Trying to rent a car in Colorado but not sure if you’re old enough? You’re in the right spot. The rules here aren’t set by the state — they’re set by each rental company. That means your options depend entirely on which agency you pick, how much you’re willing to pay, and whether you qualify for any fee waivers. Read through to the end — you might save yourself a serious chunk of money.
Colorado Has No Minimum Rental Age Law
Here’s the first thing to know: Colorado doesn’t have a law forcing rental companies to serve younger drivers.
States like New York and Michigan legally require rental agencies to rent to drivers as young as 18. Colorado doesn’t do that. The state sets 18 as the age of majority — meaning you can legally sign a rental contract — but no law forces companies to actually hand you the keys.
That means each company sets its own minimum age. And most of them set it at 21.
Under Colorado Revised Statutes Title 42, rental companies must verify that every driver holds a valid license before renting. That’s it. Everything else is up to the company.
Minimum Age Requirements by Rental Company in Colorado
Most major agencies cluster around 21, but a few go lower. Here’s the full breakdown:
| Rental Agency | Minimum Age in Colorado | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | 21 | Applies to Alamo and National too |
| National | 21 | Part of Enterprise Holdings |
| Alamo | 21 | Part of Enterprise Holdings |
| Avis | 21 | All Colorado airport and local locations |
| Budget | 21 | Owned by Avis Budget Group |
| Sixt | 21 | Strict 21-minimum at all Colorado locations |
| Hertz | 20 | Lowered its standard age to capture more young renters |
| Dollar | 20 | Owned by Hertz; mirrors parent company’s policy |
| Thrifty | 20 | Also Hertz-owned; same 20-year minimum |
| Fox Rent A Car | 19 | Lowest barrier at Denver International Airport |
So if you’re 20, your best bet is Hertz, Dollar, or Thrifty. If you’re 19, Fox is currently the only traditional agency that’ll rent to you in Colorado.
Hitting the minimum age doesn’t mean you’re in the clear, though. It just means you get to the counter. What comes next hits your wallet hard.
The Young Driver Fee: What You’ll Actually Pay
Every major agency charges a daily “young driver fee” if you’re under 25. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data consistently shows drivers under 25 cause accidents at much higher rates than older drivers. Rental companies use that data to justify the surcharge.
It’s not optional. It stacks on top of your base rate before taxes, insurance, or anything else.
| Rental Agency | Age Range | Daily Surcharge |
|---|---|---|
| Enterprise | 21–24 | $25.00 |
| Alamo | 21–24 | $25.00 |
| National | 21–24 | $25.00 |
| Avis | 21–24 | $27.00 |
| Budget | 21–24 | $27.00 |
| Hertz | 20–24 | $19–$25 |
| Dollar | 20–24 | $29.00 |
| Thrifty | 20–24 | $27–$29 |
| Sixt | 21–24 | $25–$30 |
| Fox Rent A Car | 19–20 | $25.99 |
| Fox Rent A Car | 21–24 | $22.00 |
Run the numbers on a 10-day trip: a $25/day surcharge adds $250 before your base rate, state fees, or insurance. A two-week road trip through the Rockies can add over $350 in young driver fees alone.
Fox is actually one of the cheaper options for drivers aged 21–24 at just $22/day. For 20-year-olds, Hertz tends to offer the most competitive total pricing.
What Vehicles Can You Actually Rent Under 25?
Even if you meet the age minimum and pay the surcharge, most agencies block younger drivers from their best vehicles.
Here’s what’s typically off-limits if you’re under 25:
- Full-size and premium SUVs — too expensive to repair, too risky to insure
- Luxury sedans — Hertz’s Dream Car, Prestige, and Adrenaline collections all require drivers to be at least 25
- Passenger vans and minivans — Avis and Budget restrict these to 25+
- Specialty and sports cars — Sixt locks premium European imports to drivers 25 and older
What you can typically rent: economy sedans, compact SUVs, intermediate cars, and standard pickup trucks. It’s functional. It’s just not exciting — and it won’t impress anyone pulling up to Vail.
How to Waive the Young Driver Fee
Here’s where things get useful. A few programs let you skip the surcharge entirely.
Military and Government Personnel
Active-duty military can rent at 18 with no young driver fee — but only when traveling on official orders. You’ll need to show those orders at the counter. Leisure travel usually reverts to standard age policies.
