Rental car and Driver's licence in USA

Daniele, how long are you going to be in the US and how far are you going?

There are smaller companies, yes, but even then you might find it exhorbitant to pay for rental. It might be better to buy a used car in the beginning of your trip and sell it. Possibly you might find a LS member who would loan you a car at a reasonable rate because there are people who are gone for an extended period of time. I had my car in the garage while I was gone for two months this past summer.

In any cse, you need to decide on the auto insurance. If you don’t have a coverage in the US, you are likely to pay more for any rental.

thanks for advises, I will try to find out once there too
More or less i will be there two weeks and i dont have much time to buy and sell it back, will be all in a rush situation..
I am more concern about my driver’s license whether i need to get an international one or is just fine the italian (or australian one)
thanks in any case
daniele

daniele, you might want to check on the leading rental firm websites to see what restrictions they have for us europeans such as mininum age usually 21 to 25, length of time you have held you license etc.

some links with more info:
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Foreign_Visitors_Driving.shtml, https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/byr/index.jsp?targetPage=rentalQualificationsView.jsp?KEYWORD=LICENSE

hope this helps

patrick

Theoretically you need an int’l driver license, but I have never seen anyone enforce the rule.
I would stay away from small rental car companies, as quite often you will get dinged with hidden fees and their cars are usually in crappy shape.
The cost of rental insurance is the USA is tremendous, BUT you can usually get around it as your credit card company often provides insurance when you pay with your CC (visa/mastercard premier/platinum/etc) does that for you.
Catch 102: in SOME states (frex California) a law requires that you purchase insurance if you can’t prove/show adequate coverage. I don;t know about NY…

Good luck.

Hi Daniele…i have been driving a lot the past year in the US.In NY and I have been using the classic companies such as National, budget e.t.c and I have a GREEK!! drivers license.(meaning our licenses don’t even have any Latin characters on them.Everything is in Greek!!)The only thing my license has is the title that it is a driving license..I ‘ve never had a problem and I also know that a new law for the US is to accept any European drivers license.(but just in case….if you have an international one maybe you are going to make your life easier..or the Australian one can do the job).

The big companies—Hertz & Avis require that the driver be at least 25 years of age.

John, the 25 Y.O limit is a thing of the past, and on subsists and a few states.
The extra charge for driving under 25 is not something that you want to pay everyday tho’.

International driver’s license is a croc of shit. Your Italian/EU license is legal here. That’s all you need along with a major credit card. An EU license is an international license.

thanks all , luckly or unfortunately …. I am over 25….so I should be fine
I better show the australian one rather than Italian one perhaps (reputation is higher…)
daniele

yes, the major credit card is a definite… if it’s only a debit card (even with
a mastercard or visa symbol) just about every car company won’t accept it.

your credit card company may also have reciprical deals with a particular car rental company.. or a break on insurance. ask your credit card company

If it is for two weeks, you might consider major rental companies. I thought you would be here for a longer time.

When I went to Italy and Austria and rented a car there, I got a discount through my frequent-flyer airline. Airline sites often have a section to set up a rental. Compare prices with that and directly to one of the rental companies.

Local rental companies in Baltimore are not bad like Olivier wrote above. Cars are in good shape, and I was pleased to find a Toyota. The rental charge is much more reasonable. However, I checked my local rental company, Reliable Rent a Car. Without a transferable insurance coverage, it must be more expensive. They also have an age restriction (over 25).

http://www.reliablerentacar.com/leisurerentalrates/

I have also rented locally in Austria with a local connection/recommendation. If you can get to your initial destination from the airport by train and have a local LS or your own friend to help you rent, you might get a better deal. This assumes that you return to the originating point. Since you are going to New York, there might be local LSers who are willing to help.

However, for someone to come in from Europe and to rent a car at the airport, the major companies seem to be the only option.

Hi Daniele… going to NY after Perpignan?! Last trip to the US, I had no trouble using an Australian license, but I did have problems using an Australian issued credit card (a real visa card not a debit card ) to pay for the car, mobile phone credit etc. Odd, yet true… Enjoy your trip… By-the-way, why in the world do you want to “drive” around New York City when public transport and taxis are so easy? See you another year at Perpignan!!

Hi Tamara
I will start to drive from NY… there I won’t need of course….
thanks for advises.. I wont see u this year in Perpignan? Then I will try to come down to Australia.
I am agree with your Tomoko, might consider that. Is the speed limit at 70 miles? is pretty low compare to Italy.. i have to be careful
thanks all for the info I appreciate that
daniele

Daniele, 1 mile is equivalent to 1.6 km, so 70 miles an hour means 112 km/hr.

I don’t know any place around here in Maryland where I could drive at 70 miles an hour legally. The highway speed limit is 65 miles, I think, but people do drive at 70 miles/hour. In the city, the speed limit goes down to about 30-35 miles an hour, which means 48-56 km per hour.

I know about miles… in italy is about 130km/h (in highway) but looks like Silverston all the time… in USA i gotta be careful..
thanks

If you’re going to use your Italian license then get an international one since it will provide something in English that rental agents and cops can understand.

Don’t rent a car in or near New York City. It’s the most expensive place to rent a car in the United States. You would be better off taking a train, bus or plane to a smaller city and renting there.

Try Enterprise for a car.