Renters aged 21–24 can book RV and Auto rentals with Wheelbase protection, on direct and marketplace bookings, for a $25-per-day Young Driver Fee. This article covers who qualifies, which vehicles and packages are eligible, how the fee works, and how to set your policy.
On this page
- At a glance
- Vehicles that qualify
- Why some packages are 25+ only
- The Young Driver Fee
- Set your young driver policy
- What the renter experiences
- Driver verification requirements
- Frequently asked questions
At a glance
| Minimum age | 21. Renters under 21 can't book with Wheelbase protection. |
|---|---|
| Ages 21–24 can book when |
|
| Eligible packages (21–24) |
RV: Basic (direct), Essential (Outdoorsy), Stationary Auto: Basic, Essential Not eligible: Auto Premier, Rideshare packages, RV Preferred / Peace of Mind (25+ only) |
| Young Driver Fee | $25 per day, paid by the renter. Wheelbase keeps it; it's deducted from your payout with the protection package cost. |
| 25 and older | No Young Driver Fee. All protection packages available, including Auto Premier, RV Preferred / Peace of Mind, and rideshare. |
| Where |
RV: US and Canada (direct and Outdoorsy) Auto: US only (direct and Ride) |
Vehicles that qualify for drivers aged 21–24
| Requirement | RV | Auto |
|---|---|---|
| Location | US or Canada | US |
| Replacement value | $75,000 or less (over $75,000 doesn't qualify) | $49,999 or less ($50,000 and up doesn't qualify) |
| Excluded vehicles | Class A (Type-A) motorhomes and fifth wheels | Certain exotic makes and cars set to rideshare insurance |
| Your setting | Under 25 renter eligibility (RV) set to Allow | Under 25 renter eligibility (Auto) set to Allow |
Travel trailers and other towables qualify unless they are fifth wheels.
Wheelbase checks the replacement value saved on each vehicle (Vehicle Details → Edit) against these limits when a renter aged 21–24 tries to book. Over the limit, the vehicle is blocked for that renter. If the value is missing or out of date, a vehicle can be blocked when it should qualify, or allowed when it shouldn't.
Why some packages are 25+ only
Auto Premier ($500 deductible) and RV Preferred / Peace of Mind are the top protection tiers. Wheelbase reserves them for renters 25 and older as part of its risk policy. Renters aged 21–24 can choose Auto Basic ($2,500 deductible) or Auto Essential ($1,000 deductible), or RV Basic, Essential, or Stationary.
Rideshare (Uber and Lyft) rentals are also 25+ only, so renters aged 21–24 can rent cars for personal use only.
The Young Driver Fee
- Amount: $25 per rental day. Wheelbase sets it; you can't change it.
- Day count: billed per calendar day, the same way protection is billed. A 4-night trip covers 5 days, so the fee is $125.
- Added automatically when the renter's age is 21–24. It appears on the receipt as "Young Driver Fee" ("RV Young Driver Fee" on direct RV bookings). On Ride it sits under "Coverage, taxes, and fees."
- Not your revenue: it is an insurance fee charged to the renter. Like the protection package cost, it is deducted from your payout.
- Can't be edited or removed on the reservation.
- RV stationary rentals: the fee applies.
Set your young driver policy
Young drivers are allowed by default. There is one setting for RV and one for Auto, so you can open one category and hold the other.
- Go to Account Settings → Reservation Preferences.
- Find Under 25 renter eligibility.
- Set RV and Auto to Allow or Don't allow. The vehicle restrictions are listed under the setting.
- Click Save. The setting applies to your direct bookings and your marketplace listings (Outdoorsy or Ride). Changes apply to new reservations only.
Account Settings → Reservation Preferences → Under 25 renter eligibility
Tips
- Check a listing's age: each vehicle on your booking widget shows its minimum age, 21+ or 25+. If a car you expect to be open to young drivers shows 25+, check its value, make, rideshare setting, and your Reservation Preferences.
- Review each request: turn off Instant Book if you want to approve every booking yourself.
