How to Rent a Car With a Provisional License

If you want to rent a car, but are under the age of 25 and only have a provisional license instead of a full driving license, you have your work cut out for you. Though car rental agencies occasionally rent to young renters with provisional licenses, they must submit to additional driving checks and complete additional forms to be considered for the opportunity while they have a learner’s permit. So don’t worry too much if you haven’t passed your driver’s license requirements yet – a driving test and being underage may not take you completely out of the running for a rental car.

Call around to rental companies in your area until you find one that is willing to rent a car to a driver with a provisional license or temporary driver’s license. The decision of whether or not to let a driver with a provisional license rent a car is made at the discretion of the car rental agency's manager. If don’t meet the age requirements of being 21, having your parents call to make the initial inquiry may be beneficial.

Complete a driving record certification form. Once a car rental agency has agreed to allow you to rent a car with your provisional license, you will be required to complete a driving record certification form to answer questions about your driving history. The proper form can be obtained directly from the car rental companies.

Have your parents complete a "Guarantee of Rental to a Minor" statement if you are between the ages of 18 to 24. By completing a "Guarantee of Rental to a Minor" statement, your parents are agreeing to be held financially responsible should the rental car incur damage.

Pay for your car rental with a major credit card, or if you do not have a major credit card in your name, ask the car rental agency if you qualify to rent a car on a cash payment basis. This must be done well in advance of the actual rental dates. Some car rental agencies require you to apply to rent a car on a cash payment basis up to 30 days in advance of your rental dates. If you are unable to qualify to rent a car on a cash payment basis, the decision to accept a credit card in the name of one of your parents is at the discretion of the car rental agency's manager.

Pay a Young Driver's Surcharge. Drivers under the age of 25 may be required to pay a Young Driver's Surcharge in order to rent a car. The exact amount of the Young Driver's Surcharge varies by car rental agency. The Young Driver's Surcharge must be paid before you will be allowed to pick up your rental car.

The process may be similar for people with international driver’s permits, although there may be some additional steps if the U.S. isn’t your home country. It’s more difficult to rent cars if you aren’t the minimum age and if you do have an international driving permit, so keep this in mind if you are a foreign driver. The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) makes different rules for valid driver’s licenses, so be sure to check their website at the time of rental and see what their current rules are for additional drivers with a valid photo ID.

If you have unpaid fines, have plead guilty to leaving the scene of an accident, driving while intoxicated or possession of a stolen within the last 36 months, you may be ineligible to rent a car from most major car rental agencies, including Hertz.