California additional rental car driver

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Hello everyone. I am headed to DL in late May and I've read online that by law, California rental companies allow you to add an additional driver to the rental car for free. However, I'm not sure if the additional driver has to be a spouse or if it can be anyone. My BF and I both want to be drivers, our licenses have the same address if that means anything.

Does anyone know?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

When renting a car in California, spouses are automatically authorized drivers at no extra charge.

Beyond that, it's up to the rental car company. Often, if it's a business rental using a corporate code, co-workers are automatically authorized.

It's important to allow only authorized drivers to drive your rental car for insurance reasons.

Being unmarried partners of the same or opposite sex with drivers licenses showing the same address might be helpful in some cases. Are you a AAA member? Are you renting from Hertz? If so, see the Hertz Rental Qualifications and Requirements

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Thanks for the response, that is what I was afraid of.

At this point I think it'd be cheaper to just get married than get both our names on a rental car.

I checked AAA and hertz and it was about $400. I also know if both drivers are Alamo Insiders you can have an additional driver for free, that price was about $350.

 

[happybaker]

I rented a car in San Diego this past November and had no trouble adding my boyfriend as an additional driver. And we have different addresses on our licenses. I think we rented from Budget.

Holly

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The policy and cost for an additional authorized driver varies based on rental car company, contract code, state, and the relationship between the primary and addition driver.

It can involve identifying the additional driver at the time of rental and paying an additional $10 to $15 per day.

It can involve identifying the additional driver at the time of rental and paying nothing extra.

Or it can involve automatically having the additional driver authorized (as is often the case for a spouse or domestic partner).

The easiest thing is to call the rental car company, explain the situation, and see what they say.