Hertz Car Hire
in Birmingham

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car hire brands operating in Birmingham, 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 Birmingham.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Birmingham 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 Birmingham 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 Hertz counter at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) is located on-site at 5900 Messer Airport Hwy, Birmingham, AL 35212. No shuttle or off-site transfer is required. After collecting your baggage, follow the car hire signs inside the terminal directly to the Hertz facility.

This on-site setup means you can typically reach the Hertz counter and be driving away within 20 to 45 minutes of landing, depending on baggage claim wait times. Because the location is within the airport complex, there is no need to wait for a bus or tram to a consolidated hire centre.

If you prefer a city-centre pickup, Hertz also operates a downtown Birmingham location at 2508 5th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233, which you would need to reach independently after arriving.

To collect your Hertz hire in Birmingham, you must bring the following physical documents to the counter:

• A valid, unexpired driver’s licence in the main driver’s name
• A passport or government-issued photo ID
• A major credit card with the driver’s name printed on the card, for the authorisation hold
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets (required for visitors from outside the US)

If your driver’s licence is not in English or does not use a Latin (Roman) alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory at the Hertz Birmingham counter. For licences in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and must be carried alongside your original licence.

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

Picking up a Hertz vehicle at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport (BHM) adds several location-specific fees on top of your base hire rate. These are standard charges at Birmingham airport and apply regardless of which rate plan you booked:

• Airport Concession Recovery Fee: approximately 10 to 12 per cent of the base rate
• Customer Facility Charge (CFC): approximately US$4.50 to US$5.00 per hire day, funding airport infrastructure
• City hire car tax: 9 per cent on gross receipts in Birmingham
• Alabama state hire tax: 4 per cent, plus a 2 per cent airport surcharge at BHM

If you want to avoid the CFC and concession fees, the Hertz downtown Birmingham location at 2508 5th Avenue South is an off-airport option. Off-airport hires in Birmingham can be 15 to 30 per cent cheaper than airport pickups, though you would need to arrange your own transport from BHM, which is roughly 10 to 20 minutes away via I-20/59.

Check your booking confirmation to see which taxes and fees are marked as included versus due at the counter.

Alabama toll roads use the Alabama Freedom Pass system, which is separate from National networks like E-ZPass or SunPass. When driving a Hertz hire out of Birmingham, the toll roads you are most likely to encounter include:

• Montgomery Expressway Bridge (Alabama River Parkway): US$1.50
• Tuscaloosa Bypass (Joe Mallisham Parkway): US$1.50
• Emerald Mountain Expressway (Dozier Road): US$1.75
• Foley Beach Express Toll Bridge: US$2.75

Alabama toll booths accept cash, credit or debit cards, and the Alabama Freedom Pass transponder, so cashless-only roads are not a concern on most routes near Birmingham.

Your Hertz hire vehicle comes equipped with an electronic toll device. At the Birmingham counter you can choose an unlimited toll package (typically US$11 to US$25 per day, depending on the programme) or opt out and pay tolls manually. If you opt out and drive through a toll, Hertz will charge the toll amount plus an administrative processing fee to your credit card after the hire ends. Toll charges can appear on your statement days or even weeks after you return the vehicle.

Yes, a young driver surcharge applies to renters under 25 at the Hertz locations in Birmingham. In Alabama, the standard minimum hire age is 25 without surcharges. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can hire but will be charged an additional daily underage fee at the Hertz counter in Birmingham.

For Hertz, the underage fee is US$13.50 per hire day plus applicable taxes, with a maximum cap of US$189 plus taxes for the hire period. This fee is paid directly at the Birmingham counter and is not included in your prepaid rate.

Additionally, drivers under 25 are restricted from hiring certain vehicle classes at the Birmingham Hertz locations. Categories such as full-size SUVs, luxury, premium, convertible, minivan, and van are typically reserved for drivers aged 25 and older. Economy, compact, and intermediate vehicles are generally available to younger drivers.

Drivers under 21 cannot hire from Hertz in Birmingham or elsewhere in Alabama under standard policy.

All bookings made through Hola Car Rentals, including Hertz hires in Birmingham, include Tolls Cashback: you can get up to 5 per cent of your total booking value back for tolls paid during your hire.

This is especially useful if you drive Alabama toll roads from Birmingham, such as the Tuscaloosa Bypass or the Montgomery Expressway Bridge, or if your trip takes you to other states with more extensive toll networks.

To claim your cashback after returning your Hertz vehicle in Birmingham:

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

The refund is capped at 5 per cent of your booking total. For example, if your booking total was US$400, the maximum cashback is US$20. If you paid US$12 in tolls, you receive US$12 back. Refunds are issued to your original payment method and typically process within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Late submissions received after 30 days are not accepted.

Yes, a physical major credit card in the main driver’s name is required at the Hertz counter in Birmingham for the authorisation hold. Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or digital-wallet-only cards are not accepted for the deposit.

At the Birmingham Hertz location, a temporary authorisation hold is placed on your credit card at pickup. For standard vehicles in the United States, this hold is typically around US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount can vary by vehicle class, hire duration, and location. The hold reduces your available credit until it is released after you return the vehicle.

