"At $13–$15 per day, adding a second driver to a week-long rental can cost $90 before you have left the car park. Most travellers already qualify for a waiver — they just do not know to ask for it."
Your additional driver is a spouse or partner — six of nine major suppliers waive the fee with no programme needed
Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty — spouse pays full rate without their free loyalty programme
The additional driver fee is one of the most routinely charged and most routinely avoidable fees in car rental. At $13–$15 per day per driver, it adds up fast on longer trips — and most couples sharing driving duties already qualify for a free waiver at the majority of US suppliers without doing anything special.
The catch is that three major suppliers — Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty — do not extend that waiver automatically. At those brands, a spouse pays the full daily rate unless the primary renter is enrolled in their free loyalty programme before booking. The difference between knowing and not knowing that detail is roughly $90 on a seven-day rental.
Which suppliers waive the fee for a spouse or domestic partner?
Six of the nine major US suppliers waive the additional driver fee for a spouse or domestic partner with no programme required. Three do not — but all three have free loyalty programmes that fix it. Sixt sits apart: no spouse waiver exists at any tier.
| Supplier | Daily rate | Cap | Spouse/partner free? | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | $15/day | No cap | Always free | No programme required. State law caps or eliminates the fee in New York and California — see state rules section below. |
| Alamo | $15/day | No cap | Always free | No programme required. Spouse does not need to appear at counter. |
| National | $15/day | No cap | Always free | Spouse free for all renters. Emerald Club members also get immediate family at same address free. |
| Avis | $13/day | Max $65 | Always free | Most generous policy: spouse does not need to be present at pickup. Employer and fellow employees also free on business trips. |
| Budget | $13/day | Max $65 | Always free | No programme required. |
| Fox | $10-$12.99/day | No cap | Always free | Spouse/domestic partner free at corporate US locations. Verify at your specific location — Fox policies are location-set. |
| Hertz | $13.50/day | Max $189 | With membership | Spouse free only with Gold Plus Rewards membership (free to join). AAA and USAA members also qualify. Without membership, spouse pays full rate. |
| Dollar | Varies | Varies | With membership | Spouse free only with Express Rewards membership (free to join). AAA members also qualify. Without membership, spouse pays. |
| Thrifty | Varies | Varies | With membership | Spouse free only with Blue Chip Rewards membership (free to join). AAA members also qualify. Without membership, spouse pays. |
| Sixt | ~$10-$15/day | Varies | Fee applies | No spouse waiver at any level. One driver free for Gold, Platinum, or Diamond status members only — earned through rental frequency. |
Supplier FAQ pages and published rental conditions, June 2026. Dollar and Thrifty rates vary by location. Partner means spouse or domestic partner — a friend or travel companion is a different situation, covered in the memberships section below.
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Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty: join the free programme before you book
All three programmes are free to join and take a few minutes to set up. The key is that your membership number needs to be on the reservation before you arrive — enrolling at the counter does not reliably trigger the waiver. Hertz Gold Plus Rewards and Dollar Express Rewards are straightforward online sign-ups. Thrifty Blue Chip was previously paused and was reinstated in August 2024, so if you have an older account, log in to confirm it is still active before the rental.
Why Avis is the most flexible for couples
Avis has the most permissive additional driver policy among major US suppliers. A spouse or life partner is free with no programme required — and uniquely, they do not need to appear at the counter at pickup. For most other suppliers, every additional driver must present their licence and a credit card in their name at the rental location. If your partner is not travelling with you but will join later in the trip, Avis is the only major supplier that accommodates this without a counter visit.
National's Emerald Club extends further than just a spouse
National waives the additional driver fee for all renters' spouses and domestic partners — that baseline is the same as Enterprise and Alamo. But Emerald Club members get a broader waiver: any immediate family member (parent, child, sibling) who shares the same address on their driving licence also drives free. Emerald Club is free to join. For families renting together where multiple adults may drive, National is the strongest option in the Enterprise Holdings group.
Travelling with a friend, adult child, or colleague? These memberships help
If the additional driver is not a spouse or domestic partner, the fee applies at almost every supplier. Several memberships change that — and if you already hold one, the waiver is one discount code away at booking.
AAA (roadside assistance and travel club) waives the fee for any additional driver — not just a spouse — at Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty. The strongest option for friends or adult children. Code must be on the reservation at booking, not added at the counter.
AARP (the over-50 membership) gets one free additional driver at Avis and Budget. Most useful for non-spouse drivers since Avis already waives the fee for a spouse regardless. Apply the AARP code at booking.
Costco (warehouse membership) waives the fee at Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise. The additional driver does not need to be a Costco member but must present a licence and credit card at the counter. Code must be in the reservation — the waiver is tied to the rate, not the card.
USAA (military and veterans financial services) gets one free additional driver at Avis, Budget, Enterprise, and Hertz. USAA-covered family members are automatically authorised drivers at those suppliers. Apply the discount code at booking.
If none of those waivers apply: what you will actually pay
If none of the waiver conditions apply, here is what the fee actually costs on a typical rental. A seven-day rental with one additional driver at Enterprise or National runs $105 before taxes. At Avis or Budget with the $65 cap, the same rental is capped at $65. Hertz's $189 cap is reached in 14 days — on a two-week rental, the fee is the same whether you add one day or two weeks.
Dollar and Thrifty do not publish a national rate — the amount varies by location and reservation timing. Both sit in the same ownership group as Hertz, and reported rates from US travellers typically fall in the $10–$14/day range, but confirm at your specific location before booking.
