Can Someone Else Drive My Rental Truck?
Home › Questions › Can Someone Else Drive My Rental Truck?
Can Someone Else Drive My Rental Truck? Yes, if they are on the contract
You rented the truck, but someone else needs to drive it: a spouse sharing the long days, a friend who is better behind the wheel, or a professional driver. Every major rental company allows it. The rules for who qualifies, what it costs and when the driver must show up are different at each company.
✓ Drivers since 2017 · ✓ Background-checked, licensed and insured · ✓ All 48 continental states
Additional Driver Rules by Rental Company
Here is how the four consumer truck rental companies handle a second driver. Policies are set by each company and can vary by location, so confirm the details with your pickup location before moving day.
| Company | Someone else can drive? | Cost to add a driver | Driver requirements | Plan for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-Haul | Yes, once authorized on the contract | No fee | 18 or older, valid driver’s license | Add them before they drive; the renter remains responsible |
| Penske | Yes, up to 3 additional drivers | $10 per driver; family members free | Physical driver’s license plus two forms of ID | License verification happens at the Penske location |
| Budget Truck | Yes | Additional-driver fee applies | 18 or older, valid driver’s license | Underage surcharges apply to drivers 18 to 23 at locations that allow them |
| Enterprise Truck | Yes | Daily fee; spouse or domestic partner free | Typically 21 or older, valid license | Additional drivers must appear at the counter at the time of rental |
| Ryder | Not applicable | — | — | Ryder does not rent trucks for personal moves |
The common thread: the second driver has to be listed. Handing over the keys is not the same as authorizing a driver, and the difference matters the moment something goes wrong.
Can Someone Else Drive My U-Haul?
Yes. U-Haul lets the primary renter authorize other drivers, and it does not charge to add them. Each driver has to meet the same basics as the renter: at least 18 years old with a valid driver’s license. U-Haul trucks are not commercial vehicles, so nobody needs a CDL, including for the 26-foot truck.
What U-Haul cares about is that every driver is on the contract before they drive. You can add a driver when you reserve, at pickup, or by contacting U-Haul or your pickup location during the rental. Ask your location what it will need from the driver; some ask for the driver’s license details or a second form of ID.
Does U-Haul charge for an additional driver?
No. Adding an authorized driver to a U-Haul truck rental is free. That makes U-Haul the simplest company for sharing the drive with a spouse, an adult child or a friend.
Can I add a driver after I’ve picked up the U-Haul?
Yes, but do it before the new person drives. Contact U-Haul or stop at a U-Haul location to get them added. Letting someone drive “just for one leg” without adding them is the most common way people lose their coverage.
U-Haul Rental Requirements
Everyone who drives a U-Haul truck, the renter and every additional driver, has to meet the same basic requirements. U-Haul locations are independently operated and can ask for more, so check with your pickup location before moving day.
| Requirement | What U-Haul asks for |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 or older to rent or drive a moving truck (16 or older to rent a trailer) |
| Driver’s license | A valid, regular driver’s license from the U.S., Canada, the military or another country. No CDL is needed, even for the 26′ truck (Quebec requires a Class 3 license for the 26′) |
| Second form of ID | Additional identification, such as a passport or a verified phone number |
| Payment | An accepted payment method in the renter’s name |
| Smartphone | Only for Truck Share 24/7 contactless pickup and return |
| Additional drivers | Same requirements as the renter, added to the contract at no charge |
If you hire a professional driver, you are the renter: the truck, the payment method and the protection plan are in your name, and the driver is added as an authorized driver who meets the same requirements. For a one-way, cross-state rental, see our long-distance moving truck rental guide.
Penske Additional Driver Policy
Penske allows up to three additional drivers per rental. Each costs $10, and family members can be added at no charge. Every additional driver must provide two forms of identification.
Penske only accepts a physical driver’s license, not a paper temporary, mobile or digital license, and it verifies licenses at the rental location with a photo of the license and a selfie. In practice, plan for each additional driver to be at the Penske location when you pick up the truck, with their physical license in hand.
Budget Truck Rental Additional Drivers
Budget Truck Rental lets a second driver drive the truck you rent. The additional driver must be 18 or older and present a valid driver’s license, and Budget’s additional-driver fee applies.
Watch the age rules. Most Budget Truck locations rent to customers 24 and older. Some locations allow drivers 18 to 23 with an underage surcharge of $25 per day. If your second driver is young, call the pickup location first.
Enterprise Truck Rental Additional Drivers
Enterprise Truck Rental allows additional authorized drivers, but they must appear at the time of rental and meet the age and license requirements. A spouse or domestic partner who meets those requirements is authorized at no extra charge; other drivers pay a daily fee (one Enterprise truck location lists $15 per day). Locations commonly require renters and additional drivers to be 21 or older.
Enterprise moving trucks are usually rented for local, round-trip use. If your move is one-way and long-distance, confirm that option with the branch before you plan around it.
What About Ryder?
Ryder rents and leases trucks to businesses. It sold its consumer “yellow truck” rental business in 1996, and that business later became part of Budget Truck Rental. If you are renting for a personal household move, you will be choosing among U-Haul, Penske, Budget and Enterprise.
Rather not drive it at all?
You rent and load the truck. Our professional driver gets added to your contract and drives it to your new home.
How to Add Someone Else as a Driver, Step by Step
- Decide who will drive before you book. Note each person’s full name and confirm they meet the company’s age and license rules from the table above.
