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Major car rental companies will rent cars to individuals with restricted licenses as long as the license is not suspended or revoked. In order to rent a car, you must have a valid drivers license, a major credit card and meet a minimum age requirement (usually 25) in order to rent a car. A valid license is one that is not expired, not a learners permit, not a photocopy and has been issued from the state or province in which the driver resides. Car rental companies may perform a Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) check on a renters drivers license at the time of rental to verify that the license is not suspended or revoked.
How to Rent a Car with a Restricted License
Step 1
Bring a valid drivers license and major credit card with you to the rental car company of your choice. Make sure that the license is not a photocopy but is the original license issued to you and that it is not a learners permit. Make sure the credit card is in your name and that you are at least 21 years of age (or 18 if you live in Michigan or New York), as these are the minimum age requirements in order to rent a car from a major rental car company.
Step 2
Present your drivers license and credit card to the agent at the rental car company. Do not present a fake license or try to rent a car without having your license with you. Understand that a DMV check may be performed on your license because rental car companies reserve the right to perform random DMV checks on renters licenses to ensure they are valid.
Step 3
Read the car rental contract carefully, especially the section that describes what kind of drivers license you are using to rent the car. Rental car companies require you to indicate, on the contract, if your license is suspended, expired, revoked, canceled or surrendered. They will also ask if you have been cited for any moving violations, if you have left the scene of an accident or been convicted of any crimes in the past three years. Read through each statement carefully and respond honestly on your rental car contract.
Prepare alternate travel plans if you are trying to rent a car with an occupational drivers license. This type of restricted license is given to drivers with certain offenses on their records, such as DUIs. Rental car agencies do not have hard and fast rules about renting cars to drivers with restricted, occupational licenses but they may not want the added risk. If your license is suspended or revoked, you will not be able to rent a car from a major rental car company.
Items you will need
- Valid drivers license
- Valid credit card
