Getting Started with Turo – What You Should Know
Turo lets you leave traditional car rentals behind. You don’t have to go to an airport, dealership, or rental lot to find that perfect vehicle for a fun weekend, a business trip, or running errands.
Turo is a peer-to-peer car rental platform that has been around since 2009. The platform lets car owners earn money, and renters save on expensive models from large companies. Turo is popular due to its convenience, variety, and cost savings.
If you’re interested in Turo car rental requirements, either as a vehicle owner (called a host) or a renter (called a guest), our complete guide covers everything you need to know. Understanding the rental requirements matters so that hosts and renters have a satisfactory experience while staying within state and local laws.
Keep reading to learn about:
- Requirements for renting and hosting
- Vehicles you can find on the platform
- Insurance coverage and protection plans
- Documentation and paperwork
- FAQs
- Pro tips
Let’s start with the Turo car rental requirements if you want to lease a vehicle for a short period.
Requirements for Renting a Car on Turo
Can You Rent on Turo? Here's What Renters Need
Turo driver requirements may be less restrictive than those of traditional companies.
Minimum Turo Age Requirements
First, check with your state or local laws to see if they have any age restrictions for car rentals. When booking a car, you don’t need to have a Turo account. Turo also doesn’t require you to have your own insurance.
Age requirements include:
- 18 or older, depending on location, at the time of booking
- 21 and older to book a vehicle with a total market value of more than $20,000
- 25 and older to book a Deluxe Class vehicle worth $45,000 to $85,000
- 30 and older to book a Super Deluxe Class (more than $85,000 value), classic, or specialty vehicle
If you’re between the ages of 18 and 24, Turo requires a young driver fee. These fees are non-refundable, and the length of your booking also determines how much you need to pay.
- $50 a day for anyone aged 18 to 20
- $30 a day for ages 21 to 24
Valid Driver’s License Requirements for Turo
You must have a permanent, valid license that allows full driving privileges or a temporary license valid for the duration of your trip. A temporary license is a paper document that allows you to legally drive for a defined period while you wait for your real license to arrive in the mail. Turo does not accept learner’s permits or instruction permits.
Your driver’s license must not have signs of being altered, expired, suspended, or revoked. It can’t be conditional, probational, provisional, or restricted. If you have a temporary license, it must include your photo. Otherwise, you must present a second government-issued photo ID on which your first name, last name, and date of birth match the license exactly.
Turo Account Verification Process
You need this information to book your first rental on Turo:
- First and last name
- Email address not tied to any other Turo account
- Phone number that can accept text messages
- Payment methods accepted by Turo include non-temporary, non-reloadable, non-prepaid debit cards with a Visa or Mastercard logo. Accepted credit cards include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. Apple Pay and Google Pay are also acceptable on mobile devices.
Turo Security Deposit
Turo will apply a security deposit to your payment method ranging from $200 to $750, depending on the age, class of vehicle, and location of your trip. You can get a discount by submitting your personal insurance information. You get a full refund of the deposit 80 hours after your trip, with no vehicle damage, full payment, and no outstanding roadside service costs.
Vehicle Requirements for Turo Hosts
What Cars Can You List on Turo?
If you have a car, truck, or SUV you want to rent out to earn side income, it must meet minimum Turo vehicle requirements to be eligible for a listing on the platform. Turo host requirements are relatively easy to meet compared to traditional rental companies.
- Vehicle age must be under 12 years in the United States and Canada, and under 10 years old in the UK.
- Your vehicle must have under 130,000 miles, unless it’s in excellent condition, and meet all legal, safety, and mechanical standards for driving.
- A clean title is required. It cannot be a salvage, rebuilt, or have a branded title.
Vehicle Types Not Allowed by Turo Vehicle Requirements
Your vehicle must be a passenger vehicle and not a commercial-use vehicle. Box trucks are eligible in all states except Oregon, provided they don’t have air brakes and are under a certain weight.
Turo vehicle requirements forbid:
- Limos
- Off-road vehicles
- Motorcycles
- RVs
- Tow trucks
- Three-wheeled vehicles
- Vehicles with more than 10 seats
- Vehicles requiring a commercial license to operate
Market Value Considerations
Your vehicle must have a fair market value of less than $200,000 to be listed on Turo’s platform due to insurance reasons. If you want to list a vehicle valued at more, reach out to customer support. Turo determines the value of each vehicle through its own platform.
Classic and Specialty Vehicles
Turo vehicle requirements have exceptions for classic and specialty vehicles. The platform reviews each one individually, and classic vehicles must be at least 25 years old. So, if you have a 1983 DeLorean DMC-12 to rent, you’re in luck (flux capacitor is optional). But there is one catch. The classic vehicle can’t be worth more than $85,000.
Specialty vehicles can be worth up to $200,000 at 12 to 25 years old. They must be one-of-a-kind models with luxurious upgrades, unique customizations, or rare vehicles with a limited production run. Consider a 2007 Aston Martin DB9 GT Bond Edition if you want to cruise around like a British superspy.
Grandfathered vehicles can stay on Turo’s platform even after they reach mileage and age limits. It must be well-maintained, reliable, and in excellent mechanical shape.
