Car Rentals Across America

Most international visitors can rent and drive in the USA on their home country driving licence without an IDP. Enterprise, Hertz, Budget, National and Alamo all accept valid foreign licences from virtually any country. An IDP is recommended as a supplement for non-English licences and for peace of mind during any police encounters, but is rarely legally required for tourists. Your licence must be unexpired and most companies require it to have been held for at least 1 year. Always carry your original licence — IDP does not substitute for the original. US police will ask to see your licence if you are stopped; having an IDP with an English translation of your home licence is helpful but not mandatory.

Yes — automatic transmission is virtually universal in the American rental fleet, constituting approximately 99% of all available vehicles. Manual (stick shift) transmissions are extremely rare and would need to be specifically requested, with very limited or no availability at most locations. You will automatically receive an automatic vehicle with no additional charge and no need to request it. This makes driving in the USA immediately accessible for any international visitor, regardless of their experience with manual gearboxes. Modern American automatic transmissions are smooth, efficient and require no driver input beyond drive/park selection.

Yes — multi-state one-way rentals are one of the most popular ways to experience America, and all major operators (Enterprise, Hertz, Budget, Avis, National, Alamo) accommodate them. Classic routes: New York to Los Angeles (one of the world’s great road trips, collect JFK, return LAX), Miami to New York (I-95 East Coast drive, 1,280 miles), Las Vegas to San Francisco (300 miles via US-395 past Mono Lake), Chicago to New Orleans (Route 66/I-55 south through Memphis, 920 miles). One-way fees range from $0 (some popular repositioning routes) to $150+. Plan the return location at booking to lock in the fee. Cross-border rentals to Canada are usually permitted with prior notification; Mexico crossings are rarely permitted.

Most US Interstate highways are FREE — the national Interstate system operates without tolls except for specific bridges, tunnels and toll express lanes. Tolled areas: the Northeast (I-95 through Connecticut, New Jersey; New York’s bridges and tunnels at $10–20 each; Pennsylvania Turnpike; Massachusetts Turnpike), Florida (Florida Turnpike, numerous SunPass roads), Illinois (I-90/I-94 Tollway through Chicago), and some urban express lanes. The EZ-Pass electronic toll system covers most Northeast and Midwest tolled roads; SunPass covers Florida; FasTrak covers California; TxTag covers Texas. Rental vehicles are usually equipped with a transponder that charges tolls to your account, often with a daily admin fee ($1.50–5.99/day) on top of actual toll costs. Check your rental company’s toll policy at collection.

Right-turn-on-red is permitted in 49 US states after a complete stop at a red traffic light, provided it is safe to do so and there are no pedestrians crossing. New York City is the most significant exception — most NYC intersections prohibit it, and “No Turn on Red” signs are common. Individual intersections in any state may display “No Turn on Red” signs, which override the general permission. The rule is the equivalent of left-turn-on-red in left-hand-drive countries. Wait for a safe gap in traffic, yield to pedestrians using the crossing, and proceed when clear. The rule applies only to turns that do not cross opposing traffic lanes (i.e., turning right into the near lane).

US rentals include Supplemental Liability Protection (SLP) covering third-party claims above your state minimum. Optional additional coverage: Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) eliminates your financial responsibility for vehicle damage ($15–30/day at rental counter, or $5–10/day via third-party providers); Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) increases your liability coverage ($12–16/day); Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) covers medical costs ($5–8/day). Many international visitors’ credit cards provide CDW/LDW coverage when the rental is charged to that card (check your card’s benefit guide carefully). Travel insurance policies frequently include rental car coverage. If covered elsewhere, declining rental counter insurance saves $20–40/day — a significant saving on multi-week rentals.

For the classic Southwest national parks circuit (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, Monument Valley), a Jeep Wrangler 4-door or Toyota 4Runner is ideal — ground clearance matters on some canyon rim roads and viewpoint access tracks. A Toyota RAV4, Ford Explorer or Chevrolet Equinox SUV works well for paved-road-only itineraries. Full-size sedans (Toyota Camry, Honda Accord) are perfectly adequate if you stick to paved roads. For Rocky Mountain national parks (Yellowstone, Glacier, Rocky Mountain NP), AWD or 4WD is strongly recommended October–May due to snow. The America the Beautiful Annual Pass ($80) covers entrance to all 400+ national parks, monuments and historic sites for one vehicle — essential for any multi-park itinerary. Purchase online before your trip.

Gas (gasoline) is sold by the gallon (3.785 litres) at self-service stations virtually everywhere. Prices range from approximately $3.00–5.00/gallon ($0.80–$1.30/litre) — significantly cheaper than Europe. Pay by credit card at the pump (insert card, select grade “Regular/87” for most rental cars, fill to full). Standard rental policy is full-to-full: collect with full tank, return full. Failure to refuel incurs a refuelling charge of $7–12/gallon (3–5x the pump price). California and Hawaii have the highest gas prices; Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma have the lowest. In the remote Southwest (Arizona, Utah, Nevada) and rural Alaska, fill up at every station — the next may be 80–100 miles ahead. Major interstate rest stops and travel plazas have 24-hour fuel.

Book 3–6 months ahead for best rates. Comparison sites (Kayak, Expedia, Rentalcars.com, AutoSlash) aggregate prices from all operators. Budget, Dollar, Thrifty and Alamo typically offer the lowest base rates; Enterprise offers the best balance of price and service. Off-airport city locations save $8–15/day vs. airport desks (airport surcharges are significant — sometimes 20–30% of the base rate). Weekly rentals offer 40–60% savings vs. equivalent daily rate. Decline rental counter insurance if your credit card or travel insurance provides coverage. Avoid pre-paid fuel options. For US domestic travel, compare flying/renting at destination vs. one-way rental for very long distances (New York to LA, driving takes 5–7 days; flying and renting at LAX is usually cheaper). Economy cars from $24–35/day with advance booking; $50–90/day last-minute or peak periods.