Rentals That Can Be Used for Towing Trailers

• Trailers can accommodate items too large for your car. George Remington/Creatas/Getty Images

  Using a towing hitch can serve a variety of purposes. You may need more storage space than is available in your vehicle, be taking along another car without a spare driver (or simply trying to avoid paying for the gas to drive both vehicles), or towing a trailer carrying specialty watercraft or all-wheel-drive vehicles. However, if you're renting the vehicle doing the towing, be aware that not all rental companies let you do this, and not all rental vehicles are capable.

Moving Truck Rental Companies

• The giant enclosed trucks you see on the road, from companies such as U-Haul and Penske, have powerful engines and sturdy frames, and a trailer hitch you are typically allowed to use. Because the mission of these companies is to enable functionality in moving, their contracts usually allow you to tow trailers with weights that do not exceed the tow hitch's load capabilities.

Rent-a-Truck Companies

• Most commercial car rental companies, which also rent trucks, have terms in their vehicle rental agreements which prohibit you from using any car you rent from them for towing. Even if the vehicle you rent comes with a tow hitch, the rental terms often do not allow you to use it. If you do, the company could charge you a fee for violating the rental agreement and void any policies you purchased which would have relieved you of responsibility for damages to the vehicle. The rental company will also charge you fees associated with fixing any part of the car, from mechanical issues that might have resulted from the towing to any damage to the body. However, if the rental company has a separate division dedicated to truck rentals, then these will frequently come with trailer hitches you are allowed to use.

Trailer Hitch Rentals

• Another option you have to tow a trailer is to rent a trailer hitch which you can install on your own vehicle, use for whatever towing needs you may have, then remove and return to the rental company when you are finished. This saves you money over purchasing the tow hitch yourself, and saves you the need to store a hitch you bought if you normally don't like the way it would look on your vehicle.