Budget Rent A Car Support Center

Budget’s extensive fleet includes mid-size to large SUVs, many of which offer 4WD. We also offer a limited number of Hummer H3 SUVs for the ultimate 4WD experience. Although we cannot guarantee availability of our very popular mid-size to large SUVs with 4WD, you may request these vehicles at the car rental counter or contact the rental location directly.

The good news is that our Hummers with 4WD are easy to reserve through our Street Fleet reservable vehicles. Just go to the top of the budget.com home page and access "Car Types" and then "Reservable Make and Model." If we have a 4WD Hummer available, you may reserve it and we’ll do our best to have that exact car waiting for you at the pick-up counter.

The rental car industry’s car-class terms and those of car manufacturers have never been fully synchronized. No matter which car rental company you do business with, you will notice that there are many more car groups offered than those described by manufacturers in their new car classifications. For example, Budget lists the Chevy Malibu within our full-size offerings, while Chevrolet classifies it as a mid-size. Budget considers the Malibu as a full-size product because it has the capacity in all metric categories (seating, trunk space, etc.) to qualify as a full-size vehicle

Yes! Budget issues "Authorized Rep" cards to companies who wish to make a card available to employees who travel only once in a while. As needed, an employee can request an "Authorized Rep" card from his or her employer or travel coordinator. The card can be used for the duration of the Budget car rental, and then returned for use by another authorized employee. All charges will appear on one central billing statement, which makes it easy to track company rental car costs.

A Budget credit card exists for corporate accounts to use for business rentals. It is not available to general consumers.

If a company wishes to apply, the account needs to establish a central billing agreement with Budget. After the travel manager of the account identifies company employees who require cards, those credit cards will be issued.

If you use a credit or charge card issued by a financial institution outside the U.S., and if your charges are billed to Budget in a currency other than U.S. Dollars, the full amount of your charge will be converted to the card account’s billing currency unless you submit a written request in advance to have the currency conversion performed by your card issuer. The conversion will be based on a conversion rate published by Reuters and will incorporate a processing charge no higher than 3% for all amounts relating to the transaction.

No. At the time of rental, the renter is required to present a valid driver's license and credit card with his/her name imprinted on it. The name/address on the credit/debit card MUST match the name/address on the driver’s license.

Budget Rent A Car's corporate-operated locations accept the following major credit cards: American Express, Budget Charge Card, Budget International, Discover, JCB/Japan Card, MasterCard, Optima, PHH and Visa. Please note that acceptance of these cards may vary at locations outside of the U.S. and at our licensee-owned locations.

At some locations, debit and pre-paid charge cards are not accepted at rental pick-up time, but are accepted for payment at time of car return. See What kinds of credentials will I need to present when I pick up my rental? for information on required rental pick-up holds.

Cash is not accepted. When you return your car, you may pay for your final rental costs with credit or debit card. However, to release a car to you at rental pick-up time, you must provide a deposit using a credit card or, at some locations, a debit card. See What kinds of credentials will I need to present when I pick up my rental? for information on required holds.

If you're a frequent flyer program member with any of Budget Rent A Car's airline partners, renting with Budget pays off big in frequent flyer miles, points or credits. To earn airline miles, points or credits, just provide your frequent flyer number at the rental counter before picking up your car at participating airport locations. Or, to save time, reserve on budget.com with your RapidRez Number and add your frequent flyer information to your reservation on Step 4 of the online reservation process. A fee of up to $1/day applies for all rentals where points are awarded.

Yes! No matter where in the world you travel, start earning valuable frequent traveler account credits today through Budget Rent A Car's global partners.

Offer codes and coupons may be found in a variety of places – in newspaper, magazine or television ads, by clicking banner ads on Web sites other than budget.com, on the budget.com home page, in our budget.com deals pages, or e-mailed to you as part of our Hot Deals mailing. Also, if you're a member of an organization or company that partners with Budget, please contact that organization directly and ask whether they have a Budget BCD code or coupon you may use for your rental.

Car rental rates, like airline rates, change day to day. For an advertised rate, the offer code locks in that consistent rate at participating locations – it's a rate that won't change regardless of any fluctuations in the car rental market that may push rates above or below the advertised rate but have limited availability. Despite the advertised rate that your discount is set to deliver, budget.com will always present either the advertised rate (if your rental meets all terms and conditions) or the regular budget.com rate, whichever is lower.

