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California car rentals

Driver's age: 26-65
Tue 26/3
Tue 2/4

Search hundreds of rental car sites at once for car rental deals in California

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Cheap car hire in California

Economy$54/day
Compact$54/day
Intermediate$56/day
Standard$59/day
Full-size$68/day
People mover$145/day
Full-size SUV$90/day
Premium$68/day
Luxury$98/day
Supplier choice$56/day
Intermediate SUV$65/day
Standard SUV$72/day
Best prices found by KAYAK users in the past 48 hours.

Top tips for hiring a car in California

  • All car hirers in California are required to produce a valid driver's licence with an expiration date that does not fall within the present hire period. You can also hire a car even if you don't have a licence issued by the US government. All you need to do is present a passport and either an international licence or your licence from Australia.
  • When two cars meet on a steep road and neither can pass, the car facing downhill is required to back up to let the other pass, since when backing up a slope, the car that is facing downhill has more control. When it comes to stop signs in California, they are more frequent than traffic lights. All motorists must come to a full stop at any stop sign.
  • If your blood alcohol level is 0.08% or more, you are not allowed to operate a motor vehicle in California. Also, you are only allowed to operate a cellphone while driving if you’re using a hands-free device or when you need to call for assistance in an emergency.
  • 25% of our users found rental cars in California for $78 or less
  • Book your rental car in California at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
  • Off-airport rental car locations in California are around 65% more expensive than airport locations on average
  • Premium rental cars in California are around 9% cheaper than other car types, on average

FAQs about hiring a car in California

  • How much does it cost to hire a car in California?

    On average a car hire in California costs $84 per day.

  • What is the most popular car hire in California?

    Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar) is the most frequently booked car hire type in California.

  • What is the cheapest car hire company in California?

    In the past 72 hours, the cheapest car hires were found at Thrifty ($54/day), Dollar ($65/day) and Fox ($91/day).

  • What is the best car hire company in California?

    Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car hire companies in California are Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8.3, 167 reviews), Alamo (8.2, 133 reviews), and Avis (7.2, 83 reviews).

  • How can I find car hires near me in California?

    Take a look at our extensive car hire location map to find the best car hire deals near you.

  • Where should I hire a car in California?

    Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to hire a car in California are Burbank (23% of total searches of users looking to hire a car in California), Oakland (8%) and Monterey (8%).

  • How much does it cost to hire a car for a week in California?

    On average a car hire in California costs $602 per week ($86 per day).

  • How much does it cost to hire a car long term for a month in California?

    On average a car hire in California costs $2,578 per month ($86 per day).

  • Should I hire a car in California?

    Given that California is quite large with numerous sprawling cities, hiring a car is a practical and economical way to get around the area. Even though the majority of large cities have their own public transportation networks, driving is still often faster and easier. Los Angeles, Sacramento and San Diego are a few cities in California that are best navigated with a vehicle. Having access to your own car can also come in handy, especially if you plan on visiting a more rural city or taking a road trip.

  • What is driving like in California?

    California is typically warm and sunny. However, it’s at times rainy, which is a critical time to drive yourself around. When it's raining, go at a slower speed and make sure to utilise your windscreen wipers and headlights. Also, ensure that you have the appropriate tyre chains for your hire car's tyres if you plan to drive in the snow during winter. Try to stay in the right lane whenever you are on a road or freeway with numerous lanes, unless when overtaking. Remember that a left turn from one one-way street to another one-way street can only be made when the signal is red. Unless it’s clearly banned, you can usually turn right at a red light after stopping completely and checking for approaching traffic. You have to pre-pay for your petrol in California. If you are using a credit card, you’ll need to swipe your card at the pump to activate the pump. You’ll also be required to provide your postal code to prevent credit card fraud.

  • How old do you have to be to hire a car in California?

    Most car hire companies require that you be at least 21 years old in order to hire a vehicle in California. If you’re between the ages of 21 and 24 and need to hire a car, you’ll likely pay a young hirer fee and may only be allowed to hire certain classes of vehicles.

Car rental directory

  • enterprise

    Enterprise Rent-A-Car car hire locations in California

    32 Locations

  • hertz

    Hertz car hire locations in California

    22 Locations

  • budget

    Budget car hire locations in California

    11 Locations

  • avis

    Avis car hire locations in California

    10 Locations

  • thrifty

    Thrifty car hire locations in California

    5 Locations

  • sunnycars

    Sunnycars car hire locations in California

    4 Locations

  • alamo

    Alamo car hire locations in California

    3 Locations

  • dollar

    Dollar car hire locations in California

    3 Locations

  • easirent

    Easirent car hire locations in California

    3 Locations

  • national

    National car hire locations in California

    3 Locations

  • airportvanre

    Airport Van car hire locations in California

    2 Locations

  • europcar

    Europcar car hire locations in California

    2 Locations

Good to know

Most popular agency

Thrifty

Most popular car type

Premium

Average price

$93/day

Good deal

$78/day

When to book a rental car in California

Average daily price per month
Car hire prices as pick-up date approaches