5 Rental Car Companies That Allow Towing (And on Which Vehicles)

Short Answer: While most car rental companies prohibit towing using any of their rental vehicles, several truck rental companies allow it. If you need to tow something with a rental vehicle — such as a boat, car, motorcycle trailer, or cargo trailer — U-Haul, Budget Truck Rental, and Penske Truck Rental are a few of the companies that allow towing. Below, we have the list of rental companies that allow towing (with and without restrictions), as well as those that do not allow towing.

In This Article

• Rental Car Companies That Allow Towing
  • Companies That Allow Towing Without Restrictions
  • Companies That Allow Towing With Restrictions
• Car Rental Companies That Do Not Allow Towing

Rental Car Companies That Allow Towing

The following rental car companies allow towing. We gathered information for this list directly from company websites or by contacting customer service representatives. All sources are cited when possible.

Note: If you also need a tow dolly, see our article that lists the companies that rent tow dollies.

Companies That Allow Towing Without Restrictions

U-Haul

U-Haul is the only company that allows you to use its vehicles to tow your personal trailer or use your personal vehicle to tow its trailers.

• Type of Vehicles That Can Tow: 8′ pickup truck; 10′, 15′, 17′, 20′, 24′, and 26′ moving trucks
• 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.
• Provides Receiver Hitch? Yes
• Can You Return to a Different Location? Yes
• Unlimited Mileage? No
• Find more information: U-Haul Trailer Rental FAQ

Note: See our related articles to find out if U-Haul will price match and if it offers a student discount.

Companies That Allow Towing with Restrictions

Budget Truck Rental

• Restrictions: Car carriers and tow dollies must be rented with a Budget Truck reservation and cannot be rented separately.
• Type of Vehicles That Can Tow: 16′ and 24′ moving trucks
• Types of Trailers You Can Rent: Car carrier, tow dolly
• Provides Receiver Hitch? Yes
• Can You Return to a Different Location? Yes
• Unlimited Mileage? Yes
• Find more information: Budget Truck Rental Moving Trucks & Accessories

Enterprise Truck Rental

• Restrictions: You must provide your own towing equipment.
• Type of Vehicles That Can Tow: 3/4 and one-ton pickup trucks
• Types of Trailers You Can Rent: None
• Provides Receiver Hitch? No; you must provide all your own towing equipment.
• Can You Return to a Different Location? Yes
• Unlimited Mileage? Yes
• Find more information: Enterprise Truck Rental Towing

Note: See our related article on whether or not Enterprise offers a student discount.

Penske Truck Rental

• 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.
• Type of Vehicles That Can Tow: 16′, 22′, and 26′ moving trucks
• Types of Trailers You Can Rent: Car carrier, tow dolly
• Provides Receiver Hitch? Yes
• Can You Return to a Different Location? Yes
• Unlimited Mileage? No
• Find more information: Penske Truck Rental Towing Equipment

U-Save Car & Truck Rental

• Restrictions: Only available with certain vehicles. Locations and vehicle availability vary. Call ahead to confirm.
• Type of Vehicles That Can Tow: Varies
• Types of Trailers You Can Rent: None; you must provide your own towing equipment.
• Provides Receiver Hitch? No; you must provide your own towing equipment.
• Can You Return to a Different Location? Varies by location
• Unlimited Mileage? Yes
• Find more information: U-Save Car & Truck Rental

Car Rental Companies That Do Not Allow Towing

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 from these companies to tow something, you could be charged for damages. These fines vary based on the extent of the damage to the vehicle. Keep in mind that towing using 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. No company will provide an official answer on exact fine amounts.

• Advantage Rent A Car
• Alamo
• Avis
• Budget Rent A Car
• Dollar Rent A Car
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• E-Z Rent-A-Car
• Fox Rent A Car
• Hertz
• National Car Rental
• Payless Car Rental
• Rent-A-Wreck
• Silvercar
• Sixt Rent a Car
• Thrifty Car Rental
• Turo

In Summary

Few rental car companies allow you to use their vehicles for towing. Your best bet for towing is to go a little out of the box and get a truck rental. U-Haul has the fewest restrictions on towing, but Budget Truck Rental, Enterprise Truck Rental, Penske Truck Rental, and U-Save Car & Truck Rental also allow towing.

In case you plan on towing bikes, have you considered putting them on the car instead? Our related article lists the car rental companies that offer bike racks.