Our Orlando Car Hire Guide: Know Before You Go

Thinking about hiring a car for your Orlando holiday? It’s a brilliant way to open up more of Florida, from Kennedy Space Center to the beach, and to enjoy the freedom of a supermarket run whenever you fancy it. But a rental car isn’t automatically the right (or cheapest!) choice for every trip, and there are a few details that catch even seasoned travellers out.

We’ve put together this complete guide to renting a car in Orlando in 2026, covering everything from choosing the right vehicle to what it really costs to park at Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, so you can plan your holiday with total confidence!

Quick summary:

• A rental car makes the most sense for villa stays, multi-resort holidays, and trips that include Kennedy Space Center, the beach or SeaWorld Orlando.
• If your holiday is spent almost entirely at one on-site resort, complimentary resort transport can make a car unnecessary for those days.
• Standard theme park parking is around $35 a day at both Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort, but it’s free if you’re staying at an on-site resort hotel.
• Florida’s toll roads are almost entirely cashless, and the free Visitor Toll Pass™ scheme at Orlando International Airport is the easiest way to pay them.
• Fuel in Florida tends to be inexpensive by international standards, so it’s one holiday cost that’s usually kinder to your budget than you might expect.
• Children aged 5 and under must travel in an approved car seat or booster under Florida law.

Do you actually need a car in Orlando?

This is worth deciding before you even start comparing rental prices, because the answer changes the whole shape of your holiday.

A car tends to earn its keep if you’re:

• Staying in an Orlando villa or off-site hotel in Kissimmee, Davenport or Clermont
• Splitting your time between Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort
• Planning day trips to Kennedy Space Center, Cocoa Beach, SeaWorld Orlando and other Orlando attractions
• Travelling with several children and plenty of luggage
• Keen to shop for snacks and essentials at a local supermarket rather than pay theme park prices

A car is less essential if you’re staying at an on-site Walt Disney World Resort Hotel or Universal Orlando Resort Hotel and spending most days inside the parks, since both resorts run their own transport networks and standard parking is free for their hotel guests. If you’d rather leave the car out of the equation entirely, our guide on how to do Orlando without a car is well worth a read before booking anything.

A popular middle ground for a 7-14 night holiday is to go car-free for the resort-based part of the trip, then pick one up for the days built around excursions, shopping or rest days. This works especially well if you’ve already planned rest days between big park days, since those are exactly the days a car adds the most value.

Where to pick up your rental car

Most visitors collect their car directly from Orlando International Airport (MCO), where all the major rental companies operate on-site rental counters and garages. Before you book, it’s worth comparing:

• MCO pickup - the most convenient option straight off a long flight, with no shuttle needed
• Off-airport locations - sometimes cheaper on paper, but factor in the shuttle time and hassle after an overnight flight
• Renting for the whole trip vs. a shorter block - handy if you only need a car for part of your holiday

Always compare the total checkout price rather than the headline daily rate, since airport concession fees and taxes can add a significant amount on top!

What documents do you need?

Renting a car in Florida is generally straightforward, wherever you’re travelling from. You’ll typically need:

• Passport
• Your full, valid driving licence
• A credit card in the main driver’s name, used to register the hire

Whether you need an International Driving Permit (IDP) alongside your own licence depends on your home country and the language your licence is printed in. Many nationalities, including UK, Irish, Dutch and Australian licence holders, don’t need one for a Florida rental.

However, if your licence is printed in non-Roman script, such as Cyrillic, Greek or Japanese, an IDP is required alongside the physical licence, since Florida rental desks need to be able to read it. If you’re unsure, it’s always worth checking with your rental company before you fly.

Choosing the right vehicle size

It’s tempting to book the smallest, cheapest category, but Orlando holidays involve more luggage than most trips: suitcases, hand luggage, pushchairs, car seats, theme park bags and the inevitable souvenirs on the way home. Sizing up one category is rarely wasted money!

Here is what we recommend hiring depending on your group size:

Top tip: A vehicle advertised with a higher seat count doesn’t always mean more luggage space once every seat is filled, so it’s worth checking the boot capacity for the specific car class rather than relying on the seat number alone!

