Dollar Car Hire
in Charleston

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car hire brands operating in Charleston, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes benefits that no other company can match:

• Free liability coverage starting at US$ 300,000 in case of an accident (applies only to certain rates and itineraries)
• Toll cashback: recover up to 5% of the reservation's total value for toll charges incurred during your hire period
• Premium travel medical assistance providing up to US$ 150,000 in coverage for a maximum of 5 passengers in case of a medical emergency, excluding pre-existing conditions
• No Extra Charges© guarantee: if the counter charges you for something not listed on your confirmation and not an optional add-on you accepted, Hola Car Rentals will work to remove or reimburse the charge after verification

All of this comes at no extra cost, ensuring a fully protected car hire experience and peace of mind throughout your trip in Charleston.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Charleston are clearly shown at the time of reservation and in your confirmation email, so you know exactly what you are paying before you arrive at the counter.

On top of that, every Hola Car Rentals booking includes the No Extra Charges© guarantee. This is a pricing guarantee (not insurance) that protects you if the counter in Charleston charges you for something that was not listed on your confirmation and was not an optional add-on you accepted. If that happens, Hola Car Rentals will work with the hire partner to remove or reimburse the charge after verification.

The only costs outside this guarantee are:

• Optional add-ons you choose at the counter (GPS, child seats, prepaid fuel)
• Usage-based charges (tolls, fuel shortfall, traffic fines)

The Dollar hire desk at Charleston International Airport (CHS) is located at 5500 International Boulevard, Charleston, SC 29418. The desk is situated at the end of the terminal past Baggage Claim, within walking distance of the arrivals area, so no shuttle or train transfer is needed to reach the Dollar counter.

The Dollar location at Charleston Airport operates nearly around the clock: 00:00 to 01:00 and 06:00 to 23:59 daily, Sunday through Saturday. There is a brief closure between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM, so if your flight arrives during that window, plan accordingly.

When returning your Dollar vehicle in Charleston, drop-off is located on Level 1 of the five-tier parking deck at the airport. Refuel before arriving at the return area to avoid fuel charges under the standard Full-to-Full policy.

To collect your Dollar hire car in Charleston, you must bring the following physical documents to the counter:

• A valid, original driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, in the main driver’s name, with enough available credit to cover the authorisation hold
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets if you are visiting from abroad

If your driver’s licence is not in English and does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory at the Dollar counter in Charleston. For licences in English or a Latin alphabet, an IDP is recommended but not strictly required.

All documents must be physical originals. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at the Dollar counter in Charleston.

Yes, a major credit card is required to pick up your Dollar hire car in Charleston. The card must be in the main driver’s name with the driver’s name physically printed on the card, and it must have sufficient available credit to cover the authorisation hold placed at pickup.

At most Dollar locations in the United States, including Charleston, the typical authorisation hold on a credit card is approximately US$300 to US$400 for a standard vehicle, though the exact amount varies by vehicle class and hire duration.

• Debit cards are not accepted for the authorisation hold
• Prepaid or virtual cards are not accepted
• Someone else’s card cannot be used, even with permission

The hold is a temporary authorisation, not a charge. After you return the Dollar vehicle in Charleston and the contract closes, the hold is released. Your bank controls how quickly it reappears in your available credit, which can take up to 15 working days. Bringing a backup credit card in your own name is always a good precaution.

South Carolina has one primary toll road: the Southern Connector on Interstate 185, a 16-mile route near Greenville. This road is not in the immediate Charleston area, but you may encounter it if driving inland from Charleston.

The Southern Connector uses the PalPass (also called Palmetto Pass) electronic system, and also accepts cash and credit cards at mainline plazas. Toll costs for a standard car range from approximately US$0.075 to US$3.00 for the full 16-mile stretch.

When you pick up your Dollar hire car in Charleston, you will typically have the option to enrol in an electronic toll programme. This usually costs between US$11 and US$25 per hire day and covers tolls through cashless lanes without needing your own transponder. If you drive through a cashless toll without enrolling, Dollar will bill the toll at the highest undiscounted rate plus an administrative fee, which can be US$15 or more per toll event.

