You’ve probably thought about giving your loved one, relative, or partner a gift by renting a car for him or her in some exotic location. This could be a great idea, given the service’s wide coverage and cheap vehicle prices. However, this is not as easy as it seems, and you technically can’t rent a car for someone else with your documents. But why is this the case?
According to rental companies’ policies, you, as the main renter, must pick up the car, since your name will appear on the agreement, which is a legal document. Fortunately, every rule has an exception, and you can still rent a car for someone if certain conditions are met.
Table of contents:
- Can I pay for a rental car for someone else?
- Can a spouse drive a rental car?
- What happens if someone else drives your rental car?
- Final words
Can I pay for a rental car for someone else?
The T&Cs of all rental agencies say that the person who books and pays for the car is the main driver by default. However, if you pay for someone to drive your rental car as a major driver, you are actually violating this condition, which means this scenario is impossible. Thus, you can’t just give someone your credit or debit card and have them make a reservation.
The good news is that a legal solution exists – book a vehicle in your name, and add the desired person as an additional driver to your rental car. This is the easiest way to let someone else drive your rental car. The only thing is that the additional driver must meet a minimum age and have a driver’s license that is valid for the entire trip. Keep in mind that your involvement as a renter doesn’t end there. You must also:
- arrive at the counter at the pre-agreed date and time
- sign an agreement
- provide a credit/debit card to hold the security deposit.
After this, the extra driver can hit the road without you as the main driver. Please note that you may have to pay a daily fee for the additional driver option if it’s not available for free.
Can someone else rent a car for me?
When making a reservation, the main driver’s name must match the name on the credit card used for payment. Plus, the same bank card must meet the conditions and be presented at the counter during pickup. So, can someone else rent a car for me? The answer is YES if that person names you as an additional driver and will be present at the counter to sign the documents.
Can someone else return my rental car?
If you are the only authorized driver, nobody else can return the vehicle under normal conditions. However, if one or more extra drivers have been authorized for your rental, any of them may return your vehicle at the end of the trip.
Can I rent a car without a license for someone else?
Unfortunately, you can’t prepay car rental for another person if you don’t have a valid driver’s license in your name on hand. This also applies to licenses that have expired, been canceled, or were issued by a country whose licenses can’t be accepted in the desired location. The key rule is that your license allows you to drive in your chosen destination – this is the main condition for renting a car for someone else.
Can a spouse drive a rental car?
Multiple companies allow the main renter’s spouse to drive a car under special conditions, namely free of charge. However, this opportunity appears in the following cases only:
- Participation in the loyalty program. Certain providers make it possible to drive a car rental for your spouse for free if you participate in their loyalty program. For example, this applies to Dollar Express Rewards, Thrifty Blue Chip, Hertz Gold Plus, and Sixt Gold/Platinum/Diamond members. In each of these cases, you can waive one additional driver fee.
- Having a membership. As an AAA member, you get one free extra driver when booking with the AAA code from Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty. If you have a USAA membership, use the Hertz discount code to avoid paying for the additional driver if he/she is your spouse.
- Renting in a specific state. You may be asking the question “how else can my husband drive my rental car for free?” Your spouse absolutely legally avoids extra driver fees if you rent a car in states such as Indiana, California, Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Texas, New York, Oregon, Wisconsin, and Utah. The main thing is that your spouse must meet all the requirements for additional drivers.
Which car rental companies allow a spouse to drive free?
You can get your spouse as a free additional driver for car rental if you rent from certain companies. Although they charge an extra driver fee, they allow you to waive this payment if the second driver is your spouse or domestic partner. Among these companies are:
- Enterprise
- Alamo
- Avis
- National
- Budget
- Fox
What happens if someone else drives your rental car?
It is not acceptable to allow another driver to get behind the wheel if they are not on the list of legal drivers. The first problem is that the company will apply a penalty for an unauthorized driver of a rental car if they catch you. Yes, you violate the rental agreement with such an action, and the supplier may initiate extra fees and even legal consequences against you.
However, the worst scenario is when someone else drives your rental car and gets into an accident. In this case, you, as the main renter, will be financially responsible for the damage caused. What’s more, even if your vehicle is covered, allowing someone else to drive the vehicle is a violation of the insurance agreement, which ultimately means you are personally liable for all associated costs as a result of the incident. Therefore, it’s definitely a bad idea to allow an unauthorized driver to get behind the wheel of your rental car.
Final words
All things considered, you can rent a car for someone else using your credit card only if you authorize him/her as an additional driver and show up at the counter for paperwork. Also, keep in mind that certain car rental companies allow your spouse to drive free as a second driver – Enterprise, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Fox, and National are among them. Find them all on Rental24h, compare prices and choose the best option for you!