Use a Rental Car Wisely | Ultimate Dos and Don’ts Guide

If you regularly make use of rental cars, you have probably wondered what you can and can’t do in a rental car. While it makes sense that you should not do anything that you’re not supposed to do in any other car in a rental car. For instance, breaking the law: don’t drink and drive; don’t do illegal drugs; don’t commit crimes; don’t traffic anything illegally and don’t cross borders illegally. But there are also many things you can use a rental car to do. 

In this post, we delve into the dos and don’ts of rental cars. 

Answered: Web’s Most Searched Questions About Rental Car Use 

Question: Can I pay car rental fees by debit card?

Answer: Some car rental companies are more flexible in terms of car rental payments. Here’s a quick breakdown of the rules – a car rental comparison, if you will. 

use a rental car

Question:  Can you use a hire car for Uber?

Answer:  So, you’re thinking about using a hire car to start a driving business on the side. 

That means that you don’t have to buy a car if you don’t already have one. If you have a car, you don’t have to rack miles onto your car, thus deflating your investment. It’s a good shout, but are you actually allowed to do that? Can you use a rental to drive for Uber?

According to Uber, rental vehicles must belong to an approved partnership if they were to be used on Uber. You can be permanently deactivated if you are caught using an unapproved rental. The Uber Vehicle Solutions and Vehicle Marketplace offer vehicle solutions for driver-partners in some cities.


Question:  Can you use a rental for Lyft?

Answer: According to Lyft, the company only approves vehicles rented through the Express Drive program for use on the Lyft platform.

Question: Can I use my personal e ZPass in a rental?

Answer: Some car companies include an E-ZPass transponder with their rental car contracts, but can you use your EZ pass in a hire car, instead? If you wish to use your own E-Zpass transponder, you can enjoy the E-ZPass and Express lanes as you would in your own car. 

Question:  How do I transfer my transponder to another car?

Answer:  How does EZPass work with a rental? I’m glad you asked. Sticker transponders may not be moved from one vehicle to another. 

You can move a hardcase transponder between different vehicles on the same account. Simply close the box containing the rental car’s transponder, and hold your own transponder up to the windshield as you approach the toll plaza. 

Question:  Can two cars use one transponder?

Answer: Although it is not a good idea to share a transponder, it’s sometimes necessary. You can share a transponder between any vehicles attached to the same I-PASS account. Always ensure that the transponder is securely mounted whenever you drive on the toll roads.

Question: Can you take tolls in a rental?

Answer: You may be wondering, what happens if you go through a toll in a rental. If you decline paying for a transponder upfront and drive on a toll road, you’re likely to end up paying higher fees and administrative fees.

Question: How can I avoid tolls on my rental? 

Answer: Someone has to pay for tolls; either you or the rental car company. When you rent a car, you take responsibility for the costs. If you use the rental company’s transponder, they will charge it to you, along with an admin fee. Of course, it may be the case that you don’t want a record of you traveling through a toll plaza. Either way, you have a few options:

Question: Does Enterprise pay for tolls that you collect in a rental car? 

With most car rental companies, according to AutoSlash, if you don’t have your own transponder, the rental car company will forward the toll charge to you. They will also likely charge an administration fee. 

Enterprise works with local transport authorities in certain locations to transfer liability for tolls and other violations to the customer.

Question: What documentation is needed to rent a car?

Answer: Car rental companies typically require certain documents from you before allowing you to rent from them. 

use a rental car

Question: Can I use a car rental to …?

Answer: In short, it is best to ask the company whether you can use a rental to __ fill in the blanks.