Budget Car Rental FAQs Budget Car Rental FAQs

 You'll find information on general age rules below, but since specific fees and permissible vehicle types may vary by location, it's best to find the underage requirement in the U.S. city where you are renting prior to picking up your rental car.

Underage Requirements at Corporate-operated Locations:
At most U.S. corporate-operated locations, you must be at least 21 years of age to rent, but the following provisions apply for customers between the ages of 21-24:

• Renters 21-24 must present a valid, acceptable credit card (debit cards are not permitted) and a valid driver's license (subject to screening of your driving record), both in the renter's name.
• At time of rental, an additional $27-per-day underage surcharge for these renters will be applied. Because we don’t verify your age when you make a reservation, this fee is in addition to your quoted online rate.
• Drivers between the ages of 21-24 will not be permitted to rent luxury cars, mini vans, 12-passenger vans, specialty vehicles, full-size SUVs or premium SUVs.
• If a renter wishes to add an additional driver to the rental policy, the second driver must be 25 or older and present their valid driver’s license and credit card or, at some locations, a debit card is acceptable. Select locations that do not accept a debit card will be indicated in the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page.
• If you plan to pre-pay your rental and are under 25 years of age, underage charges will be added at the counter and will need to be paid at car return. Your prepayment amount will be used as a credit toward the final costs of the rental.

In Michigan at corporate-operated locations, the minimum rental age is 18 with a valid, acceptable credit card and driver's license, and an additional $41-per-day underage surcharge for drivers 18-20; $28-per-day for drivers 21-24 years old will be applied.

In New York State at corporate-operated locations, the minimum rental age is 18 with a valid, acceptable credit card and driver's license, and an additional $52-per-day underage surcharge for drivers 18-20; $35-per-day for drivers 21-24 years old will be applied. Drivers under the age 25 will not be permitted to rent luxury cars, mini vans, 12-passenger vans, specialty vehicles, full-size SUVs or premium SUVs.

Minimum Age Exceptions:
Licensee-owned and non-U.S. Location Rentals
U.S. Budget licensee-owned location age rules vary, however most allow a minimum age of 18-24 for a small surcharge. Rules at locations outside of the U.S also may vary.  It’s always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location. Then, if you still have questions, please contact us.

Insurance Replacement Renters
At corporate-operated locations, a customer involved in an Insurance Replacement from one of the following companies may rent at the minimum age of 18: Allstate, American Family, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCRG Claims, Progressive, State Farm, Travelers.

Corporate Account Renters
At corporate-operated locations, drivers and additional drivers who are employees of the same company, on company business, and renting with their employer's BCD corporate rates, must be at least 21 years of age, or may be 18 years of age if employed with the U.S. Government on travel orders.

Select corporate customers and insurance/service replacement rental customers may be exempt from the underage fee. Check with your account representative to see if your company account is eligible.

Government Renters Including Those in the U.S. Military
Budget Rent A Car is proud to deliver unsurpassed rental car service to those who serve our country. At corporate-operated locations,

• for U.S. Government (military & civilian) personnel WITH a government travel order or purchase order, minimum rental age is 18 years of age. No underage surcharge applies.
• for U.S. Government (military & civilian) personnel WITHOUT a government travel order or purchase order, minimum rental age is 21 years of age, except 18 years of age in Michigan and New York State. No underage surcharge applies. “U.S. Government personnel” includes military as well as civilian employees (for example, FEMA, U.S. Postal Dept., Navy, Army, etc.). The minimum age policy applies to official Government rentals only.
• for leisure rentals (vacation, leave, etc.) U.S. Government (military & civilian) personnel, an additional daily surcharge may apply for renters under 25 years old. See reservation terms and conditions for underage fees that apply at your rental location. Special rates are available for U.S. Government personnel when the renter presents proof of U.S. Government affiliation at the time of rental.

