Your guide to crossing national borders in a rental car

Crossing national borders in a rental car involves specific steps to ensure your insurance still applies

Road-tripping abroad can be an exciting adventure but it’s often not as straightforward as simply hitting the road. Crossing national borders in a rental car involves specific steps to ensure your insurance still applies. Read on to understand which countries you can visit with your rental car and the fees involved.

How much it costs to cross a border in a rental car

If you plan to cross a national border while driving a rental car, you’ll likely incur a ‘cross-border fee’, which covers additional insurance costs and taxes. This fee varies widely depending on the car company you rent from and the border you plan to cross. In general, you can expect to pay between EUR 20–50 per rental. The cost also varies depending on your travel route: some companies charge you for every new country or geographic zone you enter, while others only charge you a single cross-border fee.

When to inform rental companies about border crossings

During the rental process, all car companies require you to inform them of your intention to leave the country in your rental car as early as possible – either when you book online or at the rental counter. This is so the rental company can prepare any insurance documents you’ll need and inform you which (if any) restrictions apply for the type of car you rent.

If you don’t receive permission from the car company to cross borders in your rental car, you’ll breach your contract and forfeit your insurance. You’ll also be subject to additional fees, including a potential fine for failing to declare that you drove your rental car abroad.

Driving over more than one border

Many European rental car companies allow you to cross multiple borders during a single rental period, so long as you remain within the stated approved countries. Some companies charge per country or region you visit, while others charge a one-time fee for the entire rental period.

For example, Alamo charges EUR 20 per car rental for crossing borders within the EU (including Switzerland and the UK) and EUR 50 for crossing borders between non-EU countries. If you plan on visiting both EU and non-EU countries during your rental period, you’ll have to pay both fees, totaling EUR 70.

How to avoid paying a cross-border fee

Unfortunately, there’s no real option to avoid paying a cross-border fee other than canceling your reservation. Informing rental companies that you plan to travel abroad and paying the associated cross-border fees is the only way to legally visit different countries in your rental car.

You can avoid unnecessary upcharges by informing the rental company of your plans, as well as carefully planning your driving route to ensure you’re only charged for what you need. There are certain loopholes to be aware of, too. For example, Alamo typically charges different fees for visiting EU vs. non-EU countries. However, they will waive the non-EU fee if you stick to the 10-kilometer-long route through Bosnia and Herzegovina that separates Split and Dubrovnik in Croatia.

National visiting restrictions when traveling in a rental car

Every car company imposes restrictions on which countries you can and cannot enter while driving your rental car, with some restrictions based on the country where you rent the vehicle.

For example, Hertz vehicles rented in Europe cannot cross into any of the following countries: Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Uzbekistan. In addition, Hertz vehicles cannot visit the following islands: Balearic, Canary, Corsica, and Sardinia. They are also prohibited from visiting any country in Africa, Asia, or the Middle East.

Some companies also impose restrictions based on how you visit another country. Thrifty, for example, only allows rented vehicles to make land crossings, such as by bridge, tunnel, or road. You will forfeit your coverage if you transport your rental car into another country by boat or ferry – as is the case with Hertz if you take your rental car on a ferry from Italy to Croatia.

Cars you can’t take across a border

When it comes to rental car rules, cross-border travel is determined not only by which country you plan to visit but also by which type of car you plan to drive. No matter which rental company you use, specific car categories cannot leave their country of origin under any circumstances.

For Alamo, Enterprise, and National, vehicle classes prohibited from cross-border travel include Exotics, large passenger vans, cargo vans, and other specialty vehicles. Exotics typically constitute high-value vehicles—think sports cars, luxury sedans, and SUVs—from top-tier brands such as Corvette and Jaguar. For Avis, prohibited categories include Avis Van Rental, Avis Prestige, and Avis Flex (long-term leases).

Other companies even restrict cross-border travel between US states, as is the case with Fox. For example, if you rent your car in Florida, you can only visit Alabama and Georgia in addition to Florida. If you rent in Texas, you can only drive as far as Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. If you rent in Illinois, your travels are restricted to Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, and Kentucky.

Cross-border travel between Canada and the US

Most car rental companies in the US and Canada allow cross-country travel for most car categories, including Alamo, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, National, and Thrifty. If renting within the US, you will receive a free ‘Canadian Non-Resident Insurance Card’ at the rental counter, indicating you have coverage while driving abroad. Companies like Avis and Budget also allow one-way rentals for some Canadian cities based on car availability.

Other car companies impose certain restrictions based on the state from which you rent. For example, Fox permits cars rented in the State of Washington to cross into British Columbia but prohibits them from visiting any other Canadian province. It’s a good idea to double-check with the car company about any restrictions before finalizing your travel plans.

Cross-border travel between Mexico and the US

Travel between the US and Mexico is more complicated. Alamo, Enterprise, and National prohibit any car rented in the US or Canada from traveling into Mexico. Avis and Budget only allow corporate account holders to drive across the Mexican border and do not allow one-way rentals.

Some companies like Hertz and Thrifty allow cross-border travel into Mexico so long as you purchase PERS (Premium Emergency Roadside Assistance) beforehand. This coverage protects you from unexpected issues you may encounter while on the road—getting a flat tire, for example, or running out of gas—that aren’t covered by basic insurance. In such cases, you’ll need prior authorization and are limited to renting from bordering states (California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas). You must also purchase additional Mexico insurance, which ranges from USD 38–48 per day, excluding taxes and fees.

If you rent from Fox, know that cars can only visit Mexico cities and states nearest California and Arizona borders. Mexico insurance is also required.