A few important points to bear in mind:

• The card must have the driver’s name physically printed on it
• Even if you prepaid your booking, you still need to present a credit card at the Hertz Birmingham counter for the hold
• Your bank controls how quickly the hold is released after return, which can take up to 15 working days
• Notify your bank of your travel plans to prevent the authorisation from being flagged as suspicious

Bringing a backup credit card in your name is always a good precaution in case your primary card is declined.

An International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory at the Hertz Birmingham counter if your driver’s licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic script. For licences in other languages that use the Latin alphabet, an IDP is strongly recommended but not strictly required.

The IDP is a translation document only. It must always be carried together with your original driver’s licence. It is not a standalone licence and will not be accepted at the Hertz Birmingham counter without the original.

If you think you may need an IDP, obtain it in your home country before travelling to Birmingham. US-based organisations such as AAA issue IDPs only to US licence holders, so international visitors cannot obtain one after arriving.

At the Hertz Birmingham counter, you will also need to present your passport as a second form of identification alongside your driver’s licence and IDP if applicable.

Hertz hires in Birmingham follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy by default. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid fuel charges.

At pickup at the Birmingham Hertz location, check the fuel gauge with the agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on your hire agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge before leaving the lot.

When returning your Hertz vehicle in Birmingham, refuel within approximately 10 miles of the return location so the gauge does not drop below full before you arrive. Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address as proof.

If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, Hertz will charge you for the fuel shortfall at their refuelling rate, which is typically higher than retail pump prices, plus a refuelling service fee. These charges can appear on your credit card after the hire has ended.

Birmingham regular petrol averages around US$3.50 per gallon, with some variation between stations, so refuelling near the airport or city centre return location before drop-off is straightforward and more cost-effective than paying Hertz’s refuelling rate.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Hertz hire in Birmingham, either as part of your rate or for a fee paid at the counter.

If your booking confirmation states that an additional driver is included at no charge, the first extra driver is free. If it is not included, Hertz charges US$13.50 per hire day plus taxes for each additional driver in Birmingham, with a maximum cap of US$189 plus taxes for the hire period.

To add a driver at the Hertz Birmingham counter:

• The additional driver must be present at pickup with a valid driver’s licence
• If their licence is not in English or uses a non-Latin alphabet, they will also need an IDP
• Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement
• The additional driver must meet the minimum age requirements; drivers aged 21 to 24 may be subject to a young driver surcharge

Only drivers listed on the Hertz hire agreement in Birmingham are covered by the vehicle’s protections such as CDW/LDW. Anyone not named on the contract who drives the vehicle may void coverage entirely.

Yes, one-way hires are available with Hertz in Birmingham, allowing you to pick up at one location and return to a different city or airport. However, a drop-off fee may apply depending on your route.

Common patterns for Hertz one-way hires from Birmingham:

• Birmingham airport to downtown Birmingham (or vice versa): often no drop-off fee
• Birmingham to another city in Alabama or a neighbouring state: a drop-off fee typically applies, varying by distance and vehicle class
• Long-distance or cross-country routes: usually carry higher fees or may have limited availability

The drop-off fee for your specific Hertz Birmingham route is shown during the booking process under the section labelled as due at destination. It cannot be prepaid and will be collected at the Hertz counter in Birmingham at pickup.

If you need to change your return location after booking, contact support before your hire begins, as mid-hire route changes must be approved by the Hertz location and may increase the fee or affect availability.

Downtown Birmingham has a persistent one-way street grid that surprises many first-time drivers, particularly those accustomed to two-way city layouts. Before picking up your Hertz hire at the 2508 5th Avenue South location or driving into the city centre, it helps to understand a few local road characteristics.

Key things to know:

• Several major downtown corridors, including sections of 17th Street North and 18th Street North, operate as one-way pairs running in opposite directions. These are 3 to 5 lanes wide and can feel disorienting if you expect two-way flow
• Transitions near the UAB campus at 1st Avenue North create unexpected one-way enforcement, increasing the risk of wrong-way turns for drivers unfamiliar with the grid
• The one-way system forces circuitous routing around I-65, I-20, and I-59, so allow extra time when navigating between the Hertz downtown Birmingham location and the airport or other destinations
• Heavy truck traffic mixes with pedestrians along legacy one-way corridors, and lane widths vary, leading to abrupt merging situations

Using GPS navigation is strongly recommended when driving a Hertz hire in downtown Birmingham, especially for the first time. Plan your route before leaving the counter to avoid dead ends or U-turn situations on one-way streets.

Yes, most bookings made through Hola Car Rentals, including Hertz hires in Birmingham, include Travel Assistance provided by Terrawind Global Protection. This benefit is designed for situations such as a medical emergency on an Alabama highway, a breakdown far from the city, or a flight cancellation affecting your Birmingham trip.

Coverage typically includes:

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

To reach assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or contact WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001. Have your full name, Hola Car Rentals confirmation number, current location in or around Birmingham, and a brief description of the situation ready when you call.

Important: this Travel Assistance benefit does not apply to US or Canadian residents. It is available only to travellers from outside North America hiring a Hertz vehicle in Birmingham. It also does not cover damage to the hire vehicle itself (that is handled by CDW/LDW) or third-party liability (covered by LIS/SLI).