Car Rental in Louisiana

Hola Car Rentals is the only premium partner of the top car rental brands operating in Louisiana, 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 rental 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 rental experience and peace of mind throughout your trip in Louisiana.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Louisiana 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 Louisiana 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 rental 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)

To pick up a rental car in Louisiana, you must present all of the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid, original driver's license in the main driver's name
• A major credit card with the driver's name printed on the card (debit and prepaid cards are not accepted for the security deposit)
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or cruise tickets if you are visiting Louisiana from abroad

If your driver's license uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic, an International Driving Permit (IDP) is mandatory and must be carried alongside your original license. For licenses in other non-English scripts, an IDP is strongly recommended. The IDP is a translation only and is never valid on its own.

All documents must be physical. Digital copies shown on a phone or tablet are not accepted at any Louisiana rental counter.

Yes, a major credit card is required to rent a car in Louisiana. 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 security deposit hold placed at pickup.

For standard vehicles rented in Louisiana, the security hold is typically around US$300 to US$400, though the exact amount varies by rental brand, location, and vehicle class. The hold is a temporary authorization, not a charge, and is released after you return the vehicle. Your bank controls how quickly the funds become available again, which can take up to 15 business days.

• Debit cards are not accepted for the deposit hold
• Prepaid or virtual cards are not accepted
• The card must belong to the main driver, not a third party

It is a good idea to bring a backup credit card in your own name in case your primary card is declined, and to notify your bank of your travel to Louisiana to prevent fraud blocks on the authorization.

Yes, Louisiana has a small number of toll roads, primarily bridges, rather than a statewide electronic toll network. The most notable is the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway connecting Metairie to Mandeville, which charges approximately US$5.00 one-way for a standard two-axle vehicle. Other crossings such as certain bridges and ferry routes typically cost US$1.00 to US$3.00 per crossing.

Unlike states such as Florida or Texas, Louisiana does not operate a major interoperable electronic toll system. Many toll points accept cash at booths, while some cashless segments bill by photographing the license plate.

Rental vehicles in Louisiana come equipped with an electronic toll device or are enrolled in a plate-based billing program. At the counter you have two options:

• Purchase an unlimited toll package, typically US$11 to US$25 per day depending on the rental brand
• Decline the package and pay per use, in which case the rental company charges you the actual toll plus an administrative processing fee per day tolls are incurred

If you do not enroll and the rental company receives a plate invoice from a Louisiana toll authority, they will charge the toll at the highest undiscounted rate plus an administrative fee. To avoid this on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and similar crossings, paying cash at the booth where available is a straightforward option.

Yes, all bookings include Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Louisiana rental. This applies whether you pay cash at a Louisiana toll booth such as the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway or are billed through the rental company's toll program.

To claim your cashback after returning the vehicle in Louisiana, email [email protected] within 30 days of return with the following:

• Your Hola Car Rentals reservation confirmation
• A copy of the rental agreement signed at pickup
• A receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid

Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback - HOLA followed by your confirmation number. Include your full name, travel dates, and the last four digits of the card used for your booking.

The refund is processed to your original payment method and typically arrives within 7 to 10 business days after approval. Claims submitted more than 30 days after vehicle return are not accepted. The cashback does not mean tolls are included in your rate; you still pay tolls normally and claim reimbursement afterward.

In Louisiana, the standard minimum age to rent a car without a surcharge is 25. Drivers aged 21 to 24 can rent in Louisiana but will be charged a daily young-renter surcharge, and most vehicle classes are restricted to drivers 25 and older.

Vehicle classes typically unavailable to under-25 renters in Louisiana include full-size sedans, SUVs, minivans, vans, convertibles, luxury, and premium categories. Economy, compact, and intermediate vehicles are generally the available options for younger drivers.

