Car Rental in San Francisco

• Napa and Sonoma wine country is an hour or so north, and there's no practical train.
• Highway 1 south to Monterey, Carmel and Big Sur is one of the world's great drives.
• Yosemite and Lake Tahoe are both about four hours away.

See all rental types

• Summer and big convention weeks in the city.
• SFO fees vs. downtown branches.
• One-way rentals to Los Angeles along the coast.
• 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

• The Golden Gate Bridge is tolled southbound (into San Francisco) with no cash booths. Other Bay Area bridges are tolled westbound. Tolls are billed through the rental company's toll program, or can sometimes be paid online as a one-time payment — check your rental terms first.
• Hotel and garage parking is expensive, and street parking has strict time limits and street-sweeping rules.
• 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?

Curb your wheels on hills

When parking on a grade, turn your front wheels toward the curb facing downhill and away from it facing uphill, and set the parking brake. It's required on steep streets.

Never leave anything visible

Car break-ins are common, especially at tourist spots. Leave the car completely empty — even an empty bag can attract a thief.

Cable cars and streetcars

Watch for tracks and give cable cars the right of way. Don't stop on the tracks.

Muir Woods needs a reservation

Parking or shuttle reservations are required at Muir Woods. Book ahead.

• Napa Valley

  ~50 mi · ~1–1.5 hr

  Wineries along Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail. Plan a designated driver.

• Muir Woods

  ~17 mi · ~40 min

  Old-growth redwoods just across the Golden Gate Bridge.

• Half Moon Bay

  ~30 mi · ~45 min

  Coastal bluffs, beaches and farm stands on Highway 1.

• Monterey & Carmel

  ~120 mi · ~2–2.5 hr

  The Monterey Bay Aquarium, 17-Mile Drive and the start of Big Sur.

• Yosemite Valley

  ~190 mi · ~4 hr

  Granite cliffs and waterfalls — check park entry rules before you go.

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

• San Francisco Airport Car Rental (SFO)
• Electric Car Rental
• One-Way Car Rental
• How are tolls and traffic fines handled?