Young driver fees for those under 25 can range from $20-30+ per day, which can make a weekend getaway completely unaffordable. The good news is there is a way to get these fees waived entirely! The secret? USAA.

Anyone can sign up for a USAA account. You do not have to have any military affiliation to create an account.

Waive young driver fees with two simple steps:

1. Visit https://www.usaa.com/join/start/ to make a free USAA account.
When registering, you will be brought through a screener to see if you qualify for a USAA membership. With no military affiliation, you will be brought to a screen that says you do not qualify. Do not be fooled because a membership and account are different! Anyone, no matter military affiliation, can create an account to access car rental discounts. Scroll to the bottom of the webpage that states you do not qualify for a USAA membership and click, “Finish My Profile.”

2. Once you’ve created an account, visit https://www.usaa.com/inet/wc/rental-cars-main to book a car rental with Avis, Budget, Enterprise, or Hertz .

When booking a car rental, you can either click on each individual company’s link on the USAA website or you can use the Price Comparison Tool. When checking each company individually, a code will automatically be entered on the car rental company’s website to waive the young driver fees. Keep your USAA account number handy, as you may be asked to enter it to search for a car. 

Price Comparison Test

I used the Price Comparison Tool on the USAA website to find the cheapest car rental option for a 20 to 24-year-old driver.

I selected Orlando, Florida International Airport (MCO) for Friday, July 8, 2022, to Monday, July 11, 2022, with pick-up and drop-off both at noon.

The cheapest rental option is $79 per day for a total cost of $304 with Hertz.

Without the USAA promo, the most affordable car rental for these dates at the Orlando, Florida International Airport (MCO) through Hertz would cost me $444.63, including a $57 Young Renter Fee included in this price.

A $140.63 savings with all USAA discounts for a 4-day rental!

Final thoughts

USAA is one of the only companies to offer fee waivers for young drivers when it comes to traditional car rentals (AAA offers members young driver fee waivers with Hertz). I’ve personally used USAA car rentals to waive young driver fees with Enterprise and saved hundreds on my trip because of it. USAA is a fantastic option for travelers within the US between 18-24 years old.