• Avis and Budget: young-renter surcharge applies for drivers aged 21 to 24; additional drivers aged 21 to 24 may not be accepted or may incur a separate fee
• Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty: daily surcharge applies for under-25 drivers
• Alamo, National, Enterprise: daily surcharge applies for under-25 drivers

Drivers from Latin America and the Caribbean aged 21 to 24 may qualify for a young-renter fee waiver on eligible Avis and Budget rates in Louisiana, provided the waiver is explicitly shown on the booking confirmation and the vehicle belongs to an eligible category. Check your confirmation carefully or contact customer service to verify eligibility before arriving at the Louisiana counter.

The standard fuel policy for rental cars in Louisiana is Full-to-Full. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges.

At pickup in Louisiana, check the fuel gauge with the agent and confirm the starting level is recorded on the rental agreement. Take a photo of the dashboard showing the odometer and fuel gauge before leaving the lot.

When returning your Louisiana rental, refuel within approximately 10 miles or 15 kilometers of the return location so the gauge does not drop before you arrive. Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address.

• If you return the vehicle below the recorded starting level, the rental company will charge you for the fuel shortfall at their own refueling rate, which is typically higher than pump prices, plus a service fee
• Use the correct fuel type for the vehicle; wrong-fuel incidents are not covered by the fuel policy
• For after-hours returns at Louisiana locations, leave the receipt in the key envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone

Ask the agent at pickup to recommend the nearest gas station to the return location, or use a navigation app to find one close by before your return appointment.

Louisiana has several driving rules that are important to know before getting behind the wheel of a rental car.

Handheld cell phone use is banned statewide in Louisiana, including calls, texting, and social media, except when using a hands-free device or in a genuine emergency. Fines start at US$500 and are doubled in school zones, construction zones, or if a crash occurs. Headphones are also illegal while driving in Louisiana, except for hearing aids. These penalties are among the strictest in the United States.

• Right turns on red are permitted after a complete stop unless a sign prohibits it
• The default speed limit in Louisiana is 55 mph unless posted otherwise; highways may be signed at 65 to 75 mph
• Driving slowly in the left lane on Louisiana highways can result in fines of US$150 or more
• Headlights are required from sunset to sunrise and during poor weather conditions

Rural and coastal roads in Louisiana, particularly along I-10 and I-49, can be affected by wildlife crossings, washouts, and road debris. Exercise caution on these routes, especially after storms. Louisiana also enforces a move-over law requiring drivers to change lanes or reduce speed when passing emergency vehicles stopped on the roadside.

When picking up a rental car at a Louisiana airport, expect additional fees on top of the base rate. These charges are standard across U.S. airport rental locations and are not unique to any one rental brand.

Common fees at Louisiana airports such as Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR) include:

• Airport concession recovery fee: typically 7.5% to 10% of the rental cost, charged by the rental company to recover the fee it pays the airport for operating on-site
• Customer facility charge (CFC): approximately US$3.00 to US$5.52 per rental day, covering the cost of the consolidated rental car facility or shuttle infrastructure
• State and local rental taxes: Louisiana applies state rental car taxes plus parish-level surcharges, which can add up to 2% to 3% in areas such as Orleans Parish

Combined, airport-specific fees and taxes in Louisiana can add 10% to 20% above the base rate shown during booking. If you want to reduce these fees, renting from an off-airport location in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, or Shreveport can save US$10 to US$30 per day, as off-airport locations do not carry the airport concession recovery fee or CFC. Your booking confirmation will show which fees are included in your prepaid rate and which are due at the Louisiana counter.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Louisiana rental car, either at no cost if your rate includes it or for a daily fee paid at the counter.

The additional driver must be present at the Louisiana pickup counter with a valid driver's license and any required identification. They must sign the rental agreement before driving the vehicle. If their license uses a non-Latin alphabet, they will also need an International Driving Permit.

If the additional driver fee is not included in your rate, typical daily charges in Louisiana are:

• Avis, Budget, and Payless: US$13 per day plus taxes, capped at US$65 plus taxes per rental
• Hertz, Thrifty, and Dollar: US$13.50 per day plus taxes, capped at US$189 plus taxes per rental
• Alamo, National, and Enterprise: US$15 per day plus taxes

For Avis, Budget, and Payless rentals in Louisiana, additional drivers must generally be at least 25 years old. Only drivers listed on the rental agreement are covered by the vehicle's protections such as CDW and liability coverage. Anyone who drives the Louisiana rental without being named on the contract may void those protections entirely.

