What are the driving conditions like in California, United States?

Car rental in California, United States is a fantastic way to see this vast state as public transport can only take you so far. In California legendary road trips and coastal adventures await you with cheap car hire, made especially pleasant by well-maintained roads, high-functioning highways and minimal toll roads beyond certain bridges in LA and San Francisco. Traffic can get rather congested on the highways as many of them are multi-laned without strict laws about which lanes are for fast or slow traffic. The driving side of the road is the right, so you will have to get acclimated to over-taking on the left with your car hire. Another factor to consider is the high amount of carpool lanes on highways and main roads. Also called high-occupancy lanes, they will have limited access to who can drive in them and if you need to exit the highway through a car pool lane you will need to wait for a break in the lane. Be prepared to get stuck in the occasional famous LA traffic jam – it’s part of the true driving experience of car rental in California, United States.

What laws should I be aware of when driving in California, United States?

With cheap car rental you will be able to explore California at your leisure, but make sure you are up to date with the traffic rules before setting off on your journey. California has a zero tolerance policy for cellphone use during driving and speed limits are to be stuck to at all times. If you are a smoker you will be fined for smoking with an infant in your car and if you are caught littering from your car hire you will get an immediate fine. Stay buckled up, do not drink and drive and you will make the most of your experience of car rental in California, United States.

What documents do I need to hire a car in California, United States?

European citizens can get car rental in California, United States without having to apply for an IDP. As long as your drivers license is current and older than a year you will be eligible for car hire. You will also need to provide your passport and a credit card.

Is it worthwhile to book a rental car in California, United States?

It is most definitely worthwhile looking into car hire comparison when you take a trip to California United States. Cruising those infamous coastal highways of Malibu and Venice Beach will be a joy to experience in a convertible and the region has some very famous road trips. Consider completing Route 66 when you hire a car in California, United States and see what the legendary road has to offer. Another great reason for car rentals in California, United States is the sheer distance of the region. While public transport is great in the inner cities such as San Francisco, Hollywood and LA, it is not available to explore off the beaten track which is where real Californian experiences come true.

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Best deals found for California car hire

Find great deals below on a variety of popular hire cars in California

Toyota Yaris

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

£14/day

5 Jun - 12 Jun

See offer

Volvo V40

or similar Intermediate

Up to 5 passengers

£15/day

5 Jun - 12 Jun

See offer

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

or similar Full-size

Up to 5 passengers

£16/day

9 Jun - 14 Jun

See offer

Citroen C3

or similar Compact

Up to 4 passengers

£17/day

16 Jun - 29 Jun

See offer

Vauxhall Astra

or similar Intermediate

Up to 5 passengers

£18/day

8 Jun - 15 Jun

See offer

Kia Rio

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

4-door vehicles

£18/day

24 Jul - 26 Jul

See offer

Ford Kuga

or similar Intermediate SUV

Up to 5 passengers

£18/day

8 Jun - 25 Jun

See offer

Renault Captur

or similar Compact SUV

Up to 4 passengers

£18/day

8 Jun - 15 Jun

See offer

Jaguar XE

or similar Premium

Up to 5 passengers

£19/day

12 Jun - 21 Jun

See offer

Car hire insight and trends in California

Useful insights to help you book the perfect car hire in California

What is the best car hire company in California?

With an average review score of 6.4/10 from 1,887 reviewers, Budget is rated the best car hire company in California by our users. Budget has 57 locations in California including the popular city of San Diego.

What is the most popular type of car to hire in California?

The most popular type of cars to hire in California are SUV cars. This type of car costs £52 per day on average. 36% of users prefer to hire SUV cars in California due to price, availability, and their planned activities.

