Quick Summary
- Additional driver fees in the United States are often charged per day, but some deals use a flat fee for the whole hire.
- Who counts as an additional driver and what they cost varies between suppliers and sometimes between states.
- You can usually reduce costs by limiting how many people are on the contract and choosing offers that include extra drivers in the price.
How additional driver fees normally work
On a long American road trip it is natural to want more than one person at the wheel. Sharing the driving keeps everyone fresher and makes long highway days safer. However, every person who might drive the vehicle must be named on the agreement, and suppliers often charge for this.
An additional driver is any extra person, beyond the main hirer, who is legally permitted to drive the vehicle. They need to present their licence at the desk and accept the same terms and conditions as the main driver. Some locations include a spouse or domestic partner at no extra cost, while others apply fees for almost every extra name added.
Whether you are planning a coastal loop or desert adventure from Los Angeles, it pays to understand these rules before you book your car hire so you can estimate the real total for everyone who wants to share the driving.
Per day versus per rental
Many suppliers charge additional driver fees as a daily amount. For example, a small amount per day for each extra person can add up over a two week holiday. Other offers use a flat fee applied once per hire, no matter how long you keep the vehicle. A flat fee may work out cheaper on longer trips, while daily charges sometimes suit shorter city breaks.
There are also offers where the first extra driver is included in the price and only further names are chargable. Hola Car Rentals highlights these inclusions during the booking process so you can see when you are effectively getting a second driver for free. Reading the inclusions section carefully before confirming will help avoid surprises at the counter.
Ways to reduce additional driver costs
The simplest way to save money is to keep the number of drivers sensible. Adding everyone in the group just in case can quickly increase the bill. Instead, choose one or two people who will genuinely share long stretches, for example on Los Angeles freeway shifts behind the wheel, and agree in advance how you will rotate between them.
Look for deals that include extra drivers in the base price. Some partners work with Hola Car Rentals to offer a free additional driver or discounted packages for couples and families. On bright city breaks where night driving is limited, such as Las Vegas strip night driving, you might decide that one well rested main driver is enough and skip the extra names altogether.
Think about how often different people will really drive. If only one friend takes the wheel for a single theme park run near Orlando theme park days, it may be cheaper for them not to drive and to share fuel or toll costs instead. Hola Car Rentals can help you compare the price of adding names against the value of sharing the actual driving.
How Hola Car Rentals helps you compare
Hola Car Rentals focuses on transparent pricing. Our search results clearly display when extra drivers are included, when they are optional extras and what they cost per day or per hire. With Free Cancellation up to 48 hours before pick up you can adjust your booking if plans change and someone decides not to drive after all.
Many of our offers combine All Inclusive+ protection, maximum liability coverage on selected itineraries and no additional fees from Hola Car Rentals. When you also factor in potential savings of up to 60 percent and cashback on tolls on some routes, the total cost of sharing the driving often compares very well with alternative transport.
FAQs
-
Q: Are additional driver fees charged per person or per contract?
A: This depends on the supplier. Some charge a daily amount for every extra name, while others apply a single fee per hire for one or more additional drivers. The booking page will show which structure applies to your choice. -
Q: Do all additional drivers have to be present at pick up?
A: Yes. Anyone who will drive the vehicle usually needs to show their licence and sign the agreement at the desk. It is not normally possible to add a driver later without returning to a branch. -
Q: Are younger additional drivers more expensive?
A: In many places drivers under a certain age pay young driver surcharges, and this can apply to extra drivers as well. Hola Car Rentals will show any age related fees clearly so you can decide who should be on the contract. -
Q: Can my friend drive briefly if they are not on the paperwork?
A: No. Allowing someone who is not named on the agreement to drive could invalidate cover and leave you personally responsible for any damage. It is always safer to keep to the list of approved drivers agreed at the desk.
Understanding how additional driver fees are structured will help you plan a fair and affordable sharing arrangement for your next American road trip. With clear pricing and flexible options from Hola Car Rentals, you can organise your driving team with confidence and focus on enjoying the open road together.
