Renting cars could be easy, not until when you travel out of the states – at the point where it becomes common to get your valid driving license denied by several driving bodies and even corps. But does this happen in the car rental industry?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about renting a car with an out-of-state license; how possible, how it feels and how to do it.
Can I rent a car with an out of-state license?
You can rent a car with an out-of-state license, however, this is company selective. While there are some car rentals that accept any type of valid licenses, including an out-of-state license, there are also car rental companies that would decline at the sight of it.
Renting a car requires a lot of requirements and procedures, which sum up to 3 basic stages.
This is because it is much of a risky thing for car owners to rent their cars out to someone they have never physically interacted with before.
For this reason, they might want to confirm your authenticity, qualification, financial strength and every related requirements.
The 3 basic stages, as we referred to earlier, includes:
- Registration
- Verification
- Payment
The “Registration” is an easy process that doesn’t require the need for paper documents.
However, for the “Verification” you’ll need to satisfy a load of requirements, which includes meeting up to the legal age, providing a photo of yourself, and having a valid driving license.
Talking about the driving license. How good of a driving license is needed? Can I rent a car with an out-of-state license?
You can rent a car with an out-of-state driving license. However, it all depends on the car rentals which you applied for.
Many car rentals mostly look at the validity of a driver license before approving your application.
If you’ve got a suspended, expired, fake, or you planned on using your friend’s driving license, there’s a high chance your reservation would be declined.
So, as long as the driver’s license is valid, regardless of what country or states it was issued at, it would be accepted.
However, this is not a rule for all, as there could be exclusion.
Previously, we’ve seen cases where car rentals openly require people to provide an in-state driving license before the company is able to rent them a car.
However, in most of the case, this only happens when you decide to go beyond the norm of their payment tradition.
For instance, making payment with cash or debit card. At this point, the company would require other additional verification method, which could include providing an in-state driving license, alongside other requirements.
On the course of this review, we’ve been able to make some research on some car rentals that accept out of state license.
What car rentals accept an out of-state license?
On the course of this review, we decided to make a little research, by asking a few popular car rentals on whether they accept out-of-state license.
We did this by contacting their respective pages on Facebook. Fortunately, we were able to get a list of car rentals that responded to our queries.
However, there were also tons of other car rentals that denied our queries. This shows how much of a snub they are to their customers.
That aside, below is a list of car rentals that accept out of state license:
- Hertz
- Alamo Rent a car
- Zipcar
- Enterprise car rental
- Avis
1. Hertz
Hertz car rental is the company behind most of the popular car rental corporations in the United States.
The company started way back in 1918 and has since then been able to gather a strong of network of users in millions. With this, you should know that they’re no newbie in the car rental industry.
Read also: Do car rentals that accept Paypal?
With over 400,000 fleets of cars from different brands, and structures, Hertz is a one-size fits all.
Now, what about their requirements? Do they take out-of state license?
Yes. You could use your out-of-state license to drive at Hertz. This was concluded after we interviewed a hertz customer agent.
Here’s how the message went.
I had contacted Hertz on facebook, asking them if they do accept out of state license…
Fortunately, they responded with a Yes. But made a lot of emphasis on the validity of the driving license.
2. Alamo Rent a car
In the course of my research, we also decided to contact Alamo, one of the few car rentals companies that is also well known.
So, we went on their Facebook page, where we found them.
And then, we messaged them, asking them on whether they could accept an out-of-state license.
Not quite long, we got a response.
However, the customer agent required that I provide my specific location, of which I somewhat gave him.
I had restructured my question to “I stay in California but have a Texas license.”
The answer was yes. But still made emphasis on the validity of the driving license.
3. Zipcar
A subsidiary of Avis group of companies, Zipcar is an American based car sharing company, exclusive to the people of Canada and the United States.
Just like most car sharing car companies, the company allows people to rent cars for a relative shorter time, since the vast majority of cars there are owned by private individuals.
Coming to the topic of this article, they do accept out of state license.
This was established, as they openly stated that on our chat with them.
According to Zipcar, you’re able to drive with any license, basically anywhere! Please refer to our eligibility requirements to be sure you’re eligible for a membership before you apply (https://support.zipcar.com/hc/en-us/articles/220333808)
4. Enterprise car rental
Still on the course research, we contacted Enterprise car rentals.
However, we couldn’t get any meaningful information from their team. So, we decided dig in deep into some of their documents stored online.
Read Also: Can I use Enterprise for a driving test?
Going through them, we found that Enterprise car rental accepts almost any type of licenses, provided they’re valid.
This includes out-of state licenses, international driving license or a driving license from another language.
However, in any of this case, you might need to provide an additional document, which could be a Government ID, International permit, proof of residency, or a certified english translated version of the driving license (in the case of the driving license from another country).
5. Avis
The last one we have on our list is Avis car rental.
And just as you suspected, they do accept an out-of-state license, as long as it is valid at the time of renting.
According to Avis, at the time of rental and for the duration of the rental, the driver’s license must be in good standing. All drivers must adhere to Avis’ standards. The following types of driver’s licenses are recognized in the United States: any driving license granted by a state, territory, or possession of the United States.
In essence, so long as your driving license is issued by the US, irrespective of the state, it’s going to be accepted provided that it is valid.
Final Thoughts
Most car rentals based in the United States, accepts an out-of-state license, regardless of the state it comes. However, what they are after is the validity.
In other words, if your out-of-state license is invalid, forged, fake, suspended or expired, no car rentals would accept it.
FAQ
Can I rent a car in a state different from my driver’s license’s state of issue?
Yes, it’s generally possible to rent a car with an out-of-state license, but there are specific considerations to keep in mind.
Are there any restrictions on the type of car I can rent with an out-of-state license?
The type of car you can rent with an out-of-state license typically depends on the rental company’s policies, and it’s essential to check their requirements.
Do rental companies treat out-of-state licenses differently from in-state licenses in terms of rental fees or requirements?
Rental companies may have uniform policies for both in-state and out-of-state licenses, but it’s vital to understand any variations that may apply.
Do I need to have a local address in the state where I want to rent a car with an out-of-state license?
Some rental companies may require a local address, while others may not. It varies, so check with the specific rental company.
What documents should I bring when renting a car with an out-of-state license?
Typically, you’ll need your driver’s license, a valid credit card, and possibly additional identification like a passport.
Are there extra fees associated with renting a car using an out-of-state license?
Rental companies may or may not charge extra fees for out-of-state licenses, so it’s crucial to inquire about any potential additional costs.
Can I cross state lines with a rental car if I have an out-of-state license?
Yes, you can usually cross state lines with a rental car using an out-of-state license, but you should inform the rental company about your travel plans and inquire about any restrictions.