California car hire deals found on momondo

Find the car hire in California that's right for you

	Small cars	£29 - £55
	All Car Types	£37 - £62

The average price of a small car hire in California is £40. The cheapest time to hire a small car in California is in January. The price is 28% lower than the rest of the year at just £29 per day. A small car rental is typically 24% less expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California small car hire found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a medium car hire in California is £44. The cheapest time to hire a medium car in California is in January. The price is 25% lower than the rest of the year at just £33 per day. A medium car rental is typically 16% less expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California medium car hire found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a large car hire in California is £64. The cheapest time to hire a large car in California is in January. The price is 36% lower than the rest of the year at just £42 per day. A large car rental is typically 20% more expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California large car hire found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a SUV hire in California is £44. The cheapest time to hire a SUV in California is in January. The price is 20% lower than the rest of the year at just £36 per day. A SUV rental is typically 14% less expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California SUV hire found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a van hire in California is £78. The cheapest time to hire a van in California is in February. The price is 35% lower than the rest of the year at just £52 per day. A van rental is typically 35% more expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California van hire found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a pickup truck hire in California is £54. The cheapest time to hire a pickup truck in California is in January. The price is 42% lower than the rest of the year at just £32 per day. A pickup truck rental is typically 6% more expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire.

The average price of a luxury car hire in California is £57. The cheapest time to hire a luxury car in California is in January. The price is 28% lower than the rest of the year at just £42 per day. A luxury car rental is typically 11% more expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California luxury car hire found on momondo in the past week.

The average price of a convertible hire in California is £67. The cheapest time to hire a convertible in California is in January. The price is 32% lower than the rest of the year at just £46 per day. A convertible rental is typically 23% more expensive than the average rental car in California. The average price of a car hire in California can vary based on a number of factors including supply, popularity of the vehicle, and how far out you book your car hire. Below are the best prices for California convertible hire found on momondo in the past week.

Toyota Yaris

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

£14/day

5 Jun - 12 Jun

See offer

Volkswagen Golf

or similar Compact

Up to 4 passengers

£17/day

16 Jun - 29 Jun

See offer

Toyota Yaris

or similar Economy

Up to 2 passengers

£18/day

24 Jul - 26 Jul

See offer

California car hire directory

All major car hire suppliers in California

Alamo

8.6

Very Good

1259 reviews•14 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

It was expensive.

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

It was great

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Comfort car. Very easy to pickup and return. To improve- the car was good but not new. It already done 150k km before I took it

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Excellent staff at SFO airport

6.0

Okay|Jul 2023

Pickup and dropoff super smooth. Vehicle was just ok—no navigation and none offered, and wireless charger didn’t work. Otherwise no issues with the car.

4.0

Mediocre|Jun 2023

During car return Alamo tried to blame me for some scuffs on the front of the vehicle even tho they were there when i picked up the car. Very shady business practices

1 out of 420

Alamo Locations in California

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

7.7

Good

1633 reviews•105 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2024

Pick up and drop off was quick and easy. Staff was very friendly and helpful.

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

Jake was extremely helpful with my rental pickup, and quick and efficient as I had to make an appointment shortly after pickup. Thanks Jake and enterprise!

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

Wonderful experience. And the enterprise employee named Terrill Jones went above and beyond for excellent customer service.

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

Very Good, nice and helpful people. Teri was really helpful even though it was super early in the Morning! Thank You! Highly Recommended!

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

We got in a little late and the gentlemen at the counter was very kind and patient to wait for us to get things organized. He was supposed to close the counter and stayed open a little later for us. I don't remember his name but do remember he was from Massachusetts. Getting the car was super quick as well.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

It was great.

1 out of 545

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Locations in California

Avis

6.4

Okay

1232 reviews•57 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Horrible communication and continually charged me unfairly.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Charged me more than was posted.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

I was denied a car because I did not have a foreign license. I booked while I was overseas and but have an American license. They refused to give me a car. Then I had to go through a long process to try to get the money back. Still have not received it and it’s been nearly 1 month. Will never book with Avis/Budget again.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

A car was available. However, there were several problems. First, I searched for airport pickup but the search gave me Downtown Fresno location, which I did not notice when booking so it is my mistake. The car I got was smelling horribly of weed, even though Avis made a big deal about smoke-free cars. It was so bad that we had to keep windows open in 100 degree weather. Really bad experience.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

All went well.

8.0

Very Good|Aug 2023

The line to pickup was very long, but I signed up for Avis preferred (a free signup) while in line and I got much faster service. The car was very nice and drop off was great.

1 out of 411

Avis Locations in California

Budget

6.4

Okay

2110 reviews•57 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Apr 2024

They took forever!!!! I have never booked with them because of the line I see everytime I get into LA but I just happened to land at 1am and thought it wouldn't be busy but we had to wait 2 hours for a car... ridiculous.

