Quick Summary:
- Use your current Los Angeles lodging address, plus room number if available.
- If staying with friends, use their address and keep their phone number.
- For Airbnb, list the full address and show your confirmed reservation.
- Carry passport, licence, and a card statement showing your home address.
Filling out a rental car agreement can feel surprisingly high stakes, especially after a long flight into Los Angeles. One of the most common points of confusion for international visitors is the address field. Do you use your home address in the UK, your hotel in LA, or the address of the friend you are staying with? The good news is that most rental desks have seen every scenario, and they usually want two things, a reachable local stay address for the trip, and enough supporting information to match your identity and payment method.
This guide explains practical address options for tourists using car hire in Los Angeles, what rental desks typically accept, and the details you should have ready so the counter process stays smooth.
Why rental companies ask for an address at all
On a rental agreement, the address is not just a formality. It helps the rental company confirm who is taking the vehicle, where they can reach you if there is an issue, and whether the details on your driving licence and payment card make sense together. In the US, address information is also used as part of fraud prevention and risk checks, particularly when a rental is paid with a credit card that has an address associated with it.
For tourists, the key point is this, you are not expected to have a permanent US address. What is expected is a consistent set of details that supports your identity and shows where you are staying during the rental period.
Option 1, Use your hotel address (most straightforward)
If you are staying at a hotel, this is usually the easiest and most widely accepted address to put on the rental agreement. Use the hotel’s full street address in Los Angeles, including postcode (ZIP code) if you know it. If the form has a space for it, add your room number, but do not worry if you do not have it yet at the time of pickup.
What to have ready at the desk:
Hotel confirmation on your phone, with your name and dates visible.
Hotel phone number, as some counters like a contact number tied to the address.
Your check-in dates, so the agent can see the stay aligns with the rental period.
This approach works particularly well if you are collecting from the airport. If you are arranging a pickup connected with car rental at Los Angeles Airport (LAX), a hotel address is the simplest way to provide a local point of contact without any extra explanation.
Option 2, Use an Airbnb or short-term rental address (usually accepted with proof)
Many visitors now stay in Airbnbs, serviced apartments, or short-term lets across Los Angeles. You can generally use that address on the agreement, provided you can show you have a legitimate booking.
How to write it:
Use the full street address as shown in your reservation details. Include apartment or unit number if provided. Make sure the postcode is correct, because some systems validate addresses and can flag missing unit information.
What to have ready at the desk:
Your confirmed reservation showing the address, dates, and lead guest name.
Host or property manager contact number, even if you do not expect to call them.
Access details are not usually required, but you should know your check-in time in case you are asked.
One common snag is that some platforms initially hide the exact address until close to arrival. If you have not been given the full address yet, do not guess. Use another valid local address you can support, such as your first-night hotel, or be ready to show the booking and explain when the address becomes available.
Option 3, Staying with friends or family (use their address, plus a contact number)
If you are staying with someone you know in Los Angeles, using their residential address is typically acceptable. This is a normal situation for rental desks, especially for repeat visitors.
What to have ready at the desk:
The host’s full address, including apartment number if applicable.
The host’s phone number, in case the agent wants a local contact.
Your travel itinerary, if your stay is split across multiple locations.
You do not usually need a letter of invitation or any formal proof. The desk mainly wants an address where you are actually staying, and a way to reach you if there is a question about the rental.
Option 4, Use your home address, when it is the only address field
Some rental agreements, especially those tied closely to your driving licence details, may display your home address by default, or only provide one address field. In that case, it is fine to use your permanent home address, as long as it matches your licence and payment card details.
However, if the desk asks specifically for a local address in Los Angeles, do not insist on using your home address. Instead, provide the address where you are staying during the trip, and keep your home address consistent with your ID and card statements.
A practical way to think about it is that you may be asked for two different addresses, your permanent address (identity) and your temporary local address (trip contact).
What rental desks in Los Angeles typically accept
Most car hire counters in Los Angeles will accept one of the following, as long as the details make sense and you can support them:
Hotel address, commonly accepted with a booking confirmation.
Short-term rental address, accepted with a confirmed reservation.
Friend or family address, accepted with a local contact number.
Home address, accepted when it matches your driving licence and card.
The rental agent’s priority is consistency. If your licence shows a UK address, your card is issued in the UK, and you provide a Los Angeles hotel as your stay address, that is normal. If addresses conflict, for example a card issued in one country and an unrelated address in another, you may be asked additional questions.
Supporting details to keep ready for smoother car hire
To avoid delays at the counter, have the following accessible, either printed or on your phone:
Passport, for international travellers.