Insurance and Protection Plans
Understanding Your Coverage Options
Turo insurance covers the host’s vehicle. Protection plans are for guests who rent the vehicles. Of course, the renter can use their own vehicle insurance to cover certain damages.
Protection Plans for Renters
Guests can choose from three different protection plans: Premier, Standard, and Minimum. The availability of these plans may vary based on the trip details, vehicle type, and other factors. These plans are not insurance.
- The Premier plan means the primary guest is responsible for mechanical or interior damage, but not physical damage.
- Under the Standard plan, the primary guest is liable for up to $500 worth of physical damage to the vehicle.
- The Minimum plan is when a guest pays up to $3,000 in physical damage.
The more you pay up front for a protection plan, the lower your deductible will be if you’re liable for damage. So, you’ll need to balance the costs versus the risks with these protection plans.
Turo Insurance for Hosts
Through a Travelers insurance policy, hosts can choose plans that help recoup damages and a percentage of the trip’s cost.
The three protection plans for hosts include:
- Turo’s Max Protect plan allows you to earn 70% of the trip price when you pay a $250 deductible and receive up to $750,000 in third-party liability insurance.
- The Balanced plan lets you earn 80% of the trip price with a $1,500 deductible and $750,000 in third-party liability insurance.
- The Max Earn plan gives you 90% of the trip’s price with a $2,750 deductible plus up to $750,000 in third-party liability insurance.
One thing to remember is that you still need to have personal vehicle insurance. Your personal vehicle insurance policy likely will not cover trips taken by guests using Turo. That’s why Turo offers insurance and protection plans.
These items aren’t covered by any of these plans for the hosts or guests:
- Normal wear and tear due to ordinary driving conditions
- Mechanical issues with the engine or the operation of the vehicle
- Interior damage, such as to the seats or upholstery
Additional Requirements and Documentation
The Paperwork Side of Things
Additional Turo requirements focus on ensuring your vehicle is legally drivable and in excellent condition.
Your vehicle must be legally registered in the state where you live. You must be the owner as shown on the title, and your vehicle needs permanent or temporary license plates. Dealer or trader plates aren’t allowed.
Your personal insurance policy must be active and in force. We highly recommend checking with your personal auto insurance provider to see if they allow car sharing and if participating in Turo won’t affect your policy.
Hosts may have GPS trackers in their vehicles. Activate your vehicle’s OEM GPS if it’s worth $125,000 or more as part of Turo’s host requirements. That way, you’ll know if the trip takes any unexpected turns.
Host requirements include maintaining your vehicle for every trip by going through a maintenance checklist. You must also have an annual vehicle safety inspection. Otherwise, you might be removed from Turo’s platform as a host.
Other host requirements include taking photos of the vehicle when checking out for a guest and checking it back in after a trip is over. Photos allow you to document any damage or alterations.
Some locations have additional requirements, like emissions testing. Some states have a car-sharing tax.
Common Questions About Turo Requirements
Your Turo Questions, Answered
Here we answer frequently asked questions about Turo and its requirements for hosts and guests.
Can you list a leased or financed car on Turo?
Yes. Turo itself allows this type of rental under its requirements. But you must check your lease agreement or auto loan terms to see if they permit commercial use, ride-sharing, or third-party rentals.
What happens if your car goes over the mileage limit after listing it on Turo?
You can request that your vehicle be grandfathered into the program for longer mileage if you maintain your vehicle in excellent condition.
Do you need commercial insurance as a host on Turo?
No, not necessarily, since Turo offers protection plans to cover hosts. It’s a good idea, however, to have a commercial policy since you’re using the vehicle to make money.
Can you rent out multiple cars on Turo?
Yes, Turo hosts can run a business with a fleet of vehicles.
What are Turo’s cancellation policies?
Turo's cancellation policy offers free cancellation within 24 hours of booking or 24 hours before the trip starts for refundable trips, with different rules for last-minute bookings or non-refundable options.
How does Turo verify requirements?
Turo verifies requirements through a multi-layered system involving automated ID checks, manual photo verification (license + selfie), background checks, and host confirmation, ensuring the guest's identity matches their license, it's valid, and they meet age/eligibility requirements.
Tips for Meeting Turo Requirements
Setting Yourself Up for Success
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Here are our pro tips for meeting Turo requirements, making your experience with the platform easier.
- Keep documentation organized and accessible so you can easily find it in case you need to present it.
- Maintain detailed service records, as you’ll need to present these to Turo from time to time.
- Check for open recalls before listing, since those could hinder your eligibility.
- Review your personal insurance policy to see if it forbids ride-sharing or third-party renting.
- Consider your risk tolerance when choosing business protection plans.
- Start with one vehicle to learn the platform before adding more vehicles to Turo. Like any business, start small and work up to bigger things.
Join Turo as a Renter or Owner
Ready to Get Started with Turo?
Now you know about the Turo car rental requirements for hosts and guests. Based on protection plans and documentation, we’ve provided a brief overview of how Turo works. Create an account to see if your car qualifies for Turo. We’re happy to help in any way we can!