Renters with a Disability
At corporate-operated locations, there is no underage surcharge for renters with a disability when either the renter with the disability or the authorized driver is over the age of 25.  If both the renter with a disability and authorized driver are under the age of 25, an underage surcharge will apply.

Inbound Tour Renters
Inbound tour customers are permitted to rent from Budget corporate-operated locations at the minimum age of 19. Inbound tour customers are defined as those not residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, or Canada who are renting on an inbound tour rate.

The minimum rental age for tour customers residing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, or Canada is 21. An underage surcharge may apply for renters under 25.

At corporate-operated locations, Budget does not have a maximum age limit in the U.S., but there may be upper-age restrictions in some other countries. Search for your location to find maximum age rules in your rental country. After you find your location, just click the 'additional information' link next to your desired location to view location terms and conditions.

Yes. Since rental terms vary from location to location, it’s always a good idea to read the specific terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation page/e-mail – or find your location and review the terms of rental on your location information page. These terms outline most things you'll need to know to qualify for a rental at your specific location.

Look for rental terms and conditions on your confirmation page

At the bottom of location pages and your confirmation e-mail

And also near the bottom of the page on step 4 of the online reservation process.

Rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary from what you are accustomed to, so it's important to review your terms every time you make a reservation. If you have questions about your rental terms, please contact us.

Once you qualify for rental, a Rental Agreement is the legally binding contract that details the terms of rental you'll be required to agree to and sign before Budget releases a rental car to you. The content of a Rental Agreement varies based on your rental dates, type of car and location. For example, in some particularly rugged parts of the country, and on specific gravel and dirt roads not regularly maintained, Budget prohibits use of its vehicles. At most locations, interstate travel is permissible, while other locations require that the vehicle does not cross state lines. Similarly, in some states bordering Mexico and Canada, travel across U.S. borders might be restricted or prohibited. At some airport locations, the quoted rental rates might apply only to airline passengers flying within 72 hours before rental. Or, if you are under 21 years of age, special car type rules and surcharges will apply. When you pick up your car, the rental counter agent can answer any questions you may have about your rental.
Always closely review the Rental Agreement when you pick up your car. Our counter agents are happy to answer any questions you might have regarding your rental.

Since a Rental Agreement varies slightly based on your rental dates, type of car and location, we can't present you with an exact copy of the agreement you will be asked to sign at the counter. You may, however, view a copy of our Master Rental Agreement on which all location Rental Agreement versions are based.

As mentioned above, you'll be required to agree to and sign a Rental Agreement at the rental counter when Budget releases a rental car to you. Since we recognize that this will take additional time at the counter each time you rent, we encourage you to enroll for Fastbreak®. When you enroll, you'll provide your electronic signature just once on the Master Rental Agreement. Once enrolled, you may print and save it for your records and we'll notify you if any changes are made to that agreement. You'll save time at the counter with each rental because you won't have to read the entire Rental Agreement or sign it at each location every time.

Since rental terms vary from location to location, it’s a good idea to read the specific terms and conditions on your reservation confirmation page/e-mail. Or find your location and review the location information page for your rental location’s required credentials. Generally, the following credentials are required to release a rental to you:

Driver’s license requirements
At time of rental car pick-up in the U.S. or Canada, all drivers must present a valid, U.S.- or Canadian-issued driver's license in the driver’s name. If you are renting a Budget vehicle in the U.S. and are in possession of a Canadian driver’s license, you will be required to also present a valid passport in the driver’s name. In lieu of a passport and Canadian driver’s license, you may instead present an Enhanced Driver’s License in your name.

Non-U.S. and non-Canadian residents are required to present a valid driver’s license and a passport from their home country. If the information on your driver’s license is not written in the Roman alphabet, you must also present an International Driving Permit. If you have indicated on your reservation that you are a non-U.S. resident, you must also present proof of your return trip back to your resident country or your confirmed reservation rate will change. If renting outside of the U.S. or Canada, see driver's license rules for renting in other countries.