- Tell the rental company when you reserve. Most reservation flows and locations can note an additional driver up front, which avoids surprises at the counter.
- Plan for the driver to be at pickup if required. Penske verifies licenses at the location and Enterprise requires additional drivers at the counter. U-Haul is more flexible, but ask your location what it needs.
- Bring the right documents. A physical, valid driver’s license for each driver, plus any second ID the company asks for.
- Check the contract before you drive away. Every driver’s name should appear on the rental agreement. If it is not there, they are not authorized.
- Decide on protection. Ask how the company’s damage protection applies to authorized drivers, and check with your own auto insurer before relying on your personal policy for a large truck.
Who Is Responsible When Someone Else Drives?
The renter. Adding a driver gives that person permission to drive; it does not move the contract onto them. Damage, tolls, tickets, late returns and fuel charges still go to the person who rented the truck.
Insurance follows the same logic. Rental company protection plans, such as U-Haul’s SafeMove, are written around authorized drivers. Many personal auto policies limit or exclude coverage for large rental trucks, so call your insurer before you count on it. If you hire a professional driver, ask whether that driver carries their own insurance in addition to the rental company’s coverage. Ours do.
What Happens If Someone Who Isn’t Listed Drives?
An unlisted driver is an unauthorized driver. If something happens while they are driving, the rental company can deny protection you paid for, and you can be left personally responsible for damage to the truck and to anything else involved. Rental agreements generally prohibit unauthorized drivers, so it can also be a breach of the contract.
The fix takes minutes and, at U-Haul, costs nothing: get every driver on the contract before they drive.
Can I Rent a Truck for Someone Else, or Have Someone Pick It Up?
Renting a U-Haul for someone else
You can help pay for someone else’s move, but think about whose name goes on the contract. The renter is the person responsible for the truck. If you rent it in your name so someone else can drive, they need to be added as an authorized driver, and any damage or late fees come back to you. If they are the one moving, the cleaner option is usually for them to be the renter and for you to help with the cost another way.
Can someone else pick up my U-Haul?
Pickup is normally done by the renter named on the reservation, with their own license. If someone else needs to collect the truck, call the pickup location before moving day to change the renter or confirm exactly what they will accept. Do not assume a friend can walk in with your confirmation number.
If you hire us, this is one of the problems we solve. You rent the truck in your name, and our driver can pick up the rental truck for you, so you are free to pack, fly ahead, or finish closing on your house.
Should a Friend Drive, or a Professional?
Adding a friend is the cheapest way to share the drive. It works best for short moves with someone who is comfortable driving a large, loaded truck. For long-distance moves, a professional is often the better fit.
A friend or family member
Free to add at U-Haul. You cover their meals, lodging and trip home, and the renter carries all of the risk. Few people have experience with a 20- to 26-foot truck, especially when towing a car.
A professional driver
Background-checked, licensed and insured, with at least five years of box-truck experience. Drives while you fly or drive your own car. Typically $600 to $2,500 depending on distance.
If you are leaning toward a professional, our guide on whether you can hire someone to drive your U-Haul covers the whole process, and the U-Haul driver cost estimator shows typical prices by route.
Get a Professional Driver for Your Rental Truck
Tell us your route and move date. We reply by email with a personal quote the same day. No obligation and no sales calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone else drive my U-Haul?
Yes. U-Haul lets the renter authorize other drivers at no extra charge. Each driver must be at least 18 with a valid driver’s license and must be added to the rental contract before they drive. The renter stays responsible for the truck.
Is there a fee to add a driver to a U-Haul?
No. U-Haul does not charge to add an authorized driver to a truck rental.
What are U-Haul’s rental requirements?
You must be 18 or older with a valid regular driver’s license, provide a second form of ID, and have an accepted payment method. No CDL is needed. A smartphone is required only for Truck Share 24/7. Additional drivers must meet the same requirements and are added free.
Can someone else drive my Penske truck?
Yes. Penske allows up to three additional drivers at $10 each, and family members can be added free. Each additional driver must provide two forms of ID, and Penske only accepts a physical driver’s license.
Does Budget Truck Rental allow a second driver?
Yes. The additional driver must be 18 or older with a valid driver’s license, and Budget’s additional-driver fee applies. Locations that rent to drivers 18 to 23 add an underage surcharge.
Does the additional driver have to be there at pickup?
It depends on the company. Enterprise requires additional drivers to appear at the time of rental, and Penske verifies each physical license at the location. U-Haul is more flexible, but ask your pickup location what it needs.
Who pays if the other driver damages the truck?
The renter. Adding a driver authorizes them to drive but does not move responsibility for the truck off the person who signed the contract. Protection plans generally apply only to authorized drivers.
Can I rent a moving truck and have a professional drive it?
Yes. You rent the truck in your name and load it, and a professional driver is added as an authorized driver and drives it to your new home. Moving Truck Driver provides background-checked, licensed and insured drivers across the 48 continental states.
Can I ride in the truck with my driver?
No. Our drivers do not carry passengers. Most customers fly or drive their own car and meet the truck at the new home.
You rent it. You load it. We drive it.
Same-day quotes · Drivers in all 48 continental states · Hundreds of moves completed
Related Guides
Sources: U-Haul rental requirements summary; rental company policies as published by U-Haul, Penske, Budget Truck Rental and Enterprise Truck Rental, checked October 2026. Policies change and vary by location; confirm with your pickup location. Moving Truck Driver is an independent driver service and is not affiliated with U-Haul, Penske, Budget, Enterprise or Ryder.