Flying in from Europe, the UK, Australia or anywhere else changes three things about renting an RV: which driving licence the company accepts, how old every driver has to be, and how the security deposit is taken. The rules differ a lot between a fleet company and a marketplace, and between one marketplace and the next. Below are the rules as the three big platforms publish them, followed by a checklist that puts every booking step in the right order.
Quick answer: licence, age and deposit for visitors
| Cruise America (fleet) | Outdoorsy (marketplace) | RVshare (marketplace) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum driver age | 21. No under-25 surcharge [R1] | 21, but drivers aged 21–24 pay $25 per night and can't rent a Class A, a fifth wheel or an RV worth $75,000 or more. No extra conditions from 25 [R4] | 25 for motorhomes and campervans (23 for towables) [R7] |
| Your home licence | Valid and identifiable, shown with your passport. Digital licences are not accepted [R1] | Valid licence plus passport for the driver check [R3]. The terms also ask for 3 years of licensed driving [R5] | Valid licence. We found no published rule for licences issued outside the US. Ask RVshare and the owner before you pay [R7] |
| International Driving Permit (IDP) | Needed if your licence is not in English (Cruise America's UK guide) [R2] | Required for guests from South America, Central America and Asia [R3]. For other non-US licences an IDP "may be required" [R5] | Not stated. Confirm before booking |
| Security deposit | $500, refundable, taken by credit card at pickup ($1,000 for departures in CA, NV, WA, OR and UT from August 26 to September 1, 2026, the Burning Man week) [R1] | Set by each host. Outdoorsy's minimum is $500 for most RVs ($1,500 for a Class A), and it recommends $500–1,500. The hold goes on your card 2 days before the trip and is released 7 days after it if there's no claim [R6] | Set by each owner. Held from 48 hours before the rental. Some listings offer an optional Security Deposit Waiver instead [R7] |
| Extra drivers | Free. Every driver signs the contract [R1] | Each driver must pass verification. The young driver fee is charged once per booking [R4] | Per-day charge for each additional approved driver [R7] |
| Paying with a card from abroad | A credit card is required at pickup for the deposit and local charges [R1] | 3% foreign transaction fee on the rental and any deposit charge if your card was issued in a different country from the host's [R3] | Renters pay by credit card [R7] |
In short: under 25, start with a fleet company like Cruise America. If your licence is not in English, or is a digital-only licence, sort that out before you book anything. On a marketplace, the deposit is whatever the host sets, so read it on the listing before you request a booking. Rules checked 2026-10-27; they change, so confirm with the company you book.
Is your licence legal to drive with in the US?
There are two different questions here: what the law requires in each state you drive through, and what the rental company requires. The stricter one wins.
- The US government: depending on the states you visit, you may need an IDP as well as your licence. An IDP must be obtained before your trip, from the country that issued your licence. The US does not issue them to visitors. "You may need both your license and an IDP to rent a car in the U.S." [R8]
- Nevada (Las Vegas pickups): Nevada honours valid foreign licences. An IDP "is not required, but it is recommended as a translation", and it is not valid on its own without your licence [R9].
- Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Montana: we have not confirmed each state's rule for foreign visitors. USAGov's advice is to check with the motor vehicle agency of each state you'll drive in, or with your country's embassy [R8].
- Licence class: Cruise America says a standard UK car licence (category B) is "absolutely sufficient" for every RV it rents [R2]. For other countries' licences and other companies, ask before you book.
Our rule of thumb [A]: if your licence is not in English or not in the Latin alphabet, get an IDP at home before you fly. It costs little and removes the most common reason a pickup goes wrong. Always carry the physical licence card too, not only an app.
Small print that catches visitors out
- Digital licences: Cruise America does not accept digital driver's licences to rent [R1]. Bring the plastic card.
- Personal auto insurance: Outdoorsy's terms list "a personal auto insurance policy" among the requirements for RV guests, and its protection packages are excess cover over your own insurance [R5]. Its help centre also says international guests are covered once they pass the driver check [R3]. Ask Outdoorsy how this applies to you before you book.
