Car Rental in Miami

• Miami's neighborhoods are spread out, and public transit doesn't connect most of them well.
• The Florida Keys and Key West are one of the best road trips in the US, and there's no train.
• Everglades National Park and Biscayne Bay are easiest to reach by car.
• Fort Lauderdale, Palm Beach and Naples are all within a day trip.

See all rental types

• Winter high season (roughly December to April), spring break and Art Basel in December push rates up.
• MIA airport fees vs. city branches.
• One-way rentals to Orlando or Key West.
• 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

• Most South Florida toll roads are cashless — SunPass or Toll-By-Plate. Rental companies bill tolls through their own toll programs, usually with a service fee on top of the tolls, so check the program's terms at pickup.
• Parking in South Beach is expensive and heavily enforced, and many hotels charge for valet parking only. Budget for it, or pick a hotel with self-parking.
• 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?

Tolls are everywhere

The Dolphin Expressway (SR 836), Florida's Turnpike and express lanes on I-95 are all cashless. There's no booth to pay at, so the rental company's toll program will be charged.

Afternoon storms

Summer brings heavy afternoon downpours that flood low streets quickly. Slow down, turn on headlights, and don't drive through standing water.

The Overseas Highway

US-1 to Key West is largely two-lane with long bridges. Traffic backs up on holiday weekends, so leave early and don't plan tight connections.

Parking enforcement

Miami Beach tows and tickets aggressively. Use marked spaces and the city's parking app, and read signs for residential-only zones.

• Key West (via the Overseas Highway)

  ~165 mi · ~3.5–4 hr

  Island-hopping over 42 bridges, with stops in Key Largo, Islamorada and the Seven Mile Bridge.

• Everglades — Shark Valley

  ~40 mi · ~1 hr

  Tram tours and a paved loop through sawgrass prairie full of alligators.

• Palm Beach

  ~70 mi · ~1.5 hr

  Worth Avenue, the Flagler Museum and quieter beaches.

• Naples (via the Tamiami Trail)

  ~125 mi · ~2–2.5 hr

  Crosses Big Cypress on US-41 to Gulf Coast beaches and sunsets.

• Orlando

  ~235 mi · ~3.5–4 hr

  A straight run up Florida's Turnpike to the theme parks.

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

• How Much Does It Cost to Rent a Car in Miami?
• Miami Airport Car Rental (MIA)
• Car rental in Fort Lauderdale
• Hidden Car Rental Fees — The Complete Guide to What to Watch Out For
• How are tolls and traffic fines handled?