You can rent a car in Hawaii at 18, but almost none of the major national chains will hand you the keys. Their Hawaii locations set minimum ages of 20 or 21, so the practical path for an 18-year-old is Turo or a local car-sharing service, both of which rent to drivers as young as 18 with a young-driver fee attached.
Why the National Chains Are Off the Table
Hawaii doesn’t set a statutory minimum age for renting a car, which leaves the decision to each rental company. Nearly all of them draw the line above 18 at their Hawaii counters:
- Hertz rents to drivers 20 and up at most U.S. locations. Hawaii isn’t among the limited exceptions (Michigan, New York, and Quebec) where 18-year-olds can rent.1Hertz. Under 25 Car Rental
- Dollar and Thrifty set their underage bracket at 20 to 24 in Hawaii, so 20 is the floor.
- Avis requires renters to be at least 21 in most states, with exceptions only in New York and Michigan.2Avis. Minimum Age to Rent a Car
- Enterprise requires renters to be 21 at Hawaii locations.3Enterprise. Kahului Airport (OGG) Car Rental
- National sets 21 as its minimum across the U.S. outside Michigan and New York.4National Car Rental. How Old Do You Have to Be to Rent a Car
A handful of smaller local agencies on the islands may rent to 18-year-olds, but their policies shift often. Call before you book a flight, not after you land.
Turo and Car-Sharing Are the Real Options
Turo, the peer-to-peer car-sharing platform, sets its minimum rental age at 18 in Hawaii.5Turo. Car Rental Hawaii You book directly from individual owners rather than a fleet, and inventory swings hard by island and season, so book early if you’re traveling in summer or around the winter holidays.
There’s a young driver fee for renters aged 18 to 24. It varies by trip length and other factors rather than following a flat daily rate, and once a trip is complete the fee cannot be waived or refunded.6Turo Support. Booking a Car The fee is calculated and shown during booking, so you’ll see the full number before you commit.
One coverage limit matters at your age. Turo renters aged 18 to 20 can pick the Standard or Minimum protection plan but not the Premier tier.7Turo Support. Protection Plans – In Detail The Premier plan carries the lowest deductible, so an 18-year-old will always be exposed to a higher out-of-pocket amount if something goes wrong. Build that into your budget.
Local car-sharing services operate on several of the islands and tend to be more flexible with younger drivers. Some accept debit cards as well as credit cards regardless of age, which helps if you don’t have a credit card in your own name yet. Fleets are smaller than the national chains, so availability is the main constraint.
What It Actually Costs
Two things drive the price beyond the base daily rate: the young driver fee and Hawaii’s stack of taxes and surcharges. On Turo, the young driver fee for 18- to 24-year-olds varies per trip.6Turo Support. Booking a Car At traditional chains (once you’re old enough to use one), the surcharge is usually a flat daily amount. Hertz, for instance, charges $25 per day for renters under 25, which adds $175 to a week-long rental before taxes.1Hertz. Under 25 Car Rental
On top of that, Hawaii layers a rental motor vehicle surcharge tax, general excise tax, and airport concession fees when you pick up at an airport. Plan on the total running 30 to 40 percent above the advertised daily rate once everything is added. Picking up from an off-airport location can cut the airport-specific piece.
Ways to Reduce the Young Driver Fee
USAA-insured members get the broadest relief. Hertz, Avis, and Budget waive underage fees for USAA members aged 18 to 24, and Enterprise, Alamo, and National waive them for members aged 21 to 24.8USAA. USAA Member Car Rental Discounts For an 18-year-old, that Hertz/Avis/Budget group is essentially the only route into a major national chain in Hawaii, subject to whatever the individual location decides.
Active-duty service members traveling on official orders can rent through the U.S. Government Rental Car Program starting at 18. A young driver fee may still apply for ages 18 to 20, but it’s reimbursable under the Joint Travel Regulations. Drivers 21 and up face no age-related costs through the program.9Defense Travel Management Office. Rental Car Program
Documents and Insurance
Whatever service you use, three things need to be in order before pickup:
- A valid, non-expired driver’s license. Most rental companies and platforms also want you to have held it for at least a year.
- A payment method in your own name. Traditional rental companies almost always require a major credit card for the security deposit. Peer-to-peer platforms are more flexible with debit cards.
- An international driving permit alongside your home-country license if you’re visiting from abroad and your license isn’t in English.10AAA. IDP International Driving Permit
You don’t need to carry your own auto insurance to rent in Hawaii. Rental companies in the state are required to include minimum liability coverage in every rental: $20,000 per person and $40,000 per accident for bodily injury, plus $10,000 for property damage. Those numbers are modest, and most drivers will want more, but not owning a personal policy doesn’t shut you out of renting.11CTAHR. Rental Car Insurance: Who Needs It?
If you have your own auto policy, its liability and collision coverage generally follows you into a rental car, though your deductible still applies. A Collision Damage Waiver from the rental company removes your responsibility for damage to the vehicle. Some credit cards include rental damage protection, but the fine print often excludes certain vehicle types or trip lengths, so read it before you rely on it.
Booking Tips for 18-Year-Old Renters
Start on Turo well before the trip. Hawaii inventory tightens fast in summer and around the winter holidays, and the better-priced vehicles go first. Enter your real age when you search so every fee is calculated correctly from the start. A surprise at checkout is annoying; finding out you’re ineligible after you’ve landed is worse.
At pickup, bring the physical driver’s license and the same card you booked with. Photograph the car from every angle, including close-ups of any existing scratches, dents, or interior wear, before you drive off. Two minutes there can save you hundreds if damage is disputed on return. Confirm the fuel policy and return time with the owner or agent so you don’t get hit with late fees or refueling charges.