How Do Old You Need to Be to Lease a Car?

Last Updated on March 4, 2022 by Elizabeth

At age 18, you are be old enough to vote, serve on a jury and get married. But in the vast majority of American states, you are not old enough to rent a car.

You have to be 21 years old to rent a car from eight of 12 major rental car companies. Several will rent to drivers age 19 or 20, and one goes as low as 18 years old.

Only two of 50 states—Michigan and New York—mandate rental car companies to rent a car to 18 year olds with valid driver’s licenses.

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It’s one thing for a young driver to be allowed to rent a car and quite another thing for a young driver to get a good deal. If you’re under age 25, expect to be charged a young renter fee to the tune of $20 to $28 per day—which is sometimes more than the daily rental rate.

Here’s how old you need to be to rent a car from major rental companies:

Alamo

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• For drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, a young renter fee will apply at an average cost of $20 per day. This fee can be higher or lower, depending on the rental location.
• For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, a younger renter fee will apply in Michigan ($40) and New York ($57).

Avis

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• For drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, a young renter fee will apply at an average cost of $27 per day.
• For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, a younger renter fee will apply in Michigan ($41) and New York ($52).

Budget

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• For drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, a young renter fee will apply at an average cost of $27 per day.
• For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, a younger renter fee will apply in Michigan ($41) and New York ($52).

Dollar

• The minimum age to rent is 20. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• Drivers under age 25 will be charged a younger renter fee.

Enterprise

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• For drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, a young renter fee will apply at an average cost of $20 per day. This fee can be higher or lower, depending on the rental location.
• For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, a younger renter fee will apply in Michigan ($40) and New York ($57).

Fox

• The minimum age to rent is 19. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• The minimum rental age for active military is 18.
• Drivers under age 25 will be charged a younger renter fee.

Hertz

• The minimum age to rent is 18 in the U.S., except in Alabama and Nebraska, where the minimum age to rent is 19. Renters must have had a valid driver’s license for at least one year.
• Drivers under age 25 will be charged a young renter fee unless they are AAA members.

Kyte

Gen Z drivers in major metro areas should also take a look at Kyte, the first rental company to offer door-to-door delivery service on both ends of your trip.

While you need to be 25 years old to rent with Kyte in most areas, there are exceptions.

• Boston-area residents aged 21 to 25 can rent with no underage surcharge.
• New York City, drivers as young as 18 can rent, and Kyte recently dropped both its steep $120-per-day surcharge for drivers ages 18 to 20, and the $45-per-day charge for drivers ages 21 to 25.

Kyte has also introduced Kyte for University for drivers under 25 renters in California, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Washington D.C., which waives the underage fee for college students with an .edu email address. 

National

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• For drivers between the ages of 21 and 24, a young renter fee will apply at an average cost of $20 per day. This fee can be higher or lower, depending on the rental location.
• For drivers between the ages of 18 and 20, a younger renter fee will apply in Michigan ($40) and New York ($57).

Payless

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• Drivers under age 25 will be charged a younger renter fee of $25 per day.

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Sixt

• The minimum age to rent is 21. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• Drivers under age 25 will be charged a younger renter fee.

Thrifty

• The minimum age to rent is 20. Exceptions are Michigan and New York, where a driver must be at least 18 to rent.
• Drivers under age 25 will be charged a younger renter fee.

Related:

• Cheap Car Rentals for Drivers Under 25
• Should You Buy Car Rental Insurance?

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