Age Requirements to Rent a Car

Can You Rent a Car at 18?

In most parts of the U.S., drivers need to be at least 25 to rent a car from Budget without additional restrictions and fees. However, car rental is allowed at age 18 in two states—Michigan and New York—with certain stipulations:

• Michigan: At corporate-operated Budget locations, you can obtain a rental at age 18 if you have a valid driver’s license and a credit card approved by Budget. You will be charged an additional $41 per day as an underage surcharge.

• New York: The same requirements listed above for Michigan also apply in New York. The underage driver fee is $52 per day.

Insurance Replacement Rental

The car rental age limit does not apply to renters 18 and older if they’re getting a replacement vehicle through one of the following insurance providers: 

• All-State

• American Family

• Bristol-Myers Squibb

• CCRG Claims

• Progressive

• State Farm

• Travelers

Can You Rent a Car at 21?

In most U.S. Budget locations that are corporate-operated, you can rent a car between the ages of 21 and 24 if you are willing to pay underage surcharge fees and meet the following requirements:

• You need to show an accepted credit card (not a debit card) and a valid driver’s license.

• You will pay an additional $27 per day surcharge. This surcharge is not included in any online rates—age is not established during online booking. (In Michigan, renters between 21 and 24 will pay $28 per day, and in New York, the fee is $35 per day.)

• If you are under 25 and choose to prepay for your rental, you will need to pay the underage surcharges when you return the rental car.

• If you want to add another driver to the rental agreement, that person must be 25 years or older and have a valid driver’s license and credit card.

Renters younger than 25 are not permitted to rent luxury cars, premium SUVs, full-size SUVs, passenger vans, specialty vehicles, or minivans.

Additional restrictions may apply at specific rental locations. 

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.

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.

Are There Age Minimums for Military Renters?

Corporate-operated Budget Rent a Car locations are proud to work with government employees and members of the military, and we provide exclusive benefits to these individuals, including those listed below.

• U.S. government personnel who have a government purchase order or travel order can rent a car at age 18 without paying an underage surcharge.

• U.S. government personnel who do NOT have a government purchase order or travel order can rent a car at age 21 (except in New York and Michigan, where the minimum age to rent a car is 18) without paying an underage surcharge.

• U.S. government personnel traveling for leisure or personal reasons will still need to pay the underage surcharge, but they may qualify for a special military rental rate.

U.S. government personnel includes both military and civilian employees.

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 the 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.

Licensee-Owned and Non-U.S. Location Rentals

U.S. Budget licensee-owned location age rules vary. However, most licensee locations apply a small surcharge to renters under 25. Rules at locations outside of the U.S may also vary. 

Checking the Terms and Conditions for Your Rental Location

The terms and conditions of a rental agreement can vary between locations. Because of this, it is always a good idea to verify the details of your rental policy before picking up your rental car. You can also check the information in advance on our website by following the steps outlined below.

1. Find the page of the location you are renting from on Budget.com.

2. Once you are on that page, scroll down to the “Terms & Conditions” section.

3. Click on “Age Requirements” for details.