To avoid unexpected charges on your Dollar hire in Charleston, either enrol in the toll programme at pickup or pay manually at plazas where cash and card are accepted. Keep your toll receipts, as they may be useful for a Tolls Cashback claim after your hire ends.

Yes, Dollar applies a young driver surcharge in Charleston for renters between the ages of 21 and 24. The standard underage fee for Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty is US$13.50 per hire day plus applicable taxes, with a maximum charge of US$189 plus taxes for the hire period.

Drivers under 21 are generally not permitted to hire from Dollar in Charleston or elsewhere in South Carolina. Drivers aged 21 to 24 may also face restrictions on certain vehicle classes. Premium, luxury, full-size SUV, minivan, and convertible categories are typically reserved for renters aged 25 and older.

If you are between 21 and 24, the most accessible vehicle classes at the Dollar counter in Charleston are usually Economy, Compact, Intermediate, and Compact SUV categories.

One exception applies to renters from Latin America and the Caribbean aged 21 to 24 who book through Hola Car Rentals with Avis or Budget. However, this waiver does not apply to Dollar hires in Charleston, so the standard underage fee will apply regardless of nationality for Dollar bookings.

Yes, all Hola Car Rentals bookings, including Dollar hires in Charleston, include Tolls Cashback. This benefit reimburses you up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls you paid during your hire period.

For example, if your Dollar booking in Charleston totals US$500, the maximum cashback is US$25. If you paid US$18 in tolls, you receive US$18 back. If you paid US$40, you receive the US$25 cap.

To claim your cashback after returning your Dollar vehicle in Charleston:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of vehicle return
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback, followed by your reservation number
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the Dollar hire agreement signed at pickup, and a receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid

Refunds are issued to the original payment method used for your booking and typically process within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Claims submitted after 30 days are not accepted, so keep your toll receipts from your Charleston trip.

Downtown Charleston has an extensive network of one-way streets that can be confusing for first-time visitors driving a Dollar hire car. Streets such as Coming, Ashley, and Rutledge Avenues operate as one-way pairs, meaning you often cannot simply reverse your route and must navigate around the grid to reach your destination.

These one-way pairs were originally designed to move suburban traffic quickly through the peninsula, but they can create long detours, especially during flooding events when certain routes become impassable. The system also generates higher vehicle speeds on what are otherwise residential and medical district streets, which can be surprising if you are accustomed to calmer urban driving environments.

Practical tips for driving your Dollar hire car in Charleston:

• Use a GPS or navigation app set to real-time traffic, as it will automatically account for one-way restrictions
• Allow extra time when navigating the downtown peninsula, particularly near the medical district around Rutledge and Ashley Avenues
• If a route is blocked due to flooding, expect significantly longer detours because the one-way grid limits alternative paths
• Watch for wrong-way drivers, which local residents report as an occasional hazard on one-way streets in Charleston

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Dollar hire in Charleston, either as part of your rate or by paying a fee at the counter. For Dollar, Hertz, and Thrifty, the additional driver fee is US$13.50 per hire day plus taxes, with a maximum charge of US$189 plus taxes for the hire period, unless your Hola Car Rentals confirmation explicitly states that an additional driver is included at no charge.

The additional driver must be present at the Dollar counter in Charleston at the time of pickup. They cannot be added remotely or over the phone. Requirements for the additional driver include:

• A valid, original driver’s licence in good standing
• An International Driving Permit if their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet
• Must meet the minimum age requirement for Charleston; drivers aged 21 to 24 may be subject to a young driver surcharge
• Must sign the hire agreement at the counter

Only drivers listed on the Dollar hire agreement in Charleston are covered by the vehicle’s protections, including CDW and liability cover. Anyone not named on the contract who drives the vehicle may void those protections entirely.

Yes, most Hola Car Rentals bookings, including Dollar hires in Charleston, include travel assistance provided by Terrawind Global Protection. This benefit is particularly useful if you experience a medical emergency or other covered incident while driving in or around Charleston.

