Checking in and happily zooming off in a rental car at the airport might feel easy-breezy. But behind the scenes, rental companies don’t mess around. They don’t just hand over the keys and hope for the best: They track driver behavior closely. “Do Not Rent” lists are real, and once you’re on one, getting off can be harder than canceling a gym membership you’ve been no-showing on since Covid hit.

Here are the most common reasons drivers in the U.S. are banned from rental car companies in 2025, and how to avoid joining that club.

Letting someone else drive your rental car

Reason 1: If they’re not listed on the rental agreement, you’ve violated the contract.

It doesn’t matter if it’s your spouse, your best friend, or your Uber driver. Unauthorized drivers void insurance coverage and trigger serious penalties. Rental companies can charge you hundreds in fees and, yes, ban you from renting again.

Skipping toll payments or ignoring traffic tickets in a rental car

Reasons 2 and 3: These companies get the toll or citation bill eventually, and when they do, they tack on hefty administrative fees before sending it your way.

If you don’t pay, you could find yourself on the do-not-rent list even if the original ticket was small. And it’s not just about the money: Unpaid tolls and tickets show the company you’re a risk they don’t want to deal with.

Reason 4: Damaging the car and refusing to take responsibility is a surefire path to a ban

This includes insurance claim pushback and trying to dodge charges with a credit card dispute. If you file a chargeback instead of working it out directly, many rental companies will flag you as high-risk and shut the door on future rentals. From their perspective, even a legitimate dispute is a hassle they’d rather not repeat.

Taking the car off-road, towing a trailer, driving for a ride-hailing service, or crossing into another country without authorization

Reasons 5, 6, 7, and 8: Depending on your rental car contract, all of these might violate rental rules. When that happens, coverage gets canceled, fines pile up, and you could be banned on the spot.

Even something as simple as driving across state lines without prior approval can land you in trouble, depending on the rental terms.

Don’t underestimate how much your behavior matters, either.

Reasons 9 and 10: Verbally abusing customer service reps or acting aggressively during disputes can be all it takes

Rental companies reserve the right to refuse service to customers who are threatening, rude, or uncooperative. In some cases, they’ll even flag your account permanently for behavior that would get you kicked out of a bar.

You can also be banned for something as avoidable as trying to rent with an expired ID or a declined credit card

Reasons 11 and 12: Most rental companies require a valid driver’s license and an active credit card for the security deposit. If either one is invalid, the transaction won’t go through, and repeated issues like this can land you on the do-not-rent list, especially if the company suspects fraud.

Lastly, age matters.

Reason 13: If you’re under 25 and try to dodge the young renter surcharge (or worse, misrepresent your age), you could not only be denied but banned outright

Different states and rental brands have slightly different policies, but the bottom line is the same: follow the rules or risk a long-term penalty.

These days, rental companies share information across major brands. If one agency bans you, others may follow

Most bans stem from unpaid bills, damage disputes, contract violations, or behavioral issues. 

While getting removed is rare and usually requires paying off any balances or filing a formal appeal, even then, success isn’t guaranteed.

So if you want to stay on the rental grid, keep it simple. Drive the car. Follow the contract. Pay what you owe. Don’t scream at the desk agent. And above all, don’t let your cousin with no license take it for a spin “just around the block.” That short drive could cost you a lifetime of rentals.