State rules worth knowing
New York caps additional driver fees at $5 per day by law for all suppliers. Spouses and domestic partners drive free in New York regardless of which supplier you book. This is the most renter-friendly cap in any US state.
California goes furthest. Since 2022, California allows suppliers to charge for additional drivers who fall outside a defined list of relationships — but that list is broad: spouses, children, siblings, parents, grandparents, employers, and coworkers all drive free by law. In practice, most travellers renting in California are not going to pay an additional driver fee regardless of which supplier they book.
Nevada is the exception that catches people out. Nevada does not mandate a free spouse driver. Fees are capped annually for inflation and run approximately $11–$15 per day depending on the supplier. Do not rely on Nevada state law to waive the charge for a spouse — use the loyalty programme or membership route instead.
Skipping the fee: what actually happens if something goes wrong
The fee is not just an admin charge — it is what transfers insurance coverage to the second driver. Without being listed on the contract, an additional driver has no coverage if something goes wrong.
On an uneventful trip the supplier has no way of knowing someone else drove. The issue is what happens if there is an accident — police reports and insurance claims identify who was behind the wheel, and if that person was not on the contract, the rental's coverage does not apply. The primary renter, who signed the agreement, ends up responsible for the repair costs. It is not a risk that shows up on every trip — only on the worst one.
The verdict
If you haven't booked yet: check the supplier table above before choosing. If you are adding a spouse, Enterprise, Alamo, National, Avis, Budget, and Fox all waive the fee automatically — no action required. If the best price is with Hertz, Dollar, or Thrifty, spend two minutes enrolling in their free loyalty programme first and add your membership number at booking. Sixt is the one supplier where no waiver path exists for a spouse — factor that fee into the price comparison. For the rest of what's worth checking before you book, the full pre-rental checklist covers it alongside this.
If you're already booked: check whether your confirmation shows a loyalty membership number for the supplier. If you are with Hertz, Dollar, or Thrifty and the number is missing, call the supplier to add it before pickup — do not leave it for the counter. Bring your additional driver's licence and a credit card in their name unless you are with Avis (spouse only) or renting in New York or California.
If you've been charged and weren't expecting it: check your rental agreement to confirm whether a waiver condition applied — loyalty membership, state law, or spouse status. If it did and the charge appeared anyway, contact the supplier in writing with your agreement and membership documentation. Give them one week, then raise a credit card dispute if unresolved.
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- If an unlisted driver has an accident, the supplier's insurance won't cover it — the primary renter ends up responsible for the damage costs. The fee is cheap compared to that outcome.
- Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty charge the full rate for a spouse unless you hold their free loyalty programme — sign up before you book, not at the counter.
- Sixt has no spouse waiver at any level. A free additional driver requires earned status (Gold, Platinum, or Diamond), which is based on rental frequency.
- Adding a driver not on the rental contract voids your insurance coverage — even a spouse driving without being listed.
- Young driver surcharges apply separately and stack on top of the additional driver fee for anyone under 25.
- Dollar and Thrifty loyalty programmes were previously paused. Both were reinstated in 2024 — confirm your account is active before the rental.
- The additional driver must typically present a valid licence and credit card at the counter. Avis is the main exception for spouses — they do not need to be present.
Frequently asked questions
Does my spouse always drive free on a rental car?
At Enterprise, Alamo, National, Avis, Budget, and Fox, yes — no programme required. At Hertz, Dollar, and Thrifty, a spouse drives free only if you are a member of their free loyalty programme (Gold Plus Rewards, Express Rewards, and Blue Chip respectively). At Sixt, no spouse waiver exists at any level.
Do I need to sign up for a loyalty programme before I book?
Yes, if you are renting with Hertz, Dollar, or Thrifty and want the spouse waiver. Enrol online before booking and add your membership number to the reservation. Showing up at the counter and enrolling on the spot does not reliably trigger the waiver.
Does the additional driver need to be at the counter?
At most suppliers, yes — any additional driver, including a spouse, must appear at the counter with a valid licence and credit card. Avis is the main exception: a spouse or life partner does not need to be present at pickup. National is also flexible for Emerald Club members — the spouse does not need to attend if the licence details are already on the profile.
I already have a booking — what should I do before pickup?
If you need an additional driver and you are renting with Hertz, Dollar, or Thrifty, check whether your loyalty membership number is on the reservation before you arrive. If it is not, call ahead to add it. For all other suppliers, bring the additional driver's licence and a credit card in their name to the counter.
Does the free additional driver benefit apply to drivers under 25?
The additional driver fee waiver and the young driver surcharge are two separate charges. Even when the additional driver fee is waived — for a spouse at Enterprise, for example — a young driver surcharge still applies if the additional driver is under 25. The two fees stack. What each supplier charges for the young driver surcharge is in our young driver fee guide.
Is the additional driver fee cheaper in New York or California?
New York caps additional driver fees at $5 per day by law, and spouses drive free. California goes further: spouses, children, siblings, parents, grandparents, employers, and coworkers are all exempt. Outside those states, fees run $13–$15 per day depending on supplier.
What actually happens if someone drives who is not on the rental agreement?
On a trip where nothing goes wrong, the supplier has no way of knowing. The issue is what happens if there is an accident — police reports and insurance claims identify who was driving, and if that person was not listed on the contract, the rental's insurance coverage does not apply to the incident. The primary renter, who signed the agreement, ends up responsible for the repair costs. It is not a rule that gets enforced daily — it is a risk that only shows up in the worst moment of the trip.