Car seats and booster seats

Florida law requires children aged 5 and under to travel in an approved child restraint. Under current Florida Statute 316.613:

• Children aged 0-3 must use a separate carrier or the vehicle’s integrated child seat
• Children aged 4-5 can use a carrier, an integrated seat, or a booster seat
• Children aged 6 and over must wear a seatbelt, though many families choose to keep a booster in use until a child reaches around 4’9” tall

Rental companies can provide car seats, but the daily fee adds up over a two-week holiday! You might find it more practical, and cheaper, to check your own seat in as luggage and fit it yourself, since rental staff aren’t allowed to install one for you due to liability reasons.

One detail worth knowing - car seats certified outside the US (for example, to UN ECE standards used across the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Australia) aren’t held to the same certification as seats sold in the US, where the standard is FMVSS 213. Enforcement against visiting families using their own approved seat is rare, but it’s a good habit to keep your seat’s compliance label visible just in case a rental agent asks.

Air conditioning isn’t optional

Air conditioning might feel like a luxury at home, but in Florida’s heat it’s the essential kit for arriving at every attraction cool and ready to go. Make sure your vehicle class includes it (nearly all rental cars in Florida do anyway) rather than assuming!

Rental car insurance

Always take out insurance when driving abroad! Before accepting anything at the counter, it’s worth checking what’s already covered by:

• Your existing travel insurance
• Any rental cover included through your credit card
• The base insurance bundled into your rental booking itself

You should also ask specifically about the excess/deductible, and whether tyres, glass, windscreens and roadside assistance are included, since these are common gaps in the most basic packages. Decisions made at a jet-lagged rental counter are rarely your best ones, so we recommend reviewing this before your fly rather than on arrival.

Fuel - often cheaper than you’re used to

Here’s some good news for your budget - fuel in Florida tends to be more affordable compared with many other countries, thanks to lower US fuel taxes. For visitors from the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Australia, it’s usually one of the pleasant surprises of a Florida road trip! If you’re travelling from within the US, pricing will feel a lot more familiar!

Prices can fluctuate week to week, so we suggest checking a live comparison site like GasBuddy or GlobalPetrolPrices.com closer to your travel dates rather than budgeting off a fixed figure.

Before you drive away, confirm the rental company’s fuel policy. The simplest and usually cheapest option is “full-to-full”: collect with a full tank, return with a full tank. Prepaid fuel options can work out more expensive if the tank isn’t returned empty, so make sure you read the terms rather than assuming.

Toll roads and the Visitor Toll Pass™

Florida has one of the most extensive toll road networks in the US, and Central Florida's major expressways, including SR-417, SR-528 (the Beachline Expressway) and the I-4 Express lanes, are now almost entirely cashless.

The good news is that Orlando International Airport has a dedicated, free solution for visitors: the Visitor Toll Pass™, run by the Central Florida Expressway Authority. This is now a fully established, permanent service (not a trial scheme) with pickup and drop-off points across MCO's Terminals A, B and C.

How the Visitor Toll Pass™ works:

1. Download the free Visitor Toll Pass™ app before or on arrival
2. Register your rental car's licence plate and a payment card
3. Decline the rental company's own toll programme at the counter
4. Collect your physical hangtag from a vending machine near the rental desks and hang it on the rearview mirror
5. Drive as normal - tolls are billed electronically at Florida's standard local rate throughout your trip
6. Return the hangtag to one of the airport's drop boxes before you fly home

It typically saves visitors a decent amount compared with the rental company's own toll programme, since you're charged the standard local rate rather than a marked-up daily fee. It's well worth setting up before you leave the garage, and remember to decline the rental company's own toll package so you're not billed twice for the same trip!

Florida driving rules worth knowing

Driving in Florida is easy to get the hang of, wherever you're coming from, but a handful of things are worth knowing before you pull out of the rental lot:

• Which side of the road you’ll be on. If you're used to driving on the left, like in the UK, Ireland or Australia, switching to the right takes a bit of concentration at first, especially pulling out of theme park car parks where old habits kick in.
• Headlights on from dusk until dawn, and whenever it's foggy or raining.
• Seatbelts are mandatory for everyone in the car.
• Turning right on red is generally allowed in Florida unless a sign tells you otherwise, which trips up plenty of visitors who don't have an equivalent rule at home.
• Four-way stops are common at smaller junctions. First to arrive goes first, then everyone takes their turn.
• School buses: if one stops with its lights flashing, traffic in both directions has to stop too, except on some divided highways.
• Sudden afternoon storms are a summer staple in Florida. If visibility drops, slow right down, put your hazards on if you're stopped, and just wait it out.
• Wipers off at toll booths. A small local habit, since older toll sensors can sometimes be triggered by wiper movement.

