Renting a car is the best way to get around the United States.
Apart from some destinations like New York, where you can do everything by subway, public transport in the country is not usually the most efficient. Furthermore, the super well-maintained roads and the possibility of driving to practically anywhere help make this a very attractive option.
Traffic laws are similar to those in Brazil, and even those who do not have complete command of the English language can drive a car without any major problems.
Despite being a service widely used by Brazilians, car rental in the United States still raises many doubts. Contracts are full of details, such as minimum age for rental and international driver's license, and rental company employees still try to sell as many extras as possible as if they really were needed.
So that you don't have any difficulties when renting your vehicle, I wrote this post with several tips. I talked about everything from documentation to what insurance needs to be purchased, as well as laws, how tolls and supply work.
On my trips I like to rent with Rentcars. The company works with the main rental companies in the world, and offers the possibility of paying in installments, in reais and without charging IOF. To improve, it also offers a lowest price guarantee, so if you find the same car with the same booking conditions for a lower price on another site, they will reimburse you the difference! Take the opportunity to get a no-obligation quote!
Car rental in the United States
What documentation is needed?
In general, to rent a car you will need a valid Brazilian driver's license and yours passport.
According to the US government website, some states may require international driving permit (IDP). I couldn't find details what These are the states, and we recommend that you check the Department of Vehicles website for the region you are visiting (the links are on this page). Although permission is not mandatory, it's possible The rental company asks for this document when you pick up the car. Anyway, that's notIt's never happened to me or anyone I know.
If you are going to do the PID, you must apply to the DETRAN in your state. The validity is three years from the issuance or until the expiration of the CNH, and the value is R$81,39. Remembering that permission It does not replace your driver's license, neither in Brazil nor in other countries, you need to carry both.
How old can you rent a car in the USA?
In the past, the rule was that only people over 25 could rent vehicles. Nowadays, it is possible to rent from the age of 20 or 21, depending on the rental company, for an extra fee.
I had a 24-year-old friend who had a great experience with Budget, and according to him at that time the company had the lowest rates for younger drivers.
Do you need a credit card?
Yes. In addition to needing a card to make the reservation, you also need to present it so that the company can do a short lock. This amount will only be charged if any of the contract items are not complied with, and in general it is unlocked after you return the vehicle.
The card must be in the renter's name.
What is included in the rental price?
Again, it depends on the rental company and the type of rate.
It is possible to rent cars in the economic (Chevrolet Spark), compact (Nissan Versa), intermediate (Toyota Corolla), premium (Chevrolet Impala), SUV (Hyundai Santa Fe), luxury (Chrysler), minivan (Dodge Grand Caravan) and convertible ( Chevrolet Camaro). The models in parentheses are examples used by rental companies. It's important to understand that this car won't necessarily be available, and that you could end up with a similar one.
Among these categories, there are different types of rental. Most of them offer the condition of free km, so you can drive as much as you want during your stay with the car. Some already include specific insurance in the daily price (I'll talk more about this in the next topic), as well as GPS or an additional driver. Child and baby seats cost extra.
If GPS is not included, do the math to see if it really it is worth it pay for it. The price is usually per night, and sometimes costs up to US$10 per day. With this amount, in five days you have already paid for a cell phone chip with unlimited internet and can use apps like Waze or Google Maps so you don't get lost.
If you are in a group with a lot of luggage, it is important to note the trunk size of the cars in the chosen category.
What are the mandatory insurances?
This is the most difficult question to answer. Although some sites simply explain that “insurance is mandatory“, there is no confirmation of this on any American government website, even in the part that talks about car rentals for foreigners.
Despite this, I recommend tightly that you take out insurance. You never know what could happen, and just like health services, traffic accidents are not cheap in the country, especially if they involve other people.
There are three main car rental insurances in the United States:
- Collision damage waiver (CDW): This insurance is actually protection that exempts you from paying for any damage to the vehicle or theft of it. At Rentcars, this insurance is already included in most reservations, with no excess value. One less worry.
- Additional Liability Insurance (ALI): Insurance that covers material or personal damage to third parties.
- Personal Accident Insurance (PAI): Covers medical costs due to crashes or vehicle accidents. If you have travel insurance (which is more than recommended for the United States, as I explained in this post) you don't need to hire a FATHER.
- Personal effects Insurance (PEI): It has several names, but in general it is insurance that covers your belongings if they are stolen from inside your car.
None of them are mandatory, but I suggest hiring at least the first two. You do not need to purchase coverage with the rental company, and you can opt for other companies that offer this type of service.
Some credit cards also offer free CDW if you pay for the rental using the card. This is the case, for example, with Visa Platinum. Pay attention to the duration of coverage, as it is usually only valid for 30 days!
Important traffic rules
The traffic rules are similar to the Brazilian ones, and if you are used to driving in Brazil you won't have many problems. Still, laws vary from state to state, so it's important to check with the traffic department at your specific destination. It is worth remembering that in the United States the speed system is in miles per hour, not in kilometers.
A difference in relation to our code is that right turns are allowed even when the signal is red, except when otherwise indicated..
On the largest highways there are carpool lanes, which in literal translation would be a hitchhiking lane. Anyone with more than one person in the car (or two, depending on the state) can take advantage of this queue, which generally moves faster than the others around it.
Rules regarding school buses also vary, but in general if the bus is stopped with lights flashing, drivers in both lanes must stop and wait for the lights to go out. It is done this way because children may be crossing at that point.
Drinking (or being intoxicated by other drugs) and driving is a federal offense, which can result in jail time. This rule applies to all states.
How do tolls work?
Tolls (tolls) in the country have the same aim as in Brazil, to raise money for track maintenance. There are some that still allow payment in cash, while in others the charge is made automatically.
The first case is no mystery even with car rental in the United States, but the second can cause numerous fees to appear on your credit card. Automatic payment can be made in two ways: through the vehicle's license plate or devices such as SunPass or EZ Pass (similar to Sem Parar).
To use the pay-by-plate service, rental companies usually charge a flat fee per rental day, even if you only pass through a toll booth on a single day. Most of them charge US$3.95 per night, with a maximum of US$19.75. Prices vary depending on the company.
To avoid this cost, the ideal is to use payment systems through devices. Rental companies also offer this extra, which you again pay per day (the Florida SunPass was around US$10 per day), but you don't have to pay the tolls, gaining “unlimited use”.
To save even more, you can buy your own device at stores like CVS or Walgreens and load up on it to use at tolls. It is unlikely that you will go through so many tolls per day that justifies renting the device for all the days of booking, so this is usually the cheapest option.
How do I refuel?
The gas station in the United States works the same as in Brazil, with the exception of the lack of a gas station attendant. You yourself are responsible for fueling the car.
Brazilian cards don't work at pumps, then you need to pay inside the convenience store. Just explain the pump number and the amount you want to put in, and the cashier will let you fill the tank. Advertised prices are per gallon, not per liter. To avoid being charged by the rental company, return the car with a full tank, as the price of gasoline is obviously lower at stations.
As you can see, there are several rules for car rental in the United States, but nothing that a little research can't solve. It's not a big deal, and my family and I have already rented it on several trips and, apart from another extra charge, we haven't had any problems. Recalling that you can get a no-obligation quote with Rentcars, and that the company has a best price guarantee!
Do you have any questions? Leave it in the comments! 🙂
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“Brazilian cards don't work at pumps”, I only pay with a Brazilian credit card.
Do you swear, Vania? I never managed it, neither with Master nor with Visa! I'll update the post, thanks for the tip! 🙂