- Damage excess: at Cruise America you're responsible for up to $3,000 per incident. The optional Zero Damage Plan at the counter reduces that to $0, but it excludes interior damage, reversing, overhead strikes and freezing [R1].
- Same-day pickup after a long flight: Cruise America allows it but is "NOT responsible for accommodating late arrivals" caused by flight delays, immigration or baggage claim. Standard pickups are 1–4 pm, and you call the depot a few days ahead to set a time [R1]. See airport pickup & one-way fees for depot hours.
- No Mexico: Outdoorsy and RVshare rentals may not be driven into Mexico [R5][R7].
- The deposit is a hold on your card: on Outdoorsy it shows as a pending amount, not a charge, unless the host makes a claim [R6]. Make sure your card limit covers the deposit plus fuel and campgrounds [A].
Ready-to-book checklist: fly-in RV trip, any route
Dates for ESTA, campgrounds, RV and flights on one list: Booking timeline →
Work through this in order. Campgrounds and vehicle size decide which rentals work, not the other way round. For the Las Vegas loop, the 10-day day-by-day itinerary has the park-by-park version.
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Sources and how we checked
- [R1] Cruise America — Client Essential Notes, departures 2026 (PDF, "Summer 2026, Winter 2026/27"): driver requirements, digital licences, $500 deposit and Burning Man rule, pickup window, same-day arrivals, $3,000 responsibility and Zero Damage Plan — assets.cruiseamerica.com/client-docs/Client_Essential_Notes_English.pdf (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R2] Cruise America — Driving an RV in the USA with a British driver's license (full licence, IDP if not in English, category B sufficient) — www.cruiseamerica.com/trip-inspiration/driving-rv-us-with-uk-license (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R3] Outdoorsy Help Center — Are international travelers allowed to rent on Outdoorsy? (licence + passport, IDP for South/Central America and Asia, 3% foreign transaction fee; updated July 15, 2026) — support.outdoorsy.com (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R4] Outdoorsy Help Center — How to become a Verified Driver for RV bookings (minimum age 21, young driver criteria, $25/night fee; updated August 10, 2026) — support.outdoorsy.com (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R5] Outdoorsy — Terms of Service, last revised October 1, 2026 (eligibility: 3 years licensed driving, IDP "may be required", personal auto insurance policy; excess coverage; no Mexico) — support.outdoorsy.com (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R6] Outdoorsy Help Center — What is the security deposit? (host sets amount, $500 minimum / $1,500 Class A, recommended $500–1,500, hold 2 days before, auto-release after 7 days) — support.outdoorsy.com · guest version (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R7] RVshare — Terms of Service, last updated August 26, 2026 (age 25 drivable / 23 towable, owner-set deposit held 48 hours prior, Security Deposit Waiver, per-day additional driver charge, credit card payments, no Mexico) — rvshare.com/terms-of-service (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R8] USAGov — Driving in the U.S. if you are not a citizen (IDP depends on state; get it before the trip; US doesn't issue IDPs) — www.usa.gov/non-citizen-driving (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R9] Nevada DMV — Frequently Asked Questions ("Can I drive in Nevada with an out-of-state or foreign license?") — dmv.nv.gov/faqs.htm (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R10] U.S. Customs and Border Protection — Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) — www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/esta (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R11] NPS / Recreation.gov — campground windows and vehicle limits for Watchman, Bryce Canyon North and Mather, and the 2026 Zion large-vehicle rule, including Zion's "full almost every night" note, as cited in full on our 10-day itinerary ([S1], [S5], [S6], [S9], [S15] there). Cruise America return times and Sunday closures: see the sources on our airport pickup page (checked 2026-10-27)
- [R12] NPS — Entrance passes ($250 Non-Resident Annual Pass; $100 nonresident fee at 11 parks, age 16+) — www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm (checked 2026-10-27)
- Not from a source [A]: the IDP rule of thumb, card-limit advice, the order of the checklist, short-notice availability of private RV parks, mobile coverage, and the pass arithmetic. State rules for Utah, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming and Montana were not confirmed.
Next step
The 10-day Las Vegas loop, day by dayWhere to sleep, drive times, Zion vehicle limits, what to book first
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