Can I add a driver for free?

Spouse or domestic partner is often free. Other drivers pay $10 to $15 per day. Several hacks eliminate the fee entirely.

  • Enterprise, Fox, Avis, Budget: spouse free at most locations
  • Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty, National: spouse free for loyalty members (free to join)
  • Sixt: one free additional driver for Gold, Platinum, or Diamond loyalty members
  • California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Wisconsin: state law makes spouse free regardless of agency
  • New York: additional driver fee capped at $3 per day by state law
  • AAA, AARP, Costco, USAA members: free additional driver at most major US agencies

Traveling soon? See our Travel Essentials page.

Want a deeper dive? ↓

Detailed Answer

How It Works

Every driver who gets behind the wheel of a rental car must be listed on the rental agreement. Driving a rental car without being authorized is a contract violation that voids your insurance and exposes you to full liability in an accident. Adding a driver is straightforward at the counter, but the fee can add up quickly. At $13 to $15 per day, a second driver on a 7-day rental costs $91 to $105 before you leave the parking lot.

The good news is that more ways to eliminate this fee exist than most travelers realize. Spouse and domestic partner waivers, loyalty program memberships, membership organizations, credit card benefits, and state laws all provide paths to adding a driver at no cost. The key is knowing which combination applies to your booking before you arrive at the counter.

Internationally, the picture is more complicated. European agencies charge significantly more for additional drivers than their US counterparts, with some countries like the UK reaching $20 per day or more. The EU has no regulation requiring a spouse fee waiver, so the rules are set entirely by each company at each location. Third-party booking platforms sometimes include a free additional driver in their package rates, making them worth comparing against direct booking when a second driver is needed.

By Agency: Additional Driver Policy

North America

  • Enterprise: $15 per day for additional drivers, spouse and domestic partner free and do not need to be present at the counter, USAA members get one free additional driver, Costco members get one free additional driver at US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, and Spain locations
  • National: $15 per day for additional drivers, spouse and domestic partner free and do not need to appear at the counter or be listed on the contract, Emerald Club members get immediate family members sharing the same address added for free
  • Alamo: additional driver fee applies, Costco members get one free additional driver at US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, and Spain locations
  • Hertz: $13.50 per day per additional driver, maximum $189 per rental per driver, spouse free for Gold Plus Rewards members and AAA members, USAA members get one free additional driver, does not require additional driver to be present at the counter if they are a qualifying spouse or domestic partner of a Gold Plus Rewards member
  • Avis: additional driver fee applies, spouse free in most US states, AARP members get one free additional driver, USAA members get one free additional driver, Costco members get one free additional driver, disability surrogate drivers added free under the Avis Cares program
  • Budget: same policy as Avis (both under Avis Budget Group), AARP and Costco benefits apply
  • Dollar: $13.50 per day, spouse free for Express Rewards members and AAA members, same umbrella as Hertz
  • Thrifty: $12 per day, spouse free for Blue Chip loyalty members and AAA members, unlike most agencies Thrifty charges for spouses who are not loyalty members, same Hertz umbrella
  • Sixt USA: $15 per day, one free additional driver for Gold, Platinum, or Diamond Sixt loyalty members, up to nine additional drivers permitted per rental
  • Fox: $10 to $12.99 per day depending on location, spouse free, corporate account colleagues free on official business
  • Turo (peer-to-peer): up to 8 additional drivers per reservation included free, most flexible platform for additional drivers, policies set by individual hosts

US States with Legal Protections

  • California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Wisconsin: state law requires spouse or domestic partner to be added as an authorized driver free of charge regardless of agency policy
  • New York: additional driver fee capped at $3 per day by state law, applies to all agencies
  • Iowa: Hertz specifically waives the additional driver fee for spouses in Iowa under state regulations

Europe

  • Hertz Europe: additional driver fee applies in all European countries, Gold Plus Rewards members get spouse free, AAA and Amex Platinum cardholders get one free additional driver at participating European locations, daily fees range from approximately $10 in Southern Europe to $22 in the UK
  • Sixt Europe: additional driver fee applies, one free additional driver for Gold, Platinum, or Diamond loyalty members, fee waived for spouse at many European locations for qualifying status members
  • Europcar: additional driver fee applies across all European locations, daily rates vary significantly by country, Portugal around $10 per day, Italy $11 per day, Spain $13 per day, France $13 per day, Germany $14 per day, UK $22 per day, some third-party packages through AutoEurope and similar platforms include a free additional driver in the total rate
  • Avis Europe: additional driver fee applies, Amex Platinum cardholders get one free additional driver at participating locations, AARP benefit does not extend to European rentals
  • AutoEurope and similar brokers: periodically include a free additional driver in Gold Rate or premium packages, worth filtering for this option when comparing rates especially for rentals of 7 or more days