4.0

Mediocre|Nov 2023

I recently picked up my car and had a terrible customer service experience. The receptionist didn't acknowledge me, didn’t give me any information and the attendants at the exit gate were rude and dismissive. They refused to document existing scratches on the car and told me to take pictures instead. Overall, the lack of politeness and poor service left a lot to be desired. This was in LA location, the drop off in San Diego was fine and fast.

2.0

Poor|Nov 2023

When I went pick up the car the Avis doesn’t have the car and I cancelled

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

Really appreciated how easy and fast the car reservation process was, both online and in-person when we arrived. Friendly and helpful agents, everything was smooth at check-in and check-out. We were grateful that they were open at 3 am when we arrived at the airport! Hours of operation, plus friendly and professional customer service made for an overall positive experience.

4.0

Mediocre|Sept 2023

Lady at check in desk was shady and ended up charging me an additional $240 for something I did t sign up for, had to spend 45 mins on the phone talking to multiple people for the refund.

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

The front desk manager was savvy and helpful. Good experience. Thanks!

1 out of 704

Budget Locations in California

Hertz

6.1

Okay

3328 reviews•92 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

I had to do a last minute reservation here after having a nightmare experience with another company - Hertz really won me over as a customer and most of it has to do with their all-star employee, Ahmed! He made sure to list all the rental options and add-ons (typical rental agent stuff) but was not pushy at all and was very transparent with answering all the questions I had regarding some add-ons. Ahmed mentioned possible upgrades to my reservation which I declined, the CDW insurance - which I declined and he did not get pushy or upset about it, just made sure my credit card had the rental coverage and then made sure I had personal injury insurance which is required in CA which I did have since I have my own car insurance. The car was a 2023 Hyundai which was very nice (unfortunately the light interior (rear seat) was already stained by a previous renter but apart from that I was VERY HAPPY!

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Terrible customer service and an effort to price gouge.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Dollar was good. Hertz terrible although I know Hertz owns Dollar. Hertz confirmed my San Diego International Airport two days before my flight with the pick up in Tia Juana. I called to straighten it out and they blamed it on Kayak. They said they could get me a car at the airport for $1,100 or about $700 more then original quote. Only when I kept complaining did they do a "courtesy" and book me on Dollar. A Hertz hussle.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Booked for pickup at LAX but the reservation somehow showed another location and for only one of the two days I prepaid for. The counter agent offered a smaller car for triple the prepaid price. I had to cancel the bait and switch

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Excellent manager. Great car and good location

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

You booked my rental 30 minures from the airport!!!

1 out of 1110

Hertz Locations in California

Thrifty

6.0

Okay

1438 reviews•24 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

2.0

Poor|Apr 2024

When I made the rental online from Kayak, my receipt clearly stated that the total charges for the rental would be ~$600CAD and I had also purchased insurance through Allianz for an additional $75. When I went to pick up the rental I was charged an additional $506.00USD in other fees and more insurance (apparently the insurance that was rented through Kayak was not comprehensive as stated on the website.) I was informed that I would be reimbursed $200USD when the rental car was returned. To my dismay, when I returned the rental I was charged AGAIN an additonal $506USD plus another $100USD “cleaning fee”. Completely unsatisfied and I will be contacting my credit card company to dispute these repeat charges.

2.0

Poor|Sept 2023

Received confirmation for a car booking that was not available upon pickup. The guy behind the desk tried to send us to another car rental company and offered no further assistance. Will not be returning.

4.0

Mediocre|Sept 2023

I rented a car from Triffty and received the updated rental receipt. They made me pay another amount of money and I don’t know why. Also, I haven’t received my money back for switched services.

2.0

Poor|Sept 2023

When initially meeting with the staff to pick up the vehicle, the thrifty representative informed me that my rental was for a 2 person vehicle. I was then upcharged into a mid-size (from compact) and later verified through my email that my initial booking was in fact for a 4 person vehicle. The wait time to actually receive the vehicle was roughly 2 hours (speaking to other customers, the range was about 1.5-3 hours from check in to receiving their vehicle). The first vehicle I received had a maintenance light, so I exchanged it for another vehicle which did not have a service light on, but did have vastly different tire pressures per wheel. Upon returning the vehicle, the person who checked in the returns was not visible, nor did he make an effort to come to our vehicle (another employee had to point him out). The employee offered no support. I also did not receive my receipt until the next day where I incurred a large mischarge for fuel despite returning a fully fueled vehicle.

