Renting a car usually takes less than 10 minutes if you know what you’re looking for. We are here to help you figure out what do you need to rent a car and what are the steps to follow. Learn all about how to rent a car and get a good deal.
How does car rental work?
So you’ve decided to rent a car. You may be gearing up for a long road trip with your family, touching down in a city for a short business trip, or just picking up a car to move some furniture. No matter your reason for renting a car, it’s good to get familiar with the process so you can get a great deal. At the very least, you should be able to answer how long it takes to rent a car, how to get a cheap car rental, how booking and payments work, how different types of insurance work, and how pick-ups and returns work. Once you know what you’re looking for, you can rent the right car for your trip in under 10 minutes.
What do you need to rent a car?
This is the question we all ask ourselves when renting a car: What do I actually need to rent a car? To help you figure that out, we've compiled the most important elements into this checklist:
- A valid driver's license
- A valid ID or Passport
- Meet the minimum age required by the car rental company (usually 21 in the U.S.)
- A credit card for the car deposit (debit cards are usually not accepted)
- Valid Liability Insurance
Our tips to get a cheap car rental
KAYAK answers the question of how to rent a car, but you’re probably still curious about the best way to get a cheap car rental. The most important thing is to book ahead. Booking two weeks ahead of time typically has the best deals, but you should check a month in advance first and check regularly as the date gets closer.
If you’re traveling with passengers, it’s more comfortable to split driving time with another person, but additional drivers mean additional fees. Check to see if your rental agency offers a free second driver, or if you can add a second driver for specific days instead of the entire journey.
You can also try your luck at getting car rental coupons from rental agencies by signing up for their mailing lists and joining membership programs. These coupons may come around periodically during major holidays or during the off season.
The credit card rule to book a rental car
You may already know that you can only rent a car with a credit card, and not a debit card. This is because car rental companies like to charge the deposit amount up front, and refund you when you return the car safely. With that said, there are exceptions to this rule, but it’s not common. If you find a rental agency that accepts debit card, you must have enough money to cover the entire cost of the rental up front.
Check out our article on car rental payments to learn more.
4 steps to rent a car on KAYAK
KAYAK searches through hundreds of car rental companies at once so you can filter and compare all the results for your given destination and dates. You can shop around for car rentals and compare rates on one site without opening a dozen tabs and browsing for hours. Here’s how to find a cheap car rental on KAYAK:
1. Select your dates
The first thing you have to do is select your pick-up and drop-off dates. This one’s pretty self-explanatory, but try to be specific about the times you plan on picking up and dropping off, because it affects the price and availability of cars for the rental. You can also select between “same drop-off” point and “different drop-off” point so you can rent a car for a road trip and drop it off at your final destination.
2. Apply filters
3. View deal
When you’re ready to book a particular itinerary, select “view deal” to continue. Depending on the deal, you can complete the booking on the KAYAK site, or go to the rental car company’s site. The price will be the same either way, but you might have to take this small extra step sometimes.
4. Complete booking
When it’s time to complete your booking, you’ll be able to review the details of your deal again and add extras if you’re interested. One final thing to keep in mind is that you’re booking the type of car, but the exact model you pick up depends on availability.
What do you need when you pick up your rental car?
When you’re ready to pick up your rental car, remember to bring:
- A valid driver’s license
- Any additional driving permits
- A second form of ID
- The form of payment you already paid with if you paid online, or a form of payment you want to pay with at the counter
- Always review the terms and conditions to check everything one last time before paying
The car rental company will give you a short report on the condition of the car, but take pictures before leaving if you want extra security about any small dents or scratches that may have already been on the vehicle.
Tips to ensure a smooth car rental drop-off
When it’s time to return the car, refill the gas if you need to, clean up, and hand over the keys by the agreed upon time. You don’t want to risk any extra costs from missing your return time. Finally, get confirmation that you returned the car in the same condition as when you picked it up, and get a receipt.
- Plan your route in advance to ensure you arrive on time or even a bit earlier
- Choose the closest gas station to the return location to refill the car on the way
- Once you arrive, take some photos of the car inside and out in case you decide to dispute any potential damage charges.
- Double-check all compartments and make sure you have taken out all your belongings.
- Ensure you leave the car in the state you picked it up in. If you return the car dirty, the rental company may impose extra charges to have the car cleaned to a professional standard.
How to choose the right insurance when booking a car?
Usually the biggest stumbling block for how to rent a car is the insurance. Every rental comes with different options at different prices providing different levels of cover. It can be a bit of a lottery deciding what to do, although the most sensible option is to take out full insurance. Here are the different types:
- Collision Damage Waiver (CDW). Car rental companies almost always include CDW as part of the cost of your booking.
- Theft Protection (TP). This means if your rental car is stolen while you have it, you don’t need to pay for a new one.
- Loss Damage Waiver (LDW). This is an umbrella term that includes CDW and TP policies.
- Third Party Liability (TPL). This insures you for death, damage or injury to a third party – another person – in an accident that you’re liable for.
Whatever levels of car rental insurance you go for, remember that most come with an excess. This refers to the amount you’ll need to pay on top of the insurance in the event of a claim. These can vary wildly depending on the rental company, car and type of insurance so always, always check before you rent.
For the full insurance lowdown, read this KAYAK article on the different car rental insurance types.
