Last Updated on August 5, 2025 by Kristin
If you’re renting a car in Colorado for the first time, you may be wondering what to expect in terms of tolls, insurance information and airport rentals. Whether you’re planning to explore the Rocky Mountains or getting a slice of city life in Denver or Boulder, renting a car is a great option for getting around. Here’s what to know about car rentals in Colorado.
Minimum Age to Rent a Car in Colorado
Major Car Rental Companies: Most rental car companies require customers to be at least 21 to rent a vehicle. However, most brands charge a “young renter fee” for drivers under 25. There are some exceptions. Hertz, for example, will rent a car to Colorado renters as young as 20. To avoid the young renter fee, consider joining an organization such as the American Automobile Association (AAA).
Other Options: For renters under 20, car sharing platform Turo is a solid option. Turo requires U.S. drivers to be at least 18 to book a trip, but there is something important to keep in mind. Drivers must be at least 21 to book a vehicle with a market value of more than $20,000. Like traditional rental car companies, Turo also requires drivers to pay a young renter fee. For drivers under 21, that fee starts at $50 per day, which reduces to $30 per day and up for ages 21-24. Drivers 21 and under must buy a Turo protection plan.
What Do You Need to Rent a Car in Colorado?
Driver’s License: Rental car companies in Colorado and any other U.S. state require drivers to show a hard copy of a valid driver’s license to rent a vehicle. Digital licenses are generally not accepted in any state.
Credit or Debit Card: Renters also have to show a credit or debit card that can cover the estimated rental charges and a deposit. The amount of the deposit depends on the rental car company, the location and type of vehicle. Debit cards tend to have more limits — some companies may not allow you to use one at the start of a reservation, and may require additional identification or proof of return travel at an airport.
Good Driving Record: Rental car companies may check to verify your driving record at their discretion. This may not happen all the time, but renters with a history of drunk or reckless driving or several accidents should consider that the rental car locations in Colorado or any other state may check their history. Rental car companies may have their own policies about what kind of driving record is acceptable.
Colorado Car Rental Insurance Laws
Liability Coverage: Liability insurance is included in Colorado rental car reservations, and the rental company may also offer supplemental liability protection (SLI) for an additional charge.
In Colorado, the minimum liability requirements for passenger vehicles are:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death to one person
- $50,000 for bodily injury or death per accident
- $15,000 for property damage per accident
Additional Driver Fees For Colorado Rentals
Rental car companies can charge additional driver fees for anyone beyond the driver making the reservation. However, rental car companies may waive the fees for spouses or co-workers. Enterprise, Alamo, Avis, Budget and National typically do not charge an additional driver fee for spouses, and Hertz waives the additional driver fee for spouses when a renter is a Gold Plus Rewards member.
State and Local Taxes and Fees for Colorado Rental Cars
When renting a car in Colorado, you may notice several additional taxes and fees on your bill depending on which location you are renting from. Here are a few of the most common taxes and fees:
Colorado Road Safety Fee: This $2.23-per-day fee goes toward road safety.
Congestion Impact Fee: Colorado now charges a $3 daily fee on rental cars to pay for transit projects.
Ownership Tax: Rental car companies may charge a 2% ownership tax in Colorado.
Sales Tax: This rate depends on the location. For example, Denver rentals are subject to 11.25% sales tax.
Colorado Airport Rentals
You’ll pay additional fees when renting at an airport, in addition to sales tax, local taxes and any extra charges the rental car company charges to recoup its costs of doing business.
Concession Recovery Fee: This charge equals 11.11% of your rental charges at certain facilities including airports, which helps cover the rental car company’s fees.
Customer Facility Charge: Rental car companies may also charge a customer facility fee to maintain the rental car facility. This charge varies depending on the airport.
Denver International Airport (DEN): $10 per day
Colorado Springs Airport (COS): $2.50 per day
Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE): $5.50 per day
Durango-La Plata County Airport (DRO): $3 per day
Toll Roads in Colorado
Colorado does have some toll roads. If you plan to travel along any stretches of roads with tolls, understand in advance how to pay for them to avoid fines.
Colorado Toll Locations: Colorado has three main types of toll roads. These include the 47-mile E-470 highway outside of Denver, the CDOT Express Lanes from Denver to Boulder and other cities and the Northwest Parkway north of Denver.
How to Pay: Rental car companies offer their own transponder for toll roads, but expect to pay an extra charge to use the service depending on the rental company. These can range from a fee of $4 per day in addition to tolls to as much as about $15 for an unlimited pass. While these fees are usually capped for each reservation, they still add up. To avoid these charges, the local toll collection service ExpressToll offers instructions on how to create an account and add a rental car. Note that you must do this before driving the rental car on a toll road and add start and end dates. Rental cars may already have ExpressToll stickers on their vehicles, so if you plan to opt out of the service it’s best to notify the agent when picking up the car to avoid any confusion.
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