Last Updated on May 11, 2022 by Fair Punishment Team

Do you have a learner’s permit and want to know if you can rent a car with it? Perhaps your child has a learners permit and you want to know if they can also drive your rental car? Or maybe you are curious and want to know more? Whatever your reason might be, we have the answer for you!

We know how confusing it can be knowing what you can or can’t do with a learner’s permit. The rules can change from state to state, leaving you unsure where you can drive and what you can drive. Especially when it comes to rental cars. You see signs that you must be 21 to hire a car, but it can be tricky to find out what license you need to hire the car.

Before you know it, you are elbow deep in Google searches, but with no answers. You find yourself stressed, unable to sleep, and unsure if you will ever find the answers that you need.

Well, no more! Today we are here to put an end to that and get you the answers that you need. Find out today if you can rent a car with a permit or not and everything else that you need to know about permits and car rentals.

What Is A Permit?

Before we dive in, let’s have a quick recap for those in the room that need it! A permit, also known as a learners permit, learners license, or driver’s permit, is a driving licence that first-time drivers have before their full driver’s license. You can get your learner’s permit at around 15 years of age, with the age varying from state to state.

A driver’s permit allows you to drive a car before passing your driver’s test. There are some restrictions, but it offers learners a way to drive a vehicle before passing their driver’s test. With a learner’s permit, you can drive a car providing that you have a fully licensed adult driver with you.

To get your learner’s permit, you need to pass the Learner’s Permit test often done on a computer at the DMV. you will then need to log a set amount of hours driving under supervision and take Driver’s Ed Classes. The number of hours required and if you need to take classes or not varies depending on the state you are in, so be sure to check the rules beforehand!

Once the supervised hours have been completed, you can take the driving test. Once passed, there will be certain restrictions placed on your driving until you reach maturity. Maturity means adulthood, but some states also include other things. You can find out more about this by contacting the DMV in your local area.

Now that we have covered what a permit is, let’s move on to see if you can rent a car with a permit or not!

Can You Rent A Car With A Permit?

Let’s get right into it! No, you cannot rent a car with a learner’s permit in the US. Rental cars usually state that you need to be twenty-one or twenty-five to rent the car, but you also need to hold a full drivers license.

So why is this? Well, when you collect a rental car, you must sign an agreement stating that only you will be driving the vehicle. You will need proof of your driving license and often a credit card to secure the vehicle. For more information on what you need to hire a car, it’s best to speak to the car rental company you wish to use directly.

If you wish to add another driver to the car, you will have to let the rental company know while you are completing the rental. You will need to add their driver’s license information to the file, and in some cases pay an extra fee to add a second driver to the rental agreement.

You will need a licensed driver to sign the rental agreement, meaning you cannot drive the car if you have a learner’s permit. You also cannot add a driver with a permit to the agreement as a second driver. So even if you are over the age required to hire a rental car, you will also need a full and valid driver’s license to do so.

What Do I Need To Rent A Car?

As we mentioned earlier, what you need to rent a vehicle can vary depending on the rental company, so it is always best to check there beforehand. You can usually find out by visiting their website or contacting the company directly. But generally, you will need the following to qualify for a rental car:

• You must be over the age of 21 or 25
• You must have a current and valid driver’s license
• The driver’s license must be in English or have an English translation with it

Some companies will ask that the license has been held for at least twelve months, but this does vary depending on the company that you use. These days, a lot of rental companies will also rent cars to new drivers, providing they meet their other criteria.

It is worth noting that new drivers can often be subjected to premium insurance or higher fees, which offer the rental company peace of mind should an accident occur. You can find out more information about this by contacting the rental company beforehand.

Conclusion

And there you have it, you cannot rent a car with a learner’s permit. Despite being of age, you will not be able to rent a car in the US unless you hold a full and valid driver’s license. Even if other registered drivers are using the rental car, you will not be able to do so unless you hold a full license and are listed on the rental agreement when you collect the car. You don’t want any issues with insurance companies or voiding rental agreements, so be sure to leave the driving to those with a full driver’s license!