Car Rental in Boston

• Cape Cod, the islands' ferry ports and the North Shore are easiest by car.
• New England fall foliage is best seen on a road trip.
• Portland, Maine, and New Hampshire's White Mountains are within a few hours.

See all rental types

• Fall foliage season (late September to October) and summer on the Cape.
• College move-in and graduation weekends.
• Logan fees vs. city branches.
• Car class and rental length — weekly rates often cost less per day
• Driver age — drivers under 25 usually pay a daily surcharge
• Optional extras such as damage waivers, toll programs and child seats

• A valid driver's license, held for at least a year at most companies. Visitors can usually rent on their home license; if it isn't in English, carry an International Driving Permit or official translation alongside it.
• Minimum age is 21 at most major companies, and drivers under 25 pay a daily young-driver surcharge. New York and Michigan require companies to rent to drivers from 18, with surcharges.
• A credit card in the main driver's name. Some locations accept debit cards with extra checks — often a return travel itinerary at airports, a larger deposit or a credit check.
• International renters should also bring a passport.

More detail: What Documents Do You Need to Rent a Car? · What Is the Minimum Age to Rent a Car in the USA? · Can You Rent a Car With a Debit Card? Rules & Tips · International Driving Permit (IDP) — Do You Need One and How to Get It

• Collision and loss damage waivers (CDW/LDW) are optional. Before you accept one at the counter, check whether your own auto policy or a credit card benefit already covers rental cars — many do, with conditions.
• Liability cover varies by state and company. Supplemental liability (SLI) raises the limit and is worth considering if you don't have a personal auto policy, including as an international visitor.
• A security deposit is held on your card at pickup and released after the car is returned and checked. It can take several business days to disappear from your statement, and holds are larger on debit cards and premium cars.

More detail: Do You Need Insurance to Rent a Car? · What Is a Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)? · How Much Is a Rental Car Deposit? How Holds Work

• Massachusetts uses all-electronic tolling on the Mass Pike (I-90) and the harbor tunnels, including the Ted Williams Tunnel from Logan. Tolls are billed by E-ZPass or by plate through the rental company's toll program.
• Hotel and garage parking in Boston is expensive, and many streets are resident-permit only.
• Full-to-full is usually the cheapest fuel policy: you collect the car full and return it full. Prepaid fuel only saves money if you return the tank nearly empty, and refueling charges on a car returned short are well above pump prices.
• Airport rentals include airport concession recovery fees and facility charges on top of the rate. State and local rental taxes apply everywhere.
• Other common extras: additional-driver fees, young-driver surcharges, toll-program charges, one-way drop fees, child seats and late-return charges. Read the rental terms before you pay so you know which charges are included and which are added at the counter.

More detail: Car Rental Fuel Policies Explained — Which One Should You Choose? · Hidden Car Rental Fees — The Complete Guide to What to Watch Out For · How are tolls and traffic fines handled? · Can someone else drive the car?

Rotaries

Traffic already in the rotary (roundabout) has the right of way. Yield on entry and signal when you exit.

Winding streets

Downtown streets are narrow, one-way and change names. Trust your navigation, but read the signs.

Winter

Snow and ice are common from December to March. Parking bans apply on snow emergency routes.

Cape Cod traffic

Summer Fridays and Sundays back up at the Sagamore and Bourne bridges. Travel early or midweek.

• Salem

  ~20 mi · ~40 min

  Witch-trial history and a maritime harbor.

• Cape Cod (Hyannis)

  ~70 mi · ~1.5 hr

  Beaches, lighthouses and ferries to the islands.

• Newport, Rhode Island

  ~70 mi · ~1.5 hr

  Gilded Age mansions and the Cliff Walk.

• Portland, Maine

  ~110 mi · ~2 hr

  Lobster, lighthouses and the Old Port.

• White Mountains (North Conway)

  ~140 mi · ~2.5–3 hr

  The Kancamagus Highway and fall foliage.

Distances are one-way and approximate; drive times assume normal traffic.

• Boston Logan Airport Car Rental (BOS)
• One-Way Car Rental
• How are tolls and traffic fines handled?
• How Early Should You Book a Rental Car? A Timing Guide