On the budget.com home page, just below the fields where you enter your rental itinerary, there’s a field labeled "optional offer code (BCD)" where you may enter your Budget Customer Discount number (BCD). A BCD is a seven-character code, one letter followed by six numbers (example: L######). When you enter a BCD and click "continue", the next screen will show all available vehicles at your selected location, and then you’ll see the rates associated with your BCD number. If you don't see the rate you’re expecting, check the terms and conditions on the BCD, since the rate may not be available for the specific location, dates and times you’ve entered.

Now, more than ever, travelers are looking to save on their car rental expenses. At most U.S. and Canadian locations, with our Pay Now rates you often can enjoy a Pay Now discount if you prepay online toward your rental at budget.com with a credit or debit card. Online is the easy way to reserve and pay. However, if you prefer, reserve on budget.com and pay in full when you return your rental.

You’ve come to the right place – budget.com. Start by searching here. The more flexibility you have in your rental dates, the more you can save. Taking advantage of low car rental rates is a lot like finding low airfares. Your price depends on when you travel and for how long. When you find a great rate, book it fast before someone else does. The best rental car rates are usually offered on weekends, especially when you stay over on a Saturday night – and the longer you keep your car, the better daily rate you can usually get. Coupon codes and other discounts can help you save even more and, for maximum value, pre-pay your rental and you may save up to 35%.

Every location has a limited inventory of each type of car. Some cars and locations are more popular than others and they sell out quickly – especially when there are low rates on a busy rental date. Try another pick-up time if your travel dates are flexible. Then when you see the car you want at a great rate, your best bet is to reserve it immediately before someone else does.

If you choose our Refueling Service and not one of Budget Rent A Car's other three simple, convenient and affordable re-fueling options, the Refueling Service charge takes into account both our direct and indirect costs of the fuel and maintaining our refueling infrastructure. The charge is intended to strongly motivate customers to save by refueling the car themselves. Budget Rent A Car doesn't have an on-site refueling infrastructure at most locations so Budget Rent A Car prefers that renters stop at a local station and refuel the car before returning it. However, customers can always choose not to refuel their rental prior to return, but Budget Rent A Car will then need to charge a premium for providing this refueling service.

Budget's rates do not include the cost of fuel but Budget Rent A Car does offer four simple, convenient and affordable re-fueling options.

Vehicles are rented on a daily (24-hour) basis. There is a 29-minute grace period for returns. After 30 minutes late, hourly car rate charges and taxes may apply. After 90 minutes late, full-day late charges and taxes may apply. After 7 hours late, if you didn't call to extend your rental, an additional $10/day late fee applies. There is no grace period for rental fees, surcharges and optional equipment or protections charges. Full-day late charges will apply for these items.

Budget Rent A Car offers a long-term rental option for customers who need a vehicle for an extended period of time. A long-term rental constitutes a minimum of 30 consecutive days to a maximum of 330 consecutive days. The longer the rental, the greater the daily savings.

Yes! At most U.S. and Canadian locations you may reserve and prepay toward your rental online at budget.com with a credit or debit card. Or, if you prefer, reserve on budget.com and pay in full when you return your car. NOTE: Even if you prepay, you will still need to present a credit card at the rental counter when you pick up the vehicle.

Budget’s pricing is based on your confirmed length of rental, as you indicated when you booked your reservation. Budget Rent A Car'S rates vary, depending on whether you rent for one day, one week, or one weekend. So, if you return your car earlier or later than your designated return date, it could affect your price in either direction. Typically, the longer your rental period, the more you save on your per-day rate. Therefore, if your original confirmed rate was for a seven-day rental and you decide to return the car after just three days, your per-day price could increase, which could increase your overall rental fee as well.

All rates are based on a rental period with a minimum of 24 consecutive hours. If you return the vehicle within 24 hours after pick-up, you will still be charged for the full day.

Rental car companies realize a significant portion of their volume during Monday-through-Friday business travel.  So, generally speaking, leisure travelers can find better rates on weekends when the demand for some car types isn’t as high. Also, the longer you keep the car, the better per-day price you’ll get. Time of month really doesn’t matter, but demand increases during holiday periods – so always reserve early.

Your total rental rate is calculated based on the information provided at time of reservation. Your per-day rate can vary depending on your rental location and is dictated by the day of the week you pick up the vehicle and the length of your rental.

Different companies use different names for their car categories. For example, if you want to rent a Ford Focus at budget.com, we consider it to be a “compact-level” vehicle and it’s priced modestly. But if you shop another car rental company, they might categorize that same vehicle as an “intermediate-level” which means they will probably charge you more than Budget for the same car.