4.0

Mediocre|Aug 2023

At the Pick-up line up was like 3rd world country, kind of hurt my vacation's start. Although I explained my needs the staff at pick up paperwork, pursuit me for lots of up-sales. I spent a lot more than my need, definitely never Thrifty anymore. Drop off was fine. Tnx

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

They overbooked themselves, had no cars available despite the reservation. Multiple people and families were told this and forced to simply wait despite having confirmed reservations.

1 out of 480

Thrifty Locations in California

Dollar

6.0

Okay

1592 reviews•23 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Apr 2024

Heather was amazing in Palm Springs

2.0

Poor|Mar 2024

Dollar failed to honor my reservation. I was yelled at by the two men at the Dollar desk for showing them my reservation. They told me they didn't have a car reserved for me and ordered me to leave. I have been traveling for business for the past 14 years and I have never been treated so poorly and with such contempt as I was by the two men working for Dollar. I will never use Kayak or Dollar again.

10.0

Wonderful|Dec 2023

Dejligt at dollar ikke prøvet at sælge os en masse ex forskring og større bil han var nem og hjælp som

8.0

Very Good|Sept 2023

It was easy pick up and drop off

2.0

Poor|Sept 2023

Waited two hours in line to pick up the car at LAX. This is not acceptable. I then found out on return of the car at SFO that the staff member who attended to me at LAX had sold me false information about the toll pass. Tried to speak to someone at dollar about this at SFO but was told to send customer service an email. Just very poor service with dollar. My first time and most likely last time renting with them.

2.0

Poor|Aug 2023

Zero costumer service

1 out of 531

Dollar Locations in California

Sixt

7.4

Good

679 reviews•15 locations

Check prices

Overview

Recent reviews

10.0

Wonderful|Sept 2023

The guy at the counter was great

6.0

Okay|Sept 2023

The pickup experience was terrible. We waited in line for more than 2 hours and they seemed very understaffed. However, we got a very nice car despite paying for the cheapest one and were very happy with the car as well as the drop off experience.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Very quick and efficient. Would highly recommend them

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

After an unpleasant experience at a competing rental company m, our experience through Sixt was a breeze. We were helped by Steven who went above and beyond. If even half the company has the same work ethic as him, I’d recommend them In a heartbeat.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Amazing and easy I’m glad I booked here. Dave was really helpful.

10.0

Wonderful|Aug 2023

Customer service is the primary value in a transaction. You folks really make that memorable.

1 out of 227

Sixt Locations in California

Car hire in California

Learn everything there is to know about hiring a car in California so you can be properly prepared for your next trip

How long do people hire a car for when staying in California?

Consider hiring a car in California for 7 days, which is the most popular length of time people tend to spend in the region. The average daily hire cost for 7 days is £36. Weekend and 1-week-long hires will average a total of £250 and £86, respectively. For your more long-term car hire needs, a 1-month-long 7 car hire will cost £1,459 in total on average.

When did momondo last update prices for cars in California?

Prices for cars in California were last updated today.

How many operators does momondo search for cars in California?

As of May 2024, there are 642 operators available to choose from for cars in California.

How old do you have to be to hire a car in California?

Among different countries, including California, the minimum age for drivers varies. In numerous EU countries, drivers must be 18 years old. To hire a car overseas, you'll generally need to be at least 21, and if you're under 25, a young driver surcharge may be imposed. It's recommended that you review the policy of the rental company you're considering before booking.

What documentation or ID do you need to rent a car in California?

To rent a car in California, all drivers must present a valid full driving license. If the license is written in a language other than the language of the country of rental, an International Driving Permit may be required to avoid the risk of potential fines. If you're renting a car abroad, you may also need to provide evidence of your return travel and accommodation information during your stay. We always recommend that you verify with the specific rental company you're booking with.

Why use momondo?

Why should I use momondo to book a car hire in California?

Using momondo to book a car hire in California could save you time and money. momondo searches thousands of car hire websites and locations to provide you with a wide selection of options and cars to choose from.

How does momondo help me find the best car hire deal in California?

By the use of filters, momondo makes finding a great car hire in California easier. Whether it is price, car type, amenities or policies, momondo allows you to refine your search with these and more filters to find the best deal for you.