"Deposit" credential requirements
The preferred second required credential is a major credit card such as American Express, Budget Charge Card, Budget International, Discover, JCB/Japan Card, MasterCard, Optima, PHH or Visa. Some locations will accept a debit card instead of a credit card, but then we might either check your credit report or require you to present a third form of ID as indicated in the “Debit Card User Instructions” below. Prepaid charge/debit or gift cards are not an acceptable form of identification at rental pick up but may be used for payment at car return.

NOTE:  All forms of required identification MUST include a name and address and MUST match the name and address on the renter's driver's license.

Debit Card User Instructions
If you prefer to use a debit card rather than a credit card, be aware that some Budget locations will check your credit with a national credit verification bureau.  Other locations might not check your credit, but will require you to present a third form of identification:

For debit card customers renting at an airport location, one of the following is acceptable as a third form of identification in addition to a driver’s license and debit card: 

• a round-trip airline ticket, e-ticket, or travel itinerary to or from the airport of rental, disclosing a return date and showing the renter's name
• a valid U.S. passport or current U.S. military identification card
• a current vehicle insurance card
• a current copy (within the last 60 days) of the customer's cellular phone bill, home telephone bill, bank statement or utility bill

For debit card customers renting at an off-airport location, one of the following is acceptable as a third form of identification in addition to a driver’s license and debit card:

• a valid U.S. passport or current U.S. military identification card
• a current vehicle insurance card
• a current copy (within the last 60 days) of the customer's cellular phone bill, home telephone bill, bank statement or utility bill

Rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary.  It’s always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location.  Then, if you still have questions, please contact us.

Yes. Your deposit type, amount and method of payment will vary by Budget location.

Credit and Debit Card Rules

Generally, at the time of a U.S. corporate-operated location rental, we'll require a credit card hold of total estimated rental charges plus 25% or $200, whichever is greater. If you're using a debit card at a location that accepts them, upon paying your rental with a Debit Card, Budget will generally request an authorization hold against your account for the estimated charges of the rental but reserves the right in its sole discretion, to request extra value based on certain factors as we deem appropriate. Some exceptions may apply. THESE FUNDS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR YOUR USE. However, for insurance/service replacement rentals, tour and budget.com prepaid rentals, the minimum debit card authorization hold is $100.  At select locations in the Northeast and North Central regions, the minimum authorization hold is $500. Renters under 25 years of age may not use a debit card. Look at the terms and conditions on your reservation confirmations for the deposit required at your specific rental location. Some select locations do not accept debit cards at time of rental to release the vehicle, but do accept debit cards for payment at time of car return. Locations that do accept debit cards at time of rental will perform a credit check to determine and ensure credit worthiness before releasing the car to you. Search for your location to find deposit rules for your location. After you find your location, just click the 'additional information' link next to your desired location to view location terms and conditions.

It's perfectly fine if you choose not to return the car on or before your scheduled return date, but on or before that date you must contact a Budget reservation agent at 800-527-7000, and that agent will be happy to accommodate your request, if possible. In this case, we will assess a $10 service fee for the extended rental, and place up to three additional holds on your card (depending on how long you keep the car) to cover expected rental charges. Upon your return of the car, all holds will be released, and the actual cost of the rental will be charged. Please note that, if you choose to extend your rental, your original rental rate may no longer be available. Also note that your bank may take up to two weeks to post the released credit hold to your card. Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for any returned checks due to debit card hold processing.

Canadian rentals at corporate-operated locations require a credit card hold of $300 CAD for the first day, and $75 CAD for each additional day. Other countries and licensee-owned locations may vary. It’s always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location.  Then, if you still have questions, please contact us. To receive your quoted rate, some airport locations also might require you to present your airline ticket or boarding pass when you pick up your car. For full details, read the helpful terms and conditions that appear on steps 3 and 4 in the online reservation process and on your reservation confirmation page or e-mail.