- Keep replacement values current: a vehicle over the limit, or with no value saved, may be blocked for renters aged 21–24.
- Using your own Custom Insurance? The vehicle restrictions don't apply, and young drivers can book any vehicle. Set your own age rules in your rental agreement.
- Old age checkbox on your website? If your checkout shows "I certify I'm at least 25," update to the latest Wheelbase Widget.
- Ride hosts: Ride adds the $25/day Young Driver Fee automatically for eligible renters aged 21–24. Ride doesn't approve host add-ons for young drivers or additional drivers, so remove any you've created.
- Created your own "Young Driver Fee" add-on before this launched? Remove it. Wheelbase charges its fee separately, so keeping yours would charge renters twice.
What the renter experiences
- Age confirmed at checkout. If the renter is under the vehicle's minimum age, checkout stops and shows the minimum age for that rental.
- Packages filtered. A renter aged 21–24 sees only eligible packages.
- Fee added. The $25/day Young Driver Fee appears in the price breakdown.
- Driver verification. After booking, each driver completes driver verification. The verified age is the age of record.
- Age corrected if needed. If a renter said they were 25+ but verifies as 21–24, the fee is added. A Premier selection is downgraded to Auto Basic, and the price difference is refunded.
If verification fails, Wheelbase protection is removed and any protection fees paid are refunded. The booking is not cancelled automatically. The renter can add a driver who meets the rules, or use their own insurance if you accept it. On Ride, a failed credit check cancels the booking.
Driver verification requirements
Young drivers go through the same verification as every other driver.
- A valid, non-temporary license. Learner's permits are not accepted.
- For cars: licensed for at least 2 years, no major violations in the last 3 years, no alcohol or drug-related driving offenses in the last 7 years, and no more than 2 violations or accidents combined in the last 3 years. See the Auto Protection Package Terms of Service.
- Verification starts once a reservation is confirmed or paid. At least one driver must be verified before departure, or protection is removed and its fees refunded.
- Anyone who will drive must be added and verified before pickup. An unverified driver is not covered.
Frequently asked questions
General (RV and Auto)
Is the young driver policy only for Ride?
No. It covers RV and Auto, on direct Wheelbase bookings and on marketplace bookings (Outdoorsy for RV, Ride for Auto).
Why was a 4-night trip charged $125?
The fee is billed per calendar day, like protection, on RV and Auto bookings. Four nights span five days.
Why can't I change the Young Driver Fee on Ride or on my direct Wheelbase bookings?
Wheelbase sets the fee and keeps it. It is part of the protection product, not a fee you charge, so it works the same way on both channels.
- Ride marketplace bookings: Ride adds the $25/day fee automatically when the renter is 21–24. You can't edit or remove it. You also can't add your own young driver or additional driver fee on Ride; Ride doesn't approve those add-ons.
- Direct (Wheelbase) bookings: the fee is added automatically and marked as required on the reservation, so it can't be edited or removed. It's deducted from your payout along with the protection package cost.
- What you can do: turn young drivers off in Reservation Preferences if you don't want them, or contact Support if a renter's age was recorded wrong.
Do I keep the Young Driver Fee?
No. It is an insurance fee charged to the renter and deducted from your payout along with the protection package cost.
Can I block young drivers?
Yes. Set Under 25 renter eligibility to Don't allow in Reservation Preferences. RV and Auto have separate settings.
What if the renter is under 21?
They can't book with Wheelbase protection, for RV or Auto.
My renter is 25 or older. Why is there a Young Driver Fee?
The fee can appear before the date of birth is confirmed. If the age on the booking is wrong, contact Support with the booking number.
The booking can't be extended. Why?
A known issue blocked date changes when the stored renter age was below the vehicle's minimum. It was fixed on October 20, 2026. If an extension is still blocked, contact Support.
RV
Why can't my renter aged 21–24 book this RV?
The RV doesn't qualify, or young drivers are turned off. Check that:
- It isn't a Class A or fifth wheel
- It's located in the US or Canada
- Its replacement value is saved and is $75,000 or less
- Under 25 renter eligibility (RV) is set to Allow
My RV renter is 21–24. Why is there no Young Driver Fee?