USAA Members
If you or a family member is connected to the military, USAA has negotiated some of the best young driver deals available:
- At Hertz, Avis, and Budget: USAA members can rent starting at 18 with the young driver fee fully waived
- At Enterprise, Alamo, and National: fee waived for ages 21–24
USAA members also get liability coverage and capped damage liability — usually between $5,000–$8,000 — if they decline the collision waiver.
AAA Members
AAA has a dedicated partnership with Hertz that waives the young driver fee for members aged 20–24. A basic AAA membership runs $40–$165 per year. On a three-day rental, you’ve already broken even. You also get:
- Waived additional driver fee (if the second driver is also AAA)
- 10% off prepaid fuel
- One free child safety seat — which is legally required in Colorado for young children
University Contracts
Students at CU and other Colorado institutions can sometimes rent for university business with fees waived for drivers aged 18–25. Check your school’s travel portal. The University of Colorado has this in place — but it strictly applies to official university travel, not personal trips.
Airport Rentals: Extra Hoops to Jump Through
Renting at Denver International Airport (DEN) is stricter than renting from a neighborhood location.
Most agencies prefer a credit card. If you use a debit card at DEN, Enterprise requires you to show a ticketed return flight. No return itinerary means the rental gets denied at the counter — even if you’re old enough and have the funds.
If you use a credit card but don’t have a return flight (say, you’re a local renting for a road trip), you may face:
- Authorization holds of $400–$850 depending on vehicle class
- A requirement to show your own collision and liability insurance
- Extra identity verification steps
Young local renters hit these walls more often than out-of-state tourists. Plan ahead.
Colorado’s Rental Car Taxes and Fees
You’re not just paying for the car. Colorado has one of the more aggressive rental car tax structures in the country.
In 2024, Colorado passed Senate Bill 24-184 to help fund Front Range passenger rail. It added a new “Congestion Impact Fee” layered on top of the existing Road Safety Fee. Here’s how the combined daily fee has grown:
- July 2023 – June 2024: $2.13/day
- January 2025 – June 2025: $5.23/day (Congestion Fee kicks in)
- July 2025 – June 2026: $5.34/day
- July 2026 – June 2027: $5.57/day
Colorado’s Department of Revenue confirms these rates, which continue rising with inflation through 2033.
On a 10-day rental, that’s over $53 just in state fees — before Denver’s sales tax of up to 11.25%, airport concession fees, and customer facility charges. The American Car Rental Association has challenged the fee in federal court, arguing it’s unconstitutional — but it’s still collecting while the case plays out.
Bottom line: taxes and fees can add over 55% on top of your base rate at a Denver airport location.
Alternative Options: Zipcar and Turo
If traditional agencies feel out of reach, two platforms lower the age barrier — with caveats.
Zipcar
Zipcar’s standard minimum age is 21. But if you’re a college student, Colorado State University’s Zipcar partnership lets students sign up at 18 with a valid university email. Fuel, insurance, and 180 miles per day are included in the rate.
There’s still a young driver fee:
- Ages 18–20 (off-campus): $1.50/hour or $12/day
- Ages 21–24 (off-campus): $0.75/hour or $6/day
- On-campus rates are roughly 50% less
It’s much cheaper than traditional surcharges — but the fees were recently added as accident rates among young users climbed.
Turo
Turo lets drivers as young as 18 book vehicles across Colorado. The inventory is massive — great for finding AWD vehicles for mountain passes in winter.
The catch: fees for young drivers on Turo are steep.
- Under 21: ~$50/day surcharge, mandatory protection plan required
- Ages 21–24: ~$30/day surcharge
Turo also blocks drivers under 21 from booking any vehicle worth more than $20,000. Premium or specialty vehicles require drivers to be 25 or 30+. Once you add the mandatory insurance plan and surcharge, Turo can actually cost more than a traditional agency for young renters.
The Quick Summary: Your Age and Best Options
- 18 years old: Turo (steep fees), Zipcar via university portal, or military/government rental with orders
- 19 years old: Fox Rent A Car at DEN ($25.99/day surcharge)
- 20 years old: Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty (fees roughly $19–$29/day); AAA members can waive Hertz fees
- 21–24 years old: All major agencies; fees run $22–$30/day; AAA or USAA membership can eliminate the surcharge entirely
- 25+: Standard rates, full inventory access, no surcharges
If you’re between 21 and 24 and renting for more than three days, a AAA membership pays for itself fast. If you have any military connection, a USAA account is the single best deal in the Colorado rental market for young drivers.
