Key Takeaways
- Cars must be legally registered in the respective country, with age limits varying (e.g., no more than 12 years old in the US, 10 years in Australia).
- The vehicle should not exceed a set maximum seating capacity (e.g., 10 people in the US, 15 in Australia) and should fall within a certain market value range (e.g., up to $200,000 in the US, AUD 200,000 in Australia).
- Mileage limits apply (e.g., under 130,000 miles in the US, under 200,000 kilometers in Australia), and the vehicle must be in excellent condition with a clean title.
- An active car insurance policy is mandatory, and some regions require additional safety features (e.g., OEM trackers for high-value vehicles in the US).
What Are the Requirements for Listing Your Cars With Turo?
Only eligible vehicles that pass Turo’s inspection and safety standards are considered for listing. Understanding what they entail is your first step to starting a vehicle rental business from scratch.
Vehicle Requirements in the US
Below are the eligibility requirements you must comply with when operating within the United States. Your vehicle must:
- Be a passenger vehicle with complete registration documents in the US.
- Have permanent or temporary plates.
- Not exceed the maximum seating capacity of 10 people, including the driver.
- Be in excellent condition and not more than 12 years old.
- Have a fair market value of up to $200,000.
- Have an inspection sticker valid for up to the following month (for New York-based vehicles only).
- Have a “clean” title. You can get a vehicle history report from Carfax to confirm if you’re unsure.
- Have fewer than 130,000 miles, except for vehicles identified as being in excellent condition.
- Not have been declared a “total loss,” which means any maintenance expense on record shouldn’t have exceeded the car’s current actual cash value (ACV).
- Have an active car insurance policy.
- Have an active Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) tracker for cars valued at $125,000.
Specialty or Classic Vehicle Requirements
Turo services in the US classify specialty vehicles as cars over 12 years old but less than 25 years old.
If you own one and want to list it on the platform, here are the specific requirements your vehicle must meet:
- A fair market value of up to $85,000.
- Functional seat belts in excellent condition.
- Open to additional requirements or review as agreed with Turo.
Turo Car Requirements Outside the US
Turo’s services are also available in four other territories. If you have vehicles for rent in any of these areas, check out the conditions below.
Turo Car Requirements in Australia
In Australia, your vehicle must:
- Be a registered passenger vehicle in Australia, meeting all legal state requirements.
- Not exceed the maximum seating capacity of 15 people, including the driver.
- Have permanent or temporary plates. Provisional plates are accepted but must be removed before trips.
- Be no more than ten years old.
- Have fewer than 200,000 kilometers.
- Have a fair market value of up to $200,000 based on a recent valuation from a third-party vendor.
- Have a “clean” title.
- Have compulsory third-party (CTP) insurance coverage with approval from the provider.
- Have the car manufacturer’s brand on the vehicle only.
Specialty vehicles must be between 12 and 24 years old and have a five-year vehicle history report. Classic cars must be more than 25 years old.
Turo Car Requirements in Canada
Canada’s vehicle requirements are:
- A registered passenger vehicle in any of these eight Canadian provinces: Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, or Quebec.
- Doesn’t exceed the maximum seating capacity of nine people, including the driver.
- Has permanent plates. Temporary plates aren’t acceptable.
- The vehicle shouldn’t be more than 12 years old.
- Must have fewer than 200,000 kilometers.
- Market value of up to $150,000.
- Has a “clean” title.
- Has not been declared a “total loss.”
- A valid car insurance policy from providers that allow car sharing in Canada.
- Has proof of OEM tracker for vehicles valued at $150,000.
- Specialty and classic vehicles, both 25+ years old and in excellent condition.
- Has no branding other than the car’s automaker.
Turo Car Requirements in the UK
Turo has similar requirements for residents in the UK. To rent your vehicle, it must:
- Be a registered passenger vehicle in the United Kingdom, complete with legal paperwork.
- Not be a specialty or classic car.
- Have permanent plates.
- Not be more than 10 years old.
- Belong to ABI Group 1 to 50.
- Have a market value of up to £100,000 (approximately $126,000).
- Have fewer than 130,000 miles.
- Have a valid MOT (Ministry of Transport) certificate proving its safety and roadworthiness.
- Have annual vehicle servicing, as required.
- Not have been declared a “total loss.”
- Not be subject to outstanding financing.
- Not be a modified vehicle except those altered to accommodate passengers with a disability.
- Have an active Inventory Management System (IMS) tracker for vehicles priced between £50,000 and £69,999.
- Have a Thatcham-approved S5 or S7 tracker for vehicles priced at more than £70,000.
- Have branding details from the maker only.
Turo Car Requirements in France
France is also similar in this sense. Here’s a breakdown of the requirements your vehicle must meet:
- Be a registered passenger vehicle in France.
- Have a permanent registration plate.
- Have a market value of €150,000 (about $162,000).
- Be driven for less than 300,000 kilometers.
- Have a “clean” status.
- Hasn’t been declared a “total loss.”
- Have safety equipment on board each trip, like a fluorescent yellow jacket.
- Have an active car insurance policy.
Your vehicle can only have minor cosmetic modifications. The exceptions are major alterations that accommodate passengers with disabilities. In addition, classic or specialty cars should be 30 years old or older and priced at a maximum of €100,000.
Turo Commercial Host Requirements
After the prerequisites of vehicle eligibility, the next thing to consider is Turo’s requirements for its commercial hosts. Like the variety of car specifics across the regions, Turo may require hosts to submit multiple proofs of eligibility.
The following are the common items across the board:
Driver Requirements
When submitting their listing requests, Turo requires all of its commercial hosts to have a valid driver’s license.
Australia requires all owners to be at least 21, while France and the UK accommodate hosts as young as 18. Turo services in Canada and the US aren’t specific about their minimum age requirements.
Additional requirements to consider include registration documents, proof of insurance, and valid license plates.
Insurance Requirements
Turo hosts in all locations need an up-to-date car insurance policy, ideally with insurers who approve car-sharing.
You must also subscribe to an add-on Turo fee and its in-house Protection Plans, which cover any physical damage reimbursement needs and include liability insurance except in Australia.
What Vehicles Aren’t Eligible for Turo?
Turo provides a list of vehicles it won’t allow on its platform. These include:
- Box trucks
- Motorcycles
- Farm equipment
- Limousines
- Recreational vehicles
- Construction equipment
- GEM vehicles not designed for freeway use
- Off-road vehicles
- Vehicles that can’t operate on public roads without a commercial license
- Vans seating more than eight passengers
Brett’s Take: Thoughts From an Expert
I’ve noticed an inconsistency in Turo’s vehicle age requirements.
While Turo’s rules state cars should not be older than 12 years, many listed vehicles listed on the platform can be older than that. This seems to contradict the guidelines, yet these cars have completed multiple trips.
It seems that once a vehicle meets the requirements at the initial listing, it remains eligible on Turo despite aging beyond the 12-year limit. This loophole might be a relief for those with older models, but it raises questions about Turo’s enforcement of its own policies.
I am just speaking from observation here, but it almost seems like Turo may prioritize keeping a wide range of vehicles over strict adherence to age limits, offering flexibility for owners.
So if your car is a year, or even two or three, older than the requirements, try listing it anyways. Who knows, if the company is just looking to drum up demand for hosts, you might get approved anyways.
Wrapping Up
Listing your vehicle at Turo can start as a profitable side hustle and build up into a long-term rental business in months.
Check your vehicle line’s eligibility and start making money at Turo!