It depends on when and where the booking was made.
- Outdoorsy marketplace bookings: renters aged 21–24 have been able to book since August 4, 2025 (US) and March 2, 2026 (Canada). Until August 13, 2026, the fee was included in the Outdoorsy service fee rather than shown as its own line, so older receipts don't list it separately.
- Direct (Wheelbase) bookings: Wheelbase protection was not available to RV renters under 25 until mid-August 2026, and the rollout was confirmed for all operators on October 23, 2026. Direct bookings made before then have no fee because young renters couldn't get Wheelbase protection.
- Current bookings: check that the renter's age was recorded and the booking has a Wheelbase protection package. If both are true and there's still no fee, contact Support.
Which RV protection packages can a young driver choose?
RV Basic on direct bookings, RV Essential on Outdoorsy bookings, and RV Stationary for delivered or stationary units. RV Preferred and Peace of Mind are top-tier packages reserved for renters 25 and older under Wheelbase's risk policy.
Does the fee apply to stationary RV rentals?
Yes.
Do young driver rules apply in Canada for RVs?
Yes. RVs in the US and Canada qualify, on direct and Outdoorsy bookings.
Is the fee refunded if an Outdoorsy RV booking is cancelled?
Yes. On Outdoorsy marketplace bookings, protection packages, including the Young Driver Fee, are 100% refundable regardless of when the guest cancels.
Auto
Why can't my renter aged 21–24 book this car?
The car doesn't qualify, or young drivers are turned off. Check that:
- It's located in the US
- It isn't an exotic make
- It isn't set to rideshare insurance
- Its replacement value is saved and is $49,999 or less (a car worth $50,000 or more doesn't qualify)
- Under 25 renter eligibility (Auto) is set to Allow
My Auto renter is 21–24. Why is there no Young Driver Fee?
It depends on when the booking was made and what the renter entered.
- Booked before August 26, 2026: Wheelbase protection was not available to Auto renters under 25 on Ride or direct bookings before then, so there is no fee. Direct Auto bookings were confirmed live for all operators on October 23, 2026. A "Young Driver Fee" on an older Auto booking was an add-on created by the host, not the Wheelbase fee.
- Renter said they were 25+ at checkout: the fee is added after ID verification shows they are 21–24.
- Current bookings: if neither applies and there's still no fee, contact Support.
Can a young driver choose Auto Premier?
No. Renters aged 21–24 can choose Auto Basic ($2,500 deductible) or Auto Essential ($1,000 deductible). Auto Premier has the lowest deductible ($500) and is reserved for renters 25 and older under Wheelbase's risk policy.
Can a renter aged 21–24 rent a car to drive for Uber or Lyft?
No. Rideshare rentals are for renters 25 and older. That covers cars you've set to rideshare insurance on direct bookings, and Ride bookings where the guest selects "Driving for Uber or Lyft?". Renters aged 21–24 can rent carshare cars for personal use only. See Understanding Insurance for Rideshare Use.
A renter said they were 25+ but verified as 21–24. What happens?
The $25/day fee is added to the booking. If they chose Auto Premier, it is downgraded to Auto Basic and the price difference is refunded.
Can a young driver use Roamly Rental Shield?
Yes. Renters aged 21+ have always been eligible for Rental Shield, which is for Auto only. The renter must live more than 100 miles from the vehicle's location, the car's value must be $50,000 or less, and the trip must be 45 days or less. Rental Shield covers physical damage only, so the renter must bring their own personal liability insurance. Confirm it before handing over the keys (Axle can help).
Do young driver rules apply in Canada for cars?
No. Wheelbase Auto protection and Ride are available in the US only, for renters of every age.
Related articles
- Reservation Preferences
- Verifying drivers for Wheelbase Protection Packages
- Protection Packages for United States
- Protection Packages for Canada
- Understanding the Applicable Use of Integrated Insurance
- Understanding Insurance for Rideshare Use
- Understanding Axle: Personal Insurance Verification
- What is the Roamly Rental Shield?