William Lipovsky
Manual transmission cars aren’t available at all car rental locations, but there are a few businesses that do offer this service.
It can be challenging to find a manual car rental because most rental companies tend to prioritize vehicles that can be driven by every customer — even those without stick shift experience.
If you choose to rent a manual car from one of the companies listed below, you should make sure you’re confident in your ability to drive a stick; if you damage the drive-train, you could be held liable.
Note that some companies make you sign a document stating that you can drive a manual, or even prove that you can drive manual before renting.
What We Recommend
The best option when searching for a manual transmission rental will likely be the peer-to-peer rental company Turo. Individual owners list their own cars on the site, so the company does not have to add any cars to its “fleet.”
You can find all types of manual cars on Turo depending on where you live, and its rates are typically much lower than other rental car companies.
If you prefer to rent with a traditional rental car company, you may want to consider Alamo Rent a Car, which is one of the few companies that lists a variety of manual cars (though mostly sports cars and luxury vehicles) on its site for booking.
The List
Below, we list the rental car companies that typically rent manual transmission cars, ordered starting with the companies with the best overall availability.
We verified this information by contacting customer service representatives and making test rentals online.
Note that even if a company usually has manual cars, not all locations may have them on hand at all times. The cost to rent a manual transmission car will vary by location and type of rental.
Turo
- Available manual cars: Depends on the owner; Turo is a peer-to-peer rental company. Simply use its filter online to search for manual cars in your area.[1]
- Age restrictions: Drivers under the age of 30 may not rent “Super Deluxe Class” vehicles (cars worth more than $95,000)[2] or “specialty” vehicles.[3]
- Additional drivers: Renters can request to add up to eight additional drivers. All additional drivers must be verified.[4] The primary driver must be the one to pick up and return the vehicle.[4]
- Find a Rental
Alamo Rent a Car
- Available manual cars: Sports cars, luxury cars, exotic cars, and performance cars[5]
- Age restrictions: Though the minimum rental age is 25, customers aged 21 to 24 can rent for an additional surcharge. Certain vehicle classes may not be available to younger drivers.[6]
- Additional drivers: Must meet the same requirements as primary drivers; there is a fee of about $15 per day ($5 per day in New York)[7]
- Find a Rental
Budget Car Rental
- Available manual cars: Vary by location[8]
- Age restrictions: Must be at least 21 (18 in New York and Michigan); there’s a surcharge of $27 per day at most locations for drivers under 25.[9]
- Additional drivers: Additional drivers must be 25+ and there is a fee of $13 per day, up to but not exceeding $65 for the entire rental period. This fee may vary by state.[10]
- Find a Rental
Thrifty Car Rental
- Available manual cars: Varies by location with more options available in larger cities[11]
- Age restrictions: The minimum age requirement is 20. However, 20- to 24-year-old customers are subject to “underage” fees, which vary by location.[12]
- Additional drivers: Accepted as long as they meet the minimum age requirement, have a valid driver’s license, and can present a valid credit or debit card. There is also a fee (dependent on location) for any additional driver. If additional drivers are between the ages of 21 and 24, they will also be subject to underage fees.[13]
- Find a Rental
Payless Car Rental
- Available manual cars: Vary by location[14]
- Age restrictions: The minimum age requirement is 21. However, customers between the ages of 21 and 24 are required to pay a $25 per day surcharge.[15]
- Additional drivers: Accepted as long as they meet the minimum age requirement, have a valid driver’s license, and a credit card in their own name. There is a $13 fee per day for additional drivers.[15]
- Find a Rental
Rent-a-Wreck
- Available manual cars: Vary by location; Rent A Wreck rents out used cars[16][17]
- Age restrictions: The minimum age requirement is 19; there’s a daily surcharge of $25 for drivers aged 19 to 21 and $20 for drivers aged 22 to 24.[18]
- Additional drivers: Additional drivers are acceptable, but there is usually a fee, which varies by location.[19]
- Find a Rental
Rental Car Companies That Don’t Have Manual Cars
In our search to find rental companies that offer manual transmission cars, we came across the following companies that don’t (at least in the U.S.):
