[2]
- Restrictions: You must not exceed trailer weight limits.[3]
- Provides receiver hitch? Yes[4]
- Allows one-way rentals? Yes[1]
- Unlimited mileage? No[5]
- Book online
2. Penske Truck Rental
- Type of vehicles that can tow: 16′, 22′, and 26′ moving trucks[6]
- Types of trailers you can rent: Car carrier, tow dolly[7]
- Restrictions: Car carriers and tow dollies must be rented with a Penske truck reservation and cannot be rented separately. You cannot tow your own trailer.[8]
- Provides receiver hitch? Yes[8]
- Allows one-way rentals? Yes[9]
- Unlimited mileage? Yes[9]
- Book online
3. Budget Truck Rental
- Type of vehicles that can tow: 16′ and 26′ moving trucks[10]
- Types of trailers you can rent: Car carrier, tow dolly[11]
- Restrictions: Car carriers and tow dollies must be rented with a Budget Truck reservation and cannot be rented separately.[12]
- Provides receiver hitch? Yes[12]
- Allows one-way rentals? Yes[13]
- Unlimited mileage? Varies by rental; you will find out whether your rental will include unlimited miles during the booking process.[14]
- Book online
4. Enterprise Truck Rental
- Type of vehicles that can tow: 3/4 and one-ton pickup trucks[15]
- Types of trailers you can rent: None[16]
- Restrictions: You must provide your own towing equipment.[16]
- Provides receiver hitch? No; you must provide all your own towing equipment.[16]
- Allows one-way rentals? Yes[17]
- Unlimited mileage? Yes[18]
- Book online
Car Rental Companies That Don’t Allow Towing
In the course of our research, we found that the following major car rental companies do not allow towing of any kind. They do not rent vehicles that have a bumper/receiver hitch.
If you use a vehicle like an SUV or truck from one of these companies to tow something, you could be charged for damages. Fines vary based on the extent of the damage to the vehicle.
Keep in mind that towing with a vehicle from these companies will void any insurance coverage you have — both through your own insurer or any coverage purchased through the rental company.
- Alamo[19]
- Audi on demand[20]
- Avis[21]
- Dollar Rent A Car[22]
- Fox Rent A Car[23]
- Hertz[24]
- National Car Rental[25]
- Payless Car Rental[26]
- Rent-A-Wreck[27]
- Sixt Rent a Car[28]
- Thrifty Car Rental[29]
- Turo[30]
- U-Save Car & Truck Rental[31]
If you also need a tow dolly, see our article that lists the companies that rent tow dollies.
I’m looking at Budget Truck Rental and it does not offer unlimited mileage.
Hello, elbee! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We looked into it and found that Budget Truck Rental does offer unlimited miles, but only for some rentals. We have updated our content to reflect this.
I need a vehicle one-way to rent.
Hello, Felicia! Please see our related articles on one-way trailer rental, one-way cargo van/small truck rental, and one-way pickup truck rental for options that may suit your needs. Best of luck!
I used Enterprise Truck rental to tow a 27″ camper from CA to Chicago. Great truck, great service. You need to supply your own hitch, and plan to pay a premium if you are going one-way (by contrast, local is $59/day plus gas). You also may have to drive some distance to find an Enterprise Truck rental location, which is a different division from their car rentals.
I need to rent a car or pickup that is rated for towing 6500lbs (a boat). Who has them?
Hi Gerrit,
Your best bet is to start off with U-Haul. They specifically market some of their trailers as being able to tow boats. This link is a good place to start: https://www.uhaul.com/Trucks/Pickup-Rental/BP/