A DUI in a rental car doesn’t just bring the usual legal trouble. It tangles you up with corporate liability, insurance exclusions, and a paper trail that stretches across states.

Here’s how it plays out.

When police make the stop, the process mirrors any other DUI case

You’ll go through a sobriety test, a possible breathalyzer, and (if you’re over the legal limit) an arrest.

The car gets towed or impounded. Once that happens, the rental company gets immediately notified by police or the towing yard.

You’re on the hook for the towing and storage fees, and your rental agreement is automatically void.

From there, the legal part kicks off

In general, a DUI conviction can lead to fines, license suspension, higher insurance premiums, and even jail time depending on the state.

But the rental car aspect adds another layer. Almost every major rental contract includes a clause that voids coverage if the driver is impaired.

That means if the vehicle was damaged in the incident (say you hit a guardrail or another car) you’re personally responsible for every dollar of repair or replacement costs.

Even optional coverage like the Collision Damage Waiver won’t help

According to attorneys at Patrick Silva’s law firm in California, coverage is null once alcohol or drugs are involved.

Your personal auto insurance might step in, but many insurers also exclude coverage for criminal acts.

That leaves your credit card, which might have offered rental coverage, equally useless.

Rental agencies don’t forget DUIs

Companies maintain internal databases of banned renters, and a DUI behind the wheel of one of their cars is an automatic red flag.

You could be blacklisted from future rentals…not just from one brand, but from several under the same corporate umbrella.

A DUI doesn’t disappear easily

It stays on your driving history for years, which means steeper premiums, tougher job screenings, and limited mobility if your license is suspended.

Some states require ignition interlock devices after a conviction, so even when you can drive again, you might need to blow into a device before the engine starts.

A DUI is bad news in any car. But in a rental, it’s a double hit: legal trouble in one lane, financial fallout in the other. Just don’t drink and drive, folks.