Every week somebody almost books a camper, then stalls on the same four questions. Am I old enough? Does my insurance work? What's this mileage thing? Can the dog come?
Four questions, four straight answers. Let's go.
How Old Do You Have to Be?
Most listings rent at 25 and up. Some accept 21 to 24. Every listing prints its own minimum, so check before you request dates and save yourself an awkward message. And no, you don't need a special license: Colorado lets you drive the rentals on this site, including the big Class A rigs, on a standard driver's license. What gets screened is comfort behind the wheel and a clean record, not paperwork.
The Insurance Question Everyone Gets Wrong
Here's the sentence that surprises people: your personal auto policy usually does not cover a rented motorhome, and it definitely wasn't written with a 30-foot Class C in mind. Credit card rental coverage? Typically excludes RVs too, in the fine print nobody reads.
That's why every legitimate rental sorts protection before keys change hands, either through a rental protection package at checkout or proof of coverage that actually extends to the rig you're taking. It gets squared away during booking, in writing. If you want certainty about your own policy, one call to your agent settles it in five minutes. Make the call; agents answer this question every day.
Field note
Towing is its own lane: when you tow a travel trailer, your tow vehicle's liability policy typically follows the trailer, but physical damage to the trailer itself is the piece that gets handled at booking. It's the most misunderstood corner of this whole subject, and it's exactly why the checkout flow asks the questions it asks.
Mileage, Generators and Deposits
| Item | How it usually works | Your move |
|---|---|---|
| Mileage | Motorhomes commonly include