Can't Meet Turo Requirements to Rent Your Car? Go Direct

If your car is too old or has too many miles for Turo, you can still rent it out on your own booking site with Rentovation. According to Turo, a US car can't be more than 12 years old, with exceptions for classic or specialty vehicles, and it must have less than 130,000 miles when you list it. Those limits are one marketplace's list. On your own Rentovation site, you choose which cars to rent, set your own rules and pay $0 per booking. You still need the right insurance, proof you can rent the car and a safe car.

What do Turo's requirements block?

Turo's rules decide whether a car can be listed there. If the car misses one, good service will not get it on. Here are the main limits next to your own site.

According to Turo, a listed car that reaches 130,000 miles may stay listed if it is in excellent condition. That helps a car already on the marketplace. It does nothing for the car you want to add today.

The bigger point is who writes the list. On a marketplace, somebody else does, and you do not get a vote. If you want the wider case for leaving, read how to rent out your car without Turo. This post is about the car that never got in.

Does your car pass the list? You still pay the marketplace on every trip. According to Turo, hosts on its US plans keep 70%, 80% or 90% of the trip price. On your own Rentovation site, you pay a flat plan price, your card fees, renter checks and your own insurance, with $0 per booking. The plan price is the same at one car or thirty, so each added car spreads it further.

What do you control on your own booking site?

Rentovation is car rental software, not a marketplace. There is no listing review to pass. You add the car, and renters book it on your site.

On every plan you get:

• Your own booking site. A branded booking website that renters book on directly, on a Rentovation address or your own domain.
• Your own fleet. Neither plan caps vehicles, and Rentovation sets no age or mileage limit on the cars you add.
• Your own rules. Set a minimum or maximum driver age, the miles included per day and your per-mile overage rate.
• Your own money. Renters pay through your own Stripe or Square account, and Rentovation charges $0 per booking. Your card processor's fees still apply.
• Your own paperwork. E-signed rental agreements on each booking and security deposit holds on the renter's card.
• Renter checks. ID verification and insurance verification, with each check using one prepaid credit. Insurance verification checks documents and does not guarantee coverage. See how to verify renters.

What do you still need before you rent an older car?

Rentovation runs the business side. It does not make a car rentable. Get these in place before the first booking:

1. Commercial rental insurance. Marketplace protection does not come with a direct rental. Talk to a licensed broker who writes commercial or peer-to-peer rental policies. Give the car's age, miles and title history up front, and ask if the policy has its own limits. If no insurer will cover the car, do not rent it. Our three-layer insurance guide explains the pieces.
2. Ownership and registration. The car should be registered to you, or to an owner who has said yes in writing. If there is a loan, check that your lender allows rentals.
3. A safe car. Have a mechanic check the brakes, tires and open recalls. Age alone is not the risk. Neglect is.
4. Local rules. Rental rules differ by place, so check yours and have a lawyer in your state review your agreement. This is general information, not legal advice.
5. Renters. Rentovation does not send you renters. You bring them through your Google Business Profile, local partners and people you know. Start with getting direct bookings without a marketplace.

Is an older car worth renting out direct?

Do not compare it with a marketplace that will not take the car. Compare it with the car sitting parked and earning nothing.

The numbers below are illustrative, not a benchmark. Use your own.

Insurance is the swing cost. Our one-car startup guide shows the range. Assume 12 rental days instead of 18, and one car leaves only about $68, so a higher quote could put you below zero. That is why the insurer's yes comes first. The Rentovation plan price does not grow with bookings or fleet size, so a second or third older car spreads it out. Each added car still brings its own insurance and upkeep. To set the daily rate, use our car pricing framework.

How do you get the car booking?

1. Get a yes from an insurer first, for this car at its age and miles.
2. Set up your site. Rentovation setup is about 15 minutes from signup to a live site.
3. Set your driver age, miles included and deposit.
4. Start from the built-in agreement template.
5. Share your booking link on your Google Business Profile. Guided setup for that profile is on every plan.

Ready to run bookings on your own site? Rentovation starts with a 14-day free trial, and you can cancel anytime. See Starter and Pro pricing for the current trial terms.