Middle East

  • UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi): major agencies charge additional driver fees, rates vary by agency and location, typically 15 to 25 AED per day ($4 to $7 USD), lower than European rates
  • Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait: additional driver fees apply at most major agencies, confirm with the specific location as policies are less standardized than in the US or Europe
  • Some GCC rental companies waive fees for immediate family members, always ask directly when booking

Asia and Australia

  • Australia and New Zealand: major chains follow similar policies to US, spouse and domestic partner typically free, other additional drivers charged at $10 to $15 AUD per day
  • Japan: additional driver fees apply at most locations, international driving permit required for all drivers including additional ones
  • Southeast Asia: policies vary widely by company and country, local agencies may be more flexible, always confirm before pickup

Memberships That Eliminate the Fee

  • AAA: waives additional driver fee at Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty for AAA members and their spouse when booked with AAA discount code, additional driver does not need to be a AAA member if they are the spouse of a AAA member
  • AARP: waives additional driver fee for one driver at Avis and Budget when booked with AARP discount code
  • Costco: waives additional driver fee at Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise when booked with Costco code at US, Canada, UK, France, Germany, Ireland, and Spain locations, additional driver does not need to be a Costco member
  • USAA: one free additional driver at Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz for USAA members and their immediate family
  • Military on official orders: free additional driver at all major US agencies for government or military travel
  • Corporate accounts: business associates driving on official company business get free additional driver status at Avis, Budget, Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty, Enterprise does not extend this benefit to colleagues
  • Amex Platinum: one free additional driver at Hertz and Avis at participating European locations

What You Need to Know

  • All additional drivers must be present at pickup with a valid driver's license, exceptions exist for spouses of loyalty members at Enterprise, National, and some Hertz locations
  • Young drivers under 25 pay a young driver surcharge on top of or instead of the additional driver fee, this applies even when the additional driver fee itself is waived by status or membership
  • The name on the driver's license must match the name on the rental agreement exactly
  • International drivers may need an International Driving Permit in addition to their home country license, this applies to the additional driver as much as the primary renter
  • Anyone not listed on the rental agreement who drives the vehicle voids the insurance and creates full personal liability for any accident
  • Loyalty programs at Hertz (Gold Plus Rewards), Dollar (Express Rewards), Thrifty (Blue Chip), and National (Emerald Club) are all free to join and immediately unlock the spouse free benefit

Real Traveler Experiences

"Signed up for Hertz Gold Plus Rewards for free before our road trip. Added my wife at no charge at the counter. The loyalty membership took two minutes to set up and saved us $94 on a 7-day rental." Reddit r/solotravel

"Rented through Europcar in the UK and the additional driver fee was $22 per day. For a 10-day trip that was $220 extra. Found a broker rate through AutoEurope that included a free additional driver for only $15 more than the base Europcar direct price. Always compare broker rates when you need a second driver in Europe." TripAdvisor forum

"Used my Costco membership at Enterprise for the first time. Second driver was free, included in the Costco rate automatically. Did not even have to ask." Flyertalk forum

Pro Tips

  • Join at least one free rental car loyalty program before every trip, Hertz Gold Plus Rewards, Dollar Express Rewards, Thrifty Blue Chip, and National Emerald Club all waive the spouse fee immediately at no cost
  • Always enter your loyalty membership number at booking, not just at the counter, this ensures the waiver is applied correctly and avoids counter disputes
  • If you are in a US state with legal spouse protections (California, Illinois, Missouri, Nevada, Oregon, Wisconsin), you do not need a loyalty program, just bring your spouse's license
  • In New York, the fee is capped at $3 per day regardless of agency, far less than anywhere else
  • For European rentals where additional driver fees are highest, search broker platforms like AutoEurope specifically filtering for free additional driver rates, the total cost is often lower than booking direct even with the free driver included
  • If your additional driver is under 25, the young driver surcharge applies regardless of any other waiver, factor this in when budgeting for the rental

Related Questions

Sources

AskTravel.org is an information website only. Always check local regulations and app availability before traveling, as rules change frequently.

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