Driving licence, plus an International Driving Permit if required for your licence type and destination rules.
Payment card in the main driver’s name, and be aware some suppliers may require a credit card rather than a debit card.
Proof of return travel, occasionally requested for visitors, especially on longer rentals.
Local contact number, your accommodation, host, or a reachable US number if you have one.
Accommodation booking confirmation, showing the Los Angeles address and dates.
If you are comparing suppliers and pickup points, it can help to read the location-specific details before you travel. For instance, the requirements for car rental in Los Angeles at LAX can differ slightly from off-airport locations in how they verify contact details, simply due to volume and security practices.
What if you are doing a road trip and staying in multiple places?
Many Los Angeles visitors pick up a car and then tour California, Nevada, or Arizona. If your rental agreement asks for an address, use your first night’s address in Los Angeles, or the address where you will be staying immediately after pickup. That gives the rental company a clear point of contact at the start of the rental.
If asked for a mailing address, use your permanent home address. If asked for a local stay address, use the first accommodation on your itinerary. Keep your itinerary handy in case the agent asks where you are heading next.
If you are starting in Los Angeles but flying out of another airport, you may see different address expectations at other counters. For example, if your plans shift and you collect later from Orange County, the desk processes for car hire in Santa Ana (SNA) are similar, but the agent may ask you to confirm the address for that part of the trip.
Common mistakes that can slow down the counter process
Using a fake address. Never invent a Los Angeles address. If something cannot be verified, it can trigger additional checks.
Typos and missing unit numbers. LA has many multi-unit buildings. Leaving out the apartment number can cause address validation to fail.
Mismatch between driver and payment method. The main driver name should align with the payment card presented.
Providing an address you are not staying at. Use where you will actually be based, not a random landmark or the airport.
Not having accommodation proof. A screenshot of the booking with your name and dates can save time.
Does the address affect insurance, deposits, or eligibility?
For most tourists, the address you provide does not change the base rental rate. Deposits and eligibility are more often linked to age, licence type, card type, and supplier policies. That said, when the desk cannot confirm your identity smoothly, they may refuse the rental or request additional verification, which can feel like an address issue even when it is really a documentation issue.
If you are choosing a specific supplier, it can be useful to look at their local requirements ahead of time. For instance, if you are renting under a well-known brand via Hola, details on Hertz car hire in California at LAX can help you anticipate what the counter may ask to see. Likewise, if you are considering value-focused options, Dollar car hire in California at LAX can have its own documentation expectations, even when the address itself is straightforward.
Practical templates for what to write
If staying at a hotel: Hotel name, street number and street, Los Angeles, CA, ZIP code, room number (if known).
If staying at an Airbnb: Street number and street, unit number, Los Angeles, CA, ZIP code.
If staying with a friend: Street number and street, apartment number, Los Angeles, CA, ZIP code, plus friend’s phone number saved.
If asked for permanent address: Your home address exactly as it appears on your driving licence or official documents.
Consistency matters more than perfection. An agent can often correct formatting, but they cannot fix missing or unsupported information.
What to do if you do not know your Los Angeles address yet
Sometimes travellers are in transit, waiting for a friend to confirm plans, or are changing hotels. If you truly do not have an address at pickup time, the best approach is to use the address of your first confirmed stay, even if it is only for one night. If nothing is confirmed, consider booking a refundable first night so you can provide a legitimate address and then adjust your accommodation later.
If the rental desk asks for an address and you can only provide a vague area, that can lead to delays. A full, verifiable address is far better than a neighbourhood name.
FAQ
Should I put my UK home address or my Los Angeles hotel on the rental agreement?
Use the address you are staying at in Los Angeles if the form asks for a local address. Use your UK home address if it asks for your permanent address, especially if it must match your driving licence.
Will a rental desk accept an Airbnb address in Los Angeles?
Usually yes, as long as you can show a confirmed reservation with the full address, dates, and the main guest name that matches the driver.
Can I use a friend’s Los Angeles address even if I am only staying a few nights?
Yes, if you are genuinely staying there. Keep your friend’s phone number available in case the agent wants a local contact.
What happens if I write the wrong address on the agreement?
Minor mistakes can often be corrected at the counter. If the address looks unverifiable or inconsistent with your documents, the agent may request more proof or decline the rental.
Do I need proof of address for car hire in Los Angeles?
You are not usually expected to show a US utility bill. However, a hotel or Airbnb confirmation, plus ID and a matching payment card, is commonly used to support the address you provide.
