Additional driver policy - Does Spouse Need to be at counter at pick-up?
 

I found this on the Flyertalk Avis forum from 2010 - have searched Budget, Flyertalk, the rest of the web - and called Budget. Budget's website currently indicates there is no charge for spouse as additional driver, seems very clear-cut but would really like to confirm from someone who has recent experience.

More importantly, trying to find out if both of us need to be present at Budget rental counter at pickup, or if just one of us can be there to acquire the vehicle and the other is allowed to drive it also without showing ID or whatever. I have gotten conflicting information from my phone calls to different Budget sites (local vs national numbers).

This is in Florida, specifically JAX location.

Thanks very much.

103 views in eight hours - can anyone help? Surely seems like someone reading might have rented from Budget, added a spouse as additional driver, and can post a really quick comment on your experience - specifically whether both of you had to be at the counter when you picked up the vehicle and if there was a charge or not?

Quote:

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All additional drivers must be at least 25 years of age. The fee for each additional driver is $13/day with a maximum charge of $65/rental. The following are exempt from the fee but must meet all other driver requirements: the renter's employer or fellow employee when on company business and renting under a corporate account; the renter's spouse or domestic partner; the companion driver of a renter with a disability who has completed the non-licensed renter form; for insurance replacement rentals, company employees or family members who are designated on the insurance policy.

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http://locations.budget.com/fl/jacksonville/jax.html

Unfortunately I can't answer your question specifically. The policy for Avis hasn't changed and you don't need to both be there, just the one with the rental in their name. I would think the Budget policy should be the same, but common sense isn't always used when making policy..

Thanks sz2628, I saw this on the Budget site. IAHtraveler, I appreciate your time in replying too!

I wish I could redo the thread and the title to just ask this -

If the additional driver on a Budget rental is your spouse, do both of you have to appear at the rental counter when picking up the vehicle to show ID / ensure that you both "meet the requirements" ?

It would really help us out if only one had to be there, yet cannot take the chance on one of us not being included as driver if current experiences show that both need to be there.

I'll modify the title when I'm on my laptop shortly.

Why not call Budget and ask? Should be pretty straight forward.

That is the boggle - I did call Budget yesterday already and got different answers from three different individuals - spoke with agents at national contact number as well as at JAX. Was hoping to get an idea of what other Flyertalkers have experienced when they were picking up a rental.

I understand it is covered for sure if we just both show up at the time of rental but hoped we didn't both have to. . .we are not flying in together.

Thanks IAHtraveler for the modification, wish I had done it right the first time !

If one agent said you don't both need to go to the counter, I'd run with that (I missed that in your first post)..

For future reference, if you want to change a title/post/etc, click the red triangle under your username in the post ("Report Bad Post"). From there, you can type your reason and it will send me and/or other moderators an alert in case we don't see the post immediately.

Good luck!