What changes on November 1, 2026 for drivers aged 18-20?

From November 1, 2026, a driver aged 18 to 20 renting a car for university business must rent through Hertz. Enterprise and National will no longer provide insurance for drivers in that age group, and they will not sell supplemental cover to them for university travel. Drivers under 18 may not rent for university business from any provider. The change was published in a university travel notice dated July 23, 2026, so it is not new news, but it takes effect in four days.

Why is Hertz the only option for some business rentals?

The reason given is a change in vendor coverage. Enterprise and National have stopped covering underage drivers, so the university now lists Hertz as its only contracted rental car supplier approved for business rentals with drivers aged 18 to 20. Hertz continues to provide the required insurance for eligible underage drivers.

The rule is narrow. It applies to rentals made for approved university business. It does not say that Hertz is the only company any 18-to-20-year-old may use for any trip.

Who does this affect?

The notice is aimed at university-sponsored travel involving students, graduate assistants and other travellers in that age range. Units planning such trips are asked to book through Hertz and to tell travellers, travel arrangers and approvers about the change. Travel arrangers and approvers are asked to review upcoming trips before November 1 and adjust any bookings that do not comply.

What happens if an underage traveller rents from another company?

The notice says that a traveller aged 18 to 20 who rents from Enterprise, National or another non-contracted agency, and who is named as the driver in an accident or claim, will be personally responsible for damage, liability, injuries, legal expenses and other associated costs. Any uninsured costs also fall to the sponsoring unit. Because Enterprise and National will not sell supplemental cover for this age group, there is no way to buy equivalent protection from them for university trips.

Where do the sources differ or stay silent?

Only one of the two pages covers the 18-to-20 change. The other is a university FAQ from a different institution, and it is undated. It describes that university's own rules: rentals made through its account include liability insurance in the charge, and personal rentals through Enterprise must use a personal account, must be made by drivers aged 21 or over, and may carry extra fees for ages 21 to 25. It does not mention the November 1 change.

Neither page says whether the same rules apply outside university travel. Nothing in them covers personal rentals by 18-to-20-year-olds, and a traveller in that position should check the terms with the supplier before booking.

What should a traveller do before November 1?

  • If you are an 18-to-20-year-old travelling for a university, book through Hertz for that trip.
  • If you are arranging trips, review all bookings made with Enterprise or National for drivers in this age group before November 1.
  • Check with your university's travel office if a trip falls near the date, or if you are unsure whether it counts as approved business.
  • If you already hold a non-Hertz booking for a university trip, ask the travel office how it should be handled.

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