Conversely, if you simply search for “intermediate” cars, Budget may appear higher if you’re comparing one of our medium-sized vehicles to another company’s compact models that they happen to label as an “intermediate.”

Car rental pricing is a lot like airfare pricing – our prices change depending on car availability, location popularity, and many other factors. Unless it’s an advertised special offer, there generally isn’t one set rate for a particular kind of car, but rather a range of prices depending on the length and dates of your reservation. Even with special offers, the advertised rate usually applies to a limited supply of cars because we have only so many makes and models at each location. When you see a great rate for the car you want – RESERVE IT IMMEDIATELY – because it might not be available later!

To help protect customers' identity, budget.com has revised its name format on the confirmation page and e-mail to a first-name, last-name-initial format. So, if you choose to print your confirmation page or e-mail, your identity is masked. Be assured, if you enter your last name in its entirety, it will be in Budget Rent A Car's system.

In lieu of a valid driver's license, Budget corporate-operated locations in the U.S. will accept traffic citations or summonses issued by officials in these seven states: Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.  The citation only will be accepted up until the court appearance date shown on the citation or summons. A customer who presents a citation/summons in lieu of a driver's license is required to present a second form of personal identification with a signature on it. Any second form of I.D. with a signature is acceptable, such as a department store card, passport, library card or company I.D. with a signature. Rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary.  It’s always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location. 

Yes. Your deposit type, amount and method of payment will vary by Budget location.

Yes. Since rental terms vary from location to location, it’s always a good idea to read the specific terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation page/e-mail – or find your location and review the terms of rental on your location information page. These terms outline most things you'll need to know to qualify for a rental at your specific location.

Sometimes. Although additional driver rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary, except for California, Nevada and New York, the fee for each additional driver is $13 per day with a maximum charge of $65 per rental.

There is no additional driver fee in California. In Nevada, the fee is $10 per day with a maximum charge of $65 per rental. In New York, the fee is $3 per day.

The following are exempt from the fee but must meet all other driver requirements: the renter's employer or fellow employee when on company business and renting under a corporate account; the renter's spouse or domestic partner; the companion driver of a renter with a disability who has completed the non-licensed renter form; for insurance replacement rentals, company employees or family members who are designated on the insurance policy. It's always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location.

Budget will check renters' and additional drivers' licenses to ensure that they are valid. Budget is unable to rent if the driving history reveals any of the following issues:

• Invalid, suspended or revoked license
• One or more convictions for reckless driving within 48 months
• One DUI, DWI or DWAI conviction within 48 months
• Failure to report an accident/leaving the scene of accident within 36 months
• Possession of stolen vehicle or use of a vehicle in a crime
• Expired license
• Three or more convictions for moving violations within 24 months (excluding seatbelt violations)
• Three or more accidents within 36 months
• Other activities that suggest an unsatisfactory driving record.

Once a customer opens a rental agreement, but before the transaction is completed, some Budget corporate-operated locations might contact the issuing Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to perform a driver’s license verification for primary and additional drivers. Budget reserves the right to deny rental if the driving history reveals any of the following:

• Invalid, suspended or revoked license
• One or more convictions for reckless driving within 48 months
• One DUI, DWI or DWAI conviction within 48 months
• Failure to report an accident/leaving the scene of accident within 36 months
• Possession of stolen vehicle or use of a vehicle in a crime
• Expired license
• Three or more convictions for moving violations within 24 months (excluding seatbelt violations)
• Two or more accidents within 36 months
• Other activities that suggest an unsatisfactory driving record.

Generally, a driver’s license, passport and an International Driving Permit issued in the driver’s name from their home country is required for most Budget car rentals with the following exceptions:

• European Union (EU) residents renting in the EU must present either an International Driving Permit along with the driver’s license from their home country or simply their EU driver’s license.
• All other drivers may not be required to present an International Driving Permit when traveling abroad, but they should be prepared to do so. For information on how a U.S. resident may obtain an International Driving Permit, visit the U.S. Department of State Web site. Non-U.S. residents should obtain their International Driving Permit from their home country before traveling.
• If your home country’s driver’s license information is not written in the Roman alphabet, you will be required to present an International Driving Permit in order to rent from Budget.

Yes. Your deposit type, amount and method of payment will vary by Budget location.

At corporate-operated locations, Budget does not have a maximum age limit in the U.S., but there may be upper-age restrictions in some other countries. Search for your location to find maximum age rules in your rental country. After you find your location, just click the 'additional information' link next to your desired location to view location terms and conditions