Last Updated on December 1, 2022 by Rachel
Thinking of driving a rental car to earn income as an Uber driver? It’s possible—as long as you rent the vehicle through an approved partner company in one of a dozen or so select locations.
Uber certainly does not discourage drivers from using rental cars. But its policy is clear that “rental vehicles must be part of an approved partnership for drivers in order to be used on the Uber platform. The use of an unapproved rental car can result in permanent deactivation.” In other words: It’s okay for drivers to use a rental car, but choose the wrong rental company and you could be blackballed from Uber.
Approved Car Rental Uber Partners
Uber has partnerships in place with various rental car companies, but note that they are location-specific.
Rent from Hertz, Drive for Uber
Uber drivers can rent a vehicle on a weekly basis through Hertz. In a nutshell:
- Available in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Inland Empire (CA), Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, Orange County, San Antonio, and the San Francisco Bay Area
- Available for a weekly rentals at a base rate of $214, plus a $200 refundable deposit
- Unlimited miles
- Maintenance, insurance, and options to renew week to week for up to 28 days are included
Rent from Avis, Drive for Uber
Uber drivers can rent a vehicle on a weekly basis through Avis. In a nutshell:
- Available in Atlanta, Austin, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dallas, Denver, Houston, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis – St. Paul, Nashville, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland, Raleigh-Durham, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, St. Louis, and Washington, DC. (Coming soon to the following cities: Milwaukee, Phoenix, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.)
- Available for a weekly rentals at a base rate of $214, plus a $200 refundable deposit
- Unlimited miles
- Maintenance, insurance, and options to renew week to week for up to 28 days are included
Rent from Getaround, Drive for Uber
Uber drivers in the San Francisco Bay Area can rent a vehicle on a hourly basis through Getaround. In a nutshell:
- Available in Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Denver, Los Angeles, Portland, Philadelphia, and San Diego
- Rent a car parked near you for just $5 per hour
- Pay only for the time you drive
- Your first day—up to 12 hours—is free
- Insurance, basic maintenance, and 24/7 support are included
What to Know About Driving a Rental Car for Uber
- Maintenance, insurance, and roadside assistance are often included. The insurance may be different depending on whether you are offline (not driving on the Uber app) or online (driving with the Uber app on but no passenger) or on trip (matched with a rider and on your way to pick them up or drop them off).
- There may also be a deductible if you damage the car
- You are responsible for taxes, fees, gas, and other additional charges
- You can select how long to rent and can typically extend the rental dates if you like
- There may be limits on the branches where you can pick up and return the vehicle
- The program may have rewards or incentives to encourage you to continue renting with that particular partner
- Car types may be limited. For Hertz, the car is usually a compact sedan such as a Hyandai Sonata
- You will probably have to pay with a credit card. They may refuse to accept debit cards or cash.
- You can usually exchange the car if there is a problem
What Happens if You Break the Rules
Sometimes drivers break Uber’s rules and will decide to drive a car that is not on their profile. If Uber finds out, it can deactivate you.
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