Yes, one-way rentals from Louisiana to another state are generally available, but a drop-off fee may apply depending on the route, rental brand, vehicle class, and season.

The drop-off fee is route-specific and is shown during the booking process under the section listing charges due at the destination. It is not included in any rate plan and cannot be prepaid. Common patterns for Louisiana one-way rentals include:

• Louisiana to a neighboring state such as Texas, Mississippi, or Florida: a drop-off fee typically applies and varies by distance and vehicle class
• Between cities within Louisiana, such as New Orleans to Baton Rouge: a fee may or may not apply depending on the rental brand
• Long-distance or cross-country routes from Louisiana: fees are usually higher and some vehicle classes may not be available for one-way travel

Cross-border rentals from Louisiana into Mexico or Canada are generally restricted or not permitted. Always check the terms on your booking confirmation before agreeing to a one-way rental.

If the counter charges a drop-off fee that was not disclosed on your confirmation, keep all paperwork and contact support after the rental. The No Extra Charges© guarantee covers undisclosed fees that were not shown during the Louisiana booking process.

If your flight to Louisiana is delayed, rental companies will generally hold your reservation for up to 24 hours from the original scheduled pickup time, provided the counter is still open when you arrive.

If your delay is less than 24 hours, your Louisiana booking should be protected. Make sure you arrive during the counter's operating hours, as after-hours arrivals may not be accommodated at all Louisiana locations.

• If the delay is less than 24 hours: proceed to the Louisiana rental counter as soon as you land; your reservation will typically be held
• If the delay exceeds 24 hours: contact customer support via WhatsApp at the number on your booking confirmation or by email at [email protected] as soon as possible to discuss options

Counter hours at Louisiana airports vary by brand and location. It is worth confirming the operating hours for your specific Louisiana pickup location before you travel, particularly for late-night arrivals at smaller airports such as Baton Rouge Metropolitan (BTR), Lafayette Regional (LFT), or Shreveport Regional (SHV), where hours may be more limited than at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (MSY).

Yes, most bookings include travel assistance through Terrawind Global Protection, which can be valuable if you experience an emergency while driving in Louisiana, including on remote stretches of I-10, I-49, or coastal roads where help may be harder to reach quickly.

The travel assistance benefit typically covers:

• Medical coverage for up to 5 passengers for accidents and non-pre-existing illnesses
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident in Louisiana
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

To reach the assistance team 24 hours a day, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or contact them via WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001. Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.

Important: this travel assistance benefit does not apply to residents of the United States or Canada. If you are a US or Canadian resident renting in Louisiana, this coverage is not available to you. It also does not cover damage to the rental vehicle itself, which is handled separately by CDW or LDW, or third-party liability, which requires LIS or SLI coverage. Always review your booking confirmation to confirm which benefits are included in your specific Louisiana reservation.

When renting a car in Louisiana, there are two main types of protection to consider: coverage for the rental vehicle itself and coverage for damage or injury you may cause to others.

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) reduces your financial liability if the rental car is damaged or stolen during your Louisiana rental. A deductible may still apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero deductible. CDW and LDW do not cover third parties.

Third-Party Liability coverage (LIS, ALI, or SLI) protects you if you injure someone or damage another person's property while driving in Louisiana. Not all U.S. states require rental companies to include minimum liability coverage, so it is important to confirm what is included in your Louisiana rental agreement.

• CDW or LDW: covers the rental vehicle for collision, theft, and vandalism, subject to exclusions such as off-road use, unauthorized drivers, or prohibited areas
• LIS or SLI: covers bodily injury and property damage to third parties; strongly recommended for driving in Louisiana
• Neither CDW nor LIS covers your personal injuries (that requires PAI) or your belongings (that requires PEC)

Only drivers named on the Louisiana rental agreement are covered by these protections. Adding all drivers at the counter is essential before anyone else gets behind the wheel.