Car Rental in Fort Lauderdale

• Miami, Palm Beach and the Everglades are all close.
• It's a less congested alternative to flying into Miami.
• Convenient before or after a cruise from Port Everglades.

See all rental types

• Winter high season and spring break.
• Cruise embarkation days, when branches near the port are busy.
• FLL vs. MIA pickup.
• 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

• Florida's Turnpike, I-595 express lanes, I-95 express lanes and I-75's Alligator Alley are tolled and mostly cashless (SunPass or Toll-By-Plate). The rental company's toll program covers them.
• Beach parking is metered and fills early on weekends.
• 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?

A1A

The beach road is slow but scenic, with frequent pedestrian crossings — watch for cyclists.

Drawbridges

Bridges over the Intracoastal open for boats on a schedule. Allow a few extra minutes.

Summer storms

Heavy afternoon rain can flood streets. Don't drive through standing water.

• Everglades (Sawgrass Recreation Park)

  ~20 mi · ~30 min

  Airboat rides on the edge of the Everglades.

• Miami Beach

  ~25 mi · ~40 min

  South Beach, Art Deco and Ocean Drive.

• Palm Beach

  ~45 mi · ~1 hr

  Worth Avenue and oceanfront estates.

• Naples (via Alligator Alley)

  ~105 mi · ~1.75 hr

  Across the Everglades on I-75 to Gulf beaches.

• Key West

  ~190 mi · ~4–4.5 hr

  The Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys.

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

• Car rental in Miami
• Miami Airport Car Rental (MIA)
• One-Way Car Rental
• How are tolls and traffic fines handled?