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California car rentals

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Cheap car rentals in California

Discover the best prices and deals for you by selecting your travel dates.
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Class Economy Car car
Class Economy Car
or similar SMALL
2
2
4-5
$18/day
Nissan Versa car
Nissan Versa
or similar SMALL
4
2
4-5
$19/day
Toyota Corolla car
Toyota Corolla
or similar MEDIUM
5
3
4-5
$26/day
Class Standard Car car
Class Standard Car
or similar MEDIUM
5
3
4-5
$28/day
Nissan Altima car
Nissan Altima
or similar LARGE
5
2
4-5
$29/day
Class Oversize SUV car
Class Oversize SUV
or similar SUV
5
6
4-5
$194/day
Chrysler Pacifica car
Chrysler Pacifica
or similar VAN
5
5
4-5
$42/day
Ford Explorer car
Ford Explorer
or similar SUV
5
2
4-5
$35/day
Class Premium Car car
Class Premium Car
or similar LARGE
5
5
4-5
$29/day
Ford Transit car
Ford Transit
or similar VAN
5
2
4-5
$112/day
Mercedes-Benz E-Class car
Mercedes-Benz E-Class
or similar LUXURY
5
5
4-5
$46/day
Ford Mustang Convertible car
Ford Mustang Convertible
or similar CONVERTIBLE
5
3
2/4
$70/day
Toyota Tacoma car
Toyota Tacoma
or similar PICKUPTRUCK
5
3
2/4
$46/day
Class Premium SUV car
Class Premium SUV
or similar SUV
5
5
4-5
$70/day
Class Compact Wagon car
Class Compact Wagon
or similar SMALL
4
2
4-5
$25/day
Class Special Car car
Class Special Car
or similar Category
5
5
2/4
$27/day
Ford EcoSport car
Ford EcoSport
or similar SUV
4
2
4-5
$28/day
Kia Sportage car
Kia Sportage
or similar SUV
5
3
4-5
$31/day
Hyundai Santa Fe car
Hyundai Santa Fe
or similar SUV
5
3
4-5
$34/day
Ford Mustang car
Ford Mustang
or similar LUXURY
5
5
2-3
$48/day
Audi Q5 car
Audi Q5
or similar SUV
5
5
4-5
$54/day
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited car
Jeep Wrangler Unlimited
or similar SUV
5
2
2/4
$54/day
Best rates found by KAYAK users in the past 48 hours.

Top tips for renting a car in California

  • California is an incredibly vast and geographically diverse state, so there are some important things to remember when deciding about renting a car here. One thing to keep in mind is the type of driving you'll be doing in your rental car. If you will be staying in a major city, such as Los Angeles or San Francisco, a compact car is a great idea for traveling short distances and being able to find places to park when you arrive. If you will be traveling over long distances or you will be taking part in many of the outdoor adventures you can find in the state, a van or an SUV would be a better choice. There are some parts of the state that can have snowy and icy roads during wintertime, especially in some of the mountainous regions, so plan your rental accordingly if you are renting during this time of the year.
  • When you are driving a car in California, it is important to remember the laws governing children riding in cars. In California, if a child is two years old or younger, they must ride in a car seat that is rear-facing. The exception to this rule is if the child weighs more than 40 pounds or is more than 40 inches tall. For any children that are under the age of eight, they must sit in a car seat or a booster seat in the backseat. Any passenger in a vehicle that is over sixteen years old is subject to California's Mandatory Seatbelt Law.
  • Because California sits right on the border with Mexico, a question that often comes up is if a rental car can be driven into Mexico. Most rental car companies will let you take your car into Mexico but the rental will have certain restrictions, such as the need to purchase additional insurance to legally drive the car in Mexico. It is also important to remember that most rental car companies will not allow you to book one-way rentals into Mexico.
  • 25% of our users found rental cars in California for $41 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 7% more expensive than airport locations on average
  • Full-size rental cars in California are around 93% more expensive than other car types, on average

FAQs about renting a car in California

  • Should I rent a car in California?

    The choice about whether or not to rent a car in California comes down to how you plan on traveling while you are in the state. If you plan on staying in a large city, you can usually rely on public transportation or other transportation options, such as taxis and rideshare cars. While you can find public transportation options or flight options to take you longer distances in the state, in general, having a car is a much more convenient way to travel long distances in the very large state of California. Even if you plan on staying in a major city, if you will be making long trips from one side of the city to the other, a car is going to be a very convenient way to do that.

  • What is driving like in California?

    Driving in the larger cities in California, such as Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, can be a bit of a challenge for those that are not accustomed to driving here. You will often find very heavy traffic during many times of the day in and around the center of all the cities. For those that are not accustomed to trying to merge on and off congested freeways, this type of driving can be somewhat nerve-wracking. There are several toll roads that you will find throughout the state of California, especially as you get into major cities, so take that into account as you plan your route.

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

    For the most part, most rental car companies will let anybody that is twenty one years or older rent a car. A couple of exceptions to this age limit is if you plan on renting a luxury car or a premium SUV. In this case, the rental car company may expect you to be twenty five years old to rent a car. This age limit may also be imposed if you plan on using a debit card for your rental rather than a credit card.

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

    On average a rental car in California costs $54 per day.

  • What is the most popular rental car in California?

    Standard (Ford Edge or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in California.

  • What is the cheapest car rental company in California?

    In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at Fox ($25/day), Europcar ($27/day) and Hertz ($28/day).

  • What is the best rental car company in California?

    Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car rental companies in California are Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8.3, 128 reviews), Alamo (7.9, 112 reviews), and Avis (7.2, 86 reviews).

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

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

  • Where should I rent a car in California?

    Based on car searches on KAYAK, the most popular cities to rent a car in California are Burbank (42% of total searches of users looking to rent a car in California), Oakland (37%) and Monterey (7%).

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

    On average a rental car in California costs $401 per week ($57 per day).

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

    On average a rental car in California costs $1,718 per month ($57 per day).

Car rental locations in California

Car rental directory

  • enterprise

    Enterprise Rent-A-Car car rental locations in California

    33 Locations

  • hertz

    Hertz car rental locations in California

    23 Locations

  • budget

    Budget car rental locations in California

    11 Locations

  • avis

    Avis car rental locations in California

    10 Locations

  • thrifty

    Thrifty car rental locations in California

    7 Locations

  • dollar

    Dollar car rental locations in California

    6 Locations

  • sunnycars

    Sunnycars car rental locations in California

    4 Locations

  • alamo

    Alamo car rental locations in California

    3 Locations

  • easirent

    Easirent car rental locations in California

    3 Locations

  • national

    National car rental locations in California

    3 Locations

  • airportvanre

    Airport Van car rental locations in California

    2 Locations

  • europcar

    Europcar car rental locations in California

    2 Locations

Good to know

Most popular agency

Fox

Most popular car type

Full-size

Average price

$53/day

Good deal

$41/day

When to book a rental car in California

Average daily price per month
Rental car prices as pick-up date approaches

Everything you need to know for your car rental in California