Core benefits typically include:

• Travel insurance with medical cover for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

If you need assistance while driving your Dollar hire in or around Charleston, contact Terrawind 24 hours a day, 7 days a week before incurring expenses, as some reimbursements require prior authorisation.

Important: this travel assistance benefit applies only to non-North American customers. Residents of the United States and Canada do not qualify for this cover. Check your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation for the exact terms and coverage limits that apply to your Dollar hire in Charleston.

Dollar hires in Charleston follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges. If you return the car with less fuel than recorded at pickup, Dollar will charge you for the shortfall at their refuelling rate, which is typically higher than retail pump prices, plus a refuelling service fee.

Steps to avoid fuel charges on your Dollar hire in Charleston:

• At pickup, confirm the fuel level with the agent and ensure it is recorded correctly on the hire agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the gauge
• Refuel within approximately 10 miles of the Charleston Airport return location before dropping off the vehicle
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address
• For after-hours returns at Charleston Airport, leave the receipt in the key envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone

If the tank was not full when you received the Dollar car in Charleston, ask the agent to record the exact starting level on the agreement. You only need to return it at that same level, not necessarily full.

Yes, one-way hires are possible with Dollar in Charleston, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on your return location. This fee is set by Dollar and varies based on the route, distance, vehicle class, and season.

Common patterns for one-way Dollar hires originating in Charleston:

• Returning to another South Carolina city or airport: a drop-off fee typically applies and varies by distance
• Returning to a different state: a drop-off fee usually applies and can be significant for long-distance routes
• Cross-border returns to another country: generally restricted or subject to special authorisation

When booking a one-way Dollar hire from Charleston on the Hola Car Rentals website, any applicable drop-off fee will be shown on the rate details page under the section labelled as charges due at the destination. This fee cannot be pre-paid and is paid directly to Dollar at the counter in Charleston at pickup.

If you change your return location after booking, the drop-off fee may be recalculated and could be higher than the original amount. Always confirm the fee shown on your booking confirmation matches what the Dollar counter presents in Charleston before signing the hire agreement.

The insurance and protection options included with your Dollar hire in Charleston depend on the rate plan selected when booking through Hola Car Rentals. It is important to understand what each coverage type does before arriving at the Dollar counter in Charleston.

• Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW): reduces your financial liability for damage to the Dollar hire vehicle itself from a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation states zero excess
• Third-Party Liability (LIS/ALI/SLI): covers bodily injury and property damage you may cause to other people or vehicles while driving your Dollar hire in Charleston. Some U.S. states require a minimum level of liability, but not all do. Adding supplementary liability cover is strongly recommended

CDW and LDW do not cover third parties. LIS does not cover damage to the Dollar vehicle itself. These are separate protections and both are worth reviewing before your Charleston pickup.

Common exclusions regardless of cover include: driving under the influence, off-road use, unauthorized drivers, and late incident reporting. Always review the full hire agreement at the Dollar counter in Charleston before signing.

If your flight is delayed and you arrive later than your scheduled Dollar pickup time in Charleston, the hire company will generally hold your reservation for up to 24 hours from the original pickup time, provided you arrive during the counter's opening hours.

The Dollar counter at Charleston International Airport operates from 00:00 to 01:00 and from 06:00 to 23:59 daily. There is a brief closure between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM, so if your delayed arrival falls within that window, you will need to wait until the counter reopens at 6:00 AM.

Key points to bear in mind for a delayed arrival at the Dollar counter in Charleston:

• If your delay is less than 24 hours from the original pickup time, your Dollar reservation in Charleston should be held automatically
• If your delay exceeds 24 hours, contact Hola Car Rentals support as soon as possible via WhatsApp at +1 (786) 999-8312 or by email at [email protected], as changes beyond that window are not guaranteed
• If you arrive after the counter closes for the night, plan to return when it reopens at 6:00 AM

Always check your booking confirmation for the specific pickup instructions and counter hours for your Dollar hire in Charleston before travelling.