Yes, someone else can drive your U-Haul, and U-Haul won’t charge extra for it, but the other driver has to be listed on your rental contract as an authorized driver before they take the wheel. Skip that step and any damage coverage you paid for can be voided, leaving you personally on the hook for the truck and anything it hits.
How to Add Another Driver to Your Contract
The simplest approach is to bring the other person with you to the counter at pickup. They show their own valid driver’s license, the representative adds their name to the contract, and you’re done. There’s no additional fee, which is not something most traditional rental car companies match.1U-Haul. Reserving a Moving Truck: What Are the Rental Requirements
If you know in advance who else will be driving, add them online before pickup. Log into your U-Haul account, open your reservation, click “Manage My Reservation,” and upload clear photos of both sides of the additional driver’s license. Approval is usually instant.
Adding a Driver After You’ve Picked Up the Truck
Plans shift mid-move. If you realize partway through that you need help with the driving, any change to the authorized drivers on your contract has to be approved by U-Haul or its agent.2U-Haul. U-Haul Equipment Reservation Terms and Conditions Call 1-800-GO-UHAUL or stop at a nearby U-Haul location before your co-driver gets behind the wheel. Don’t hand over the keys and plan to sort it out later.
What the Additional Driver Needs
Every driver on the contract has to clear the same bar as the primary renter. That means:
- At least 18 years old for a truck. For trailers only, the minimum is 16 with a valid license.3U-Haul. Age to Rent a Trailer
- A current, unexpired, government-issued driver’s license. Temporary or interim licenses are accepted, and U-Haul suggests bringing a second ID such as a passport, state ID, or military ID to speed the process.1U-Haul. Reserving a Moving Truck: What Are the Rental Requirements
- A physical license. Digital driver’s licenses shown on a phone screen are not accepted.4U-Haul. General U-Haul Questions
No commercial driver’s license is required. U-Haul trucks, including the 26-foot Super Mover, are built to stay under the federal CDL weight threshold.5U-Haul. 26ft Moving Truck Rental One exception: in Quebec, a Class 3 license is required to operate the 26-foot truck.4U-Haul. General U-Haul Questions
Licenses from all 50 states, D.C., and Canadian provinces are accepted. Foreign licenses printed in English are generally fine; if the license isn’t in English, the driver needs an International Driving Permit along with the original license and a passport.1U-Haul. Reserving a Moving Truck: What Are the Rental Requirements
What You Risk If You Skip the Step
Letting someone drive who isn’t on the contract is a breach of the rental agreement, and the financial fallout lands on the person who signed, not on the person who was driving.
- Any SafeMove or SafeMove Plus protection you bought can be denied on the grounds that an unauthorized driver was operating the truck.
- You’ll owe the cost of repairing or replacing the U-Haul truck out of pocket. On a large box truck, that can reach into tens of thousands of dollars.
- You’ll also be liable for injuries or damage the unauthorized driver causes to other people, other vehicles, or other property.
- The rental agreement makes the primary renter responsible for all charges, fees, taxes, and assessments arising from the rental, no matter who was driving. That covers parking tickets, red-light and toll camera citations, and any towing or impound fees.2U-Haul. U-Haul Equipment Reservation Terms and Conditions
Why Your Own Insurance and Credit Card Probably Won’t Save You
A common assumption is that personal auto insurance or credit card rental benefits will fill the gap. For moving trucks, they usually don’t. Most personal auto policies cap coverage at a vehicle weight below what U-Haul trucks weigh.6Progressive. Does Car Insurance Cover Moving Truck Rentals?
Credit card coverage is worse. American Express excludes cargo vans and box trucks from its rental collision damage waiver. Visa excludes trucks and vans that seat more than eight people. Exclusions like these are standard across major issuers, so your card most likely won’t cover the truck whether the driver is authorized or not. That’s what makes U-Haul’s own coverage worth considering, and what makes an unauthorized driver so expensive when the coverage is voided.
If You’re Renting Through a Business Account
Corporate rentals follow the same age and license rules with one extra condition: every authorized driver has to be a current employee or agent of the account holder at the time of the rental. Anyone outside the company needs U-Haul’s express written consent before driving.
If an authorized employee leaves the company during a rental, the business must notify U-Haul’s Corporate Sales team immediately. Until U-Haul receives written notice, the company remains responsible for any charges that former employee racks up on the truck.