Last Updated on August 26, 2025 by Kristin
Renting a car in South Carolina? Whether you’re planning a family beach trip to Hilton Head Island or traveling to Charleston on business, having your own vehicle is the most convenient way to explore the Palmetto State. If it’s your first time renting a car in the Palmetto State, there are a few things to keep in mind to make sure your trip goes as smoothly as possible. Here’s what you need to know about car rentals in South Carolina.
Minimum Age to Rent a Car in South Carolina
Major Car Rental Companies: In South Carolina and most other states, rental car companies require drivers to be at least 21. It is possible for younger drivers to rent in some cases. For example, Hertz will rent to drivers in South Carolina as young as 20. However, younger drivers can expect to pay added fees. Most rental car companies charge a daily “young renter fee” for drivers under 25, which can add up quickly. To avoid the young renter fee, consider joining an organization such as the American Automobile Association (AAA) or the United Services Automobile Association (USAA) if you qualify.
Other Options: Car sharing platform Turo is a good option for younger renters, but also has added fees. Turo rents to U.S. drivers 18 and over, but requires customers to be at least 21 to book a vehicle with a market value of more than $20,000. Turo’s young renter fee starts at $50 per day for drivers under 21, 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 South Carolina?
Driver’s License: Rental car companies in South Carolina 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 as a primary form of identification.
Credit or Debit Card: Renters also have to show a credit or debit card with sufficient funds to cover the estimated rental charges and a deposit. The amount of the deposit depends on the rental car company, the location and the type of vehicle. Debit cards tend to have more restrictions — for example, younger drivers may not be able to rent a car with only a debit card and some locations may require additional identification.
Good Driving Record: Rental car companies may check your driving history or have policies about what constitutes an acceptable driving record. Any renter with a history of reckless driving or several accidents should consider that the rental car locations in South Carolina or any other state may check their history.
South Carolina Car Insurance Laws
Liability Coverage: Liability insurance covers injuries and property damages to other parties. Rental car rates typically include minimum liability insurance coverage in South Carolina. Drivers — especially those without their own auto policies — may opt for the rental car company’s supplemental liability protection (SLI) option for an additional charge.
In South Carolina, the minimum liability requirements for passenger vehicles are:
- $25,000 for bodily injury for one person in an accident
- $50,000 for bodily injury for people injured in an accident
- $25,000 for property damage per accident
South Carolina also requires drivers to have uninsured motorist coverage equal to the minimum amounts above.
Always read the fine print and confirm how much liability coverage is included in the cost of the rental.
Additional Driver Fees For South Carolina Car Rentals
Rental car companies can charge additional driver fees in South Carolina for anyone else who may want to drive the vehicle. 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.
Taxes and Fees for South Carolina Car Rentals
Along with the base rental rate, you can expect to pay additional taxes and fees in South Carolina. Here are a few of the most common additional charges.
South Carolina Sales Tax: State and local sales taxes on your rental car will vary, usually totaling somewhere around 5%-9%.
Charleston 5% Rental Car User Fee: Rental car companies in the Charleston area charge a 5% rental car user fee.
South Carolina Airport Rentals
Expect to pay additional fees when renting at a South Carolina 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 usually 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.
Charleston International Airport (CHS): $10 per day
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): $4 per day
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP): $9 per day
Myrtle Beach Hospitality Fee: Myrtle Beach charges a 2.5% hospitality fee on rental car reservations.
Toll Roads in South Carolina
South Carolina Toll Roads: Good news — South Carolina only has one toll road in the whole state. The main toll road is the 16-mile I-185 Southern Connector in Greenville. This road is designed to help commuters avoid traffic, and it’s likely you will not need to use it. Hilton Head’s Cross Island Parkway used to have tolls, but is now free to use.
How to Pay: The Southern Connector offers payments in cash or credit card, or using a transponder called the Palmetto Pass. Rental car companies may offer use of their own transponder or toll service for an added fee. Unless you plan to commute south of Greenville often, we suggest simply avoiding this road in a rental car.
Related:
