Can I Rent a Car for Someone Else?

Can You Rent a Car for Someone Else?

There may be some circumstances where you want to rent a car for somebody else. For instance, you may want to pay the rental car amount with your credit card on behalf of your friends so that they can pick up the car and drive it on their vacation. If this is the case, you’ll need to understand the policies around this.

One of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) by many renters is, “Can I rent a car for someone else?”.

In general, the answer is often no. The majority of the rental companies will not allow you to rent a car for someone else.

However, many rental companies will allow you to make a reservation online for someone else. The person for whom you make the reservation has to be the one to visit the rental location and pay the rental amount with their debit or credit card and pick up the car.

In this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know about renting a car for someone else.

Discover Rental Company Policies

The policies regarding renting a car for someone else may look similar across all car rental agencies in the United States. Let’s take a closer look at what each rental company says about renting a car for somebody else:

• Airport Van Rental (AVR): AVR does not allow you to rent a car for someone else. However, it allows the renter to add a driver to the rental contract by paying additional driver fees.
• Enterprise-Rent-A-Car: Enterprise does not allow renting a car for someone else. If you want to pay for the rental car but have someone else drive it, you need to sign the rental agreement as a primary renter and add the other person as an additional driver.
• Avis: You cannot rent a car from Avis for others. However, you can add them as additional drivers.
• Hertz: Hertz will also not allow you to rent a car for someone else. However, the additional driver can drive the rental car when added to the rental agreement.

What to Know About Renting For Someone Else

Renting a car for others is not a possibility. However, there are ways around this if you need to make the reservation. You can add another driver to the rental agreement after the reservation is made. We’ll explore this further below.

You may make a reservation for someone else

Though you cannot rent a car for other drivers, you can make an online reservation for them. For instance, you can fill out an online application on behalf of your family members or friends who are planning to rent a car for their vacation and hold a desired model of car for them. This option will help people avoid the last-minute hassle of searching for cars and renting them at a steep price.

The primary renter must be present

Though you can make a reservation for others, you will not be allowed to pick up the car from the rental location. Rental companies want to make sure that the person whose name is on the rental agreement will make a valid payment in their name and pick up the vehicle from the rental location. It means the primary renter should appear at the rental location at the time of pick up to sign the rental agreement, pay the rental amount (including the security deposit), and submit the credit or debit card if needed.

Additional drivers are the best option

If you want to rent a car in your name but are unable to drive it, your best option is to add additional drivers to the rental agreement. The additional driver will need to present his or her valid driver’s license at the rental counter to be listed on the rental agreement.

Almost all rental companies allow you to add one or two additional drivers by paying an extra fee. The additional driver fees charged by rental companies may range from $10 to $200 per rental in the United States and Canada.

• Airport Van Rental (AVR): AVR charges an additional driver fee per day per driver.
• Budget: Avis Budget Group charges an additional driver fee of $13 per day per driver. The charges may go up to $65 per rental per driver.
• Enterprise-Rent-A-Car: Enterprise charges an additional driver fee of $15 per day per driver.
• Hertz: Hertz and its group companies such as Dollar and Thrifty will charge $13.5 per driver per day. The charges may go up to the maximum of $189 per rental.
• Alamo: Alamo charges an additional driver fee of $15 per driver per day.
• Sixt: Sixt allows up to nine additional drivers per booking. If you have a Gold, Diamond, or Platinum membership with Sixt, you are allowed to add one additional driver free of cost.
• National: The average additional driver charges at National are $15 per day per driver.

However, you can avoid the additional driver charges by naming your spouse, domestic partner, or business partner as an additional driver. In New York, Texas, Oregon, Indiana, and Utah,the primary driver’s spouse will automatically be added as an additional driver.

Furthermore, New York caps the additional driver fee at $3 per day per driver. If you are renting a car in New York with an additional driver, you must make sure the rental company does not charge you more than $3 toward the daily additional driver fee.

You can also avoid the additional driver fees if you have an AAA, USAA, Costco, or AARP membership. For instance, the majority of car rental companies, including Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty, will not charge any additional driver fees on car rentals booked with AAA membership codes at participating locations.

Collision Damage Waiver

The main driver is responsible for accidents caused by additional drivers. Check with your insurance company whether your existing vehicle insurance covers the damages caused by extra drivers or not. If your existing insurance policy isn’t valid for additional drivers, you may need to take a separate collision damage waiver or an additional driver policy.