Top tip: You'll need to be at least 21 to rent a car in Florida, and if you're under 25, expect a young driver surcharge.

How much does theme park parking cost?

This is one of the biggest hidden costs of driving yourself to the parks, and something our team gets asked about constantly.

Preferred and valet parking are also available at both resorts if you want to pay a bit more, but honestly, the standard lots come with free tram, monorail, boat or moving walkway transport to the gates, so most people don't bother upgrading.

Here's a tip most first-timers don't know: Universal CityWalk parking is free for everyone after 6pm (except during Halloween Horror Nights), so it's a great shout for an evening out without paying the daytime rate.

Staying along International Drive?

You don't actually need a car (or to pay a cent in parking) to get around that stretch. The I-RIDE Trolley Unlimited Ride Pass gets you unlimited hop-on, hop-off travel up and down International Drive, connecting you to the shops, restaurants and attractions nearby without any of the parking hassle.

Our tips for hiring a car in Orlando

Shopping around for your rental

There's no shortage of comparison sites out there, and the big suppliers - Alamo, Avis, Hertz, Enterprise, Dollar and Budget - tend to bundle different extras into similar-looking headline prices. Before you book, check whether your quote actually includes:

• Third-party liability insurance
• Airport taxes and fees
• Breakdown cover
• Loss/collision damage waiver
• Unlimited mileage

Book ahead, and skip the counter if you can

Booking ahead means you turn up with a reference number in hand rather than joining a line at a busy rental desk. Several big names, Alamo and Enterprise among them, let you complete your paperwork online beforehand, print a barcode, and walk straight past the counter to pick your car from the garage.

This is especially worth setting up if you're landing after an overnight flight. Standing around at a rental desk is nobody's idea of a great start to a holiday.

Do you even need a GPS?

Probably not! Most modern rental cars support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, so your own phone's maps app will usually do the job without an extra daily GPS rental fee. Just check your mobile data or roaming allowance before you travel, or download offline maps as a backup just in case.

If something goes wrong - breakdowns and accidents

Unlikely, but worth knowing before you set off:

1. Get the car somewhere safe if you can, and put your hazard lights on.
2. Call the emergency number in your rental agreement. Most major companies offer 24-hour roadside assistance.
3. If it's an accident, call local police as well as the rental company, especially if another driver's involved.
4. Keep your rental agreement and insurance documents in the car itself, not buried in a suitcase in the boot.

Flight delayed? Let your rental company know!

Always add your flight number when you book, and call the rental company as soon as you know about a delay, even if it's only an hour. Most rental companies will only hold a reserved car for a couple of hours past your booked pickup time, especially in busy periods.

A simple Orlando car hire checklist

When you're comparing costs, it helps to look beyond just the daily rental rate:

Frequently asked questions

Do I need an international driving permit to rent a car in Orlando?

It depends on your home country and the script your licence is printed in. Many nationalities, including UK, Irish, Dutch and Australian licence holders, don't need one, but you will if your licence isn't printed in Roman script.

Is parking free at Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort?

Only if you're staying at an on-site resort hotel. Everyone else currently pays $35 a day at both resorts (correct at time of writing).

Do I need to pay for tolls separately from my rental car?

Not if you use the free Visitor Toll Pass™ from Orlando International Airport. It charges you the standard local toll rate and helps you avoid the rental company's marked-up toll fees, just remember to decline their toll package at the counter so you're not paying twice.

Is fuel cheaper in Florida than at home?

For most international visitors, yes, it's usually noticeably cheaper thanks to lower US fuel taxes. If you're travelling from within the US, prices will feel a lot more familiar.

What size car do I need for a family of four visiting Orlando?

A midsize or full-size SUV is generally the sweet spot once you factor in luggage, car seats and theme park bags. Got young kids or more than four people? A minivan tends to be more practical thanks to the sliding doors and extra boot space.

Do I need a car if I'm staying on International Drive?

Not really. Plenty of visitors staying along International Drive get around perfectly well using the I-RIDE Trolley Unlimited Ride Pass instead.

Ready to start planning the theme park side of your trip? Browse AttractionTickets.com's latest for Walt Disney World Resort, Universal Orlando Resort and more.

_{*Prices correct at time of writing and subject to change without notice - we recommend checking current rates directly with Walt Disney World Resort and Universal Orlando Resort before you budget.}