In lieu of a valid driver's license, Budget corporate-operated locations in the U.S. will accept traffic citations or summonses issued by officials in these seven states: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.  The citation only will be accepted up until the court appearance date shown on the citation or summons. A customer who presents a citation/summons in lieu of a driver's license is required to present a second form of personal identification with a signature on it. Any second form of I.D. with a signature is acceptable, such as a department store card, passport, library card or company I.D. with a signature. Rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary.  It’s always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location.  Then, if you still have questions, please contact us.

Generally, a driver’s license, passport and an International Driving Permit issued in the driver’s name from their home country is required for most Budget car rentals with the following exceptions:

• European Union (EU) residents renting in the EU must present either an International Driving Permit along with the driver’s license from their home country or simply their EU driver’s license.
• All other drivers may not be required to present an International Driving Permit when traveling abroad, but they should be prepared to do so. For information on how a U.S. resident may obtain an International Driving Permit, visit the U.S. Department of State Web site. Non-U.S. residents should obtain their International Driving Permit from their home country before traveling.
• If your home country’s driver’s license information is not written in the Roman alphabet, you will be required to present an International Driving Permit in order to rent from Budget.

Once a customer opens a rental agreement, but before the transaction is completed, some Budget corporate-operated locations might contact the issuing Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to perform a driver’s license verification for primary and additional drivers. Budget reserves the right to deny rental if the driving history reveals any of the following:

• invalid, suspended or revoked license
• one or more convictions for reckless driving within 48 months
• one DUI, DWI or DWAI conviction within 48 months  
• failure to report an accident/leaving the scene of accident within 36 months
• possession of stolen vehicle or use of a vehicle in a crime
• expired license
• three or more convictions for moving violations within 24 months (excluding seatbelt violations)
• two or more accidents within 36 months
• other activities that suggest an unsatisfactory driving record.

Budget will check renters' and additional drivers' licenses to ensure that they are valid. Budget is unable to rent if the driving history reveals any of the following issues:

• invalid, suspended or revoked license
• one or more convictions for reckless driving within 48 months
• one DUI, DWI or DWAI conviction within 48 months
• failure to report an accident/leaving the scene of accident within 36 months
• possession of stolen vehicle or use of a vehicle in a crime
• expired license
• three or more convictions for moving violations within 24 months (excluding seatbelt violations)
• three or more accidents within 36 months
• other activities that suggest an unsatisfactory driving record.

 Yes. An additional driver must be at least 25 years of age. Budget will check the additional drivers' license to ensure that it is valid. Budget will be unable to allow an additional driver if the driving history reveals any of the following issues:

• invalid, suspended or revoked license
• one or more convictions for reckless driving within 36 months
• one DUI, DWI or DWAI conviction within 48 months
• failure to report an accident/leaving the scene of accident within 36 months
• possession of stolen vehicle or use of a vehicle in a crime
• expired license
• three or more convictions for moving violations within 24 months (including seatbelt violations)
• three or more accidents within 36 months
• other activities that suggest an unsatisfactory driving record.

Add drivers to your rental at the counter when you pick up your car. Drivers must be present with their required credentials to be added.

Sometimes. Although additional driver rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary, except for California, Nevada and New York, the fee for each additional driver is $13 per day with a maximum charge of $65 per rental. There is no additional driver fee in California. In Nevada, the fee is $10 per day with a maximum charge of $65 per rental. In New York, the fee is $3 per day. The following are exempt from the fee but must meet all other driver requirements: the renter's employer or fellow employee when on company business and renting under a corporate account; the renter's spouse or domestic partner; the companion driver of a renter with a disability who has completed the non-licensed renter form; for insurance replacement rentals, company employees or family members who are designated on the insurance policy. It's always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location.

Look for rental terms and conditions in the toolbox on your confirmation page...

At the bottom of location pages and your confirmation e-mail...

and also near the bottom of the page on step 4 of the online reservation process.

If you still have questions, please contact us. Add drivers to your rental at the counter when you pick up your car. Drivers must be present with their required credentials to be added.