need to rent a car

December 16, 2006 3:39 PM

do car rental companies do a dmv check before you can take the car?
posted by jmarq to travel & transportation (11 comments total)

No. They just check to make sure you're old enough to rent, and that you can pay whatever deposit they deem necessary.
posted by killdevil at 4:34 PM on December 16, 2006

I rented a car Wecnesday and if they did a DMV check on me, they did it pretty unobtrusively. I didn't notice a thing.
posted by faceonmars at 4:35 PM on December 16, 2006

A few years ago, I remember reading that some of the big rental-car companies were going to start doing so, but as far as I can tell, it hasn't happened yet.
posted by deadmessenger at 4:45 PM on December 16, 2006

Well, they'll certainly ask to see your driver license, and record that information. It's not impossible for them to do a check, but it's not common afaik.
posted by bilabial at 5:24 PM on December 16, 2006

The Federal Trade Commission says it is increasingly common. Check ahead if you have a concern.
posted by rmhsinc at 5:37 PM on December 16, 2006

I rented a car from Budget a few weeks ago and unless they're able to get DMV records from out of state immediately, they didn't check mine.
posted by cmonkey at 5:58 PM on December 16, 2006

A friend of mine had an unpaid ticket before leaving Wisconsin. However, he kept his Wisconsin DL. As a result, when he came back to visit last fall, Budget declined to rent to him.
posted by princesspathos at 6:22 PM on December 16, 2006

No, but some of them actually do a fucking credit check. Because, you know, your FICO score shows what kind of a driver you are! *eyeroll*

This was with Hertz. Avis never bothered be. Budget never bothered me.

There's always Rent-A-Wreck.
posted by drstein at 6:41 PM on December 16, 2006

avoid hertz at all cost anyway. they will try to scam you out of an extra load of gas upon return. (at least they tried that with me. their response: "you didn't tell us you filled it up." yeah, right.)
posted by krautland at 9:53 PM on December 16, 2006

No. I worked at Dollar/Thrify Rent a Car for 5 years, and at Hertz for two years. They do a Homeland Security check on you, meaning looking to see if your on the "no fly" list. The feds force all rental car companies to do that for the US Patriot Act. no biggie, just Big Brother watching, thats all. Watch list screening.
posted by BillsR100 at 10:21 PM on December 16, 2006

Hertz sure as hell does a credit check. I have a copy of my credit report sitting right here on my desk and there's an inquiry from Hertz.

I wish my Homeland Security file would show up on my credit report too. :D
posted by drstein at 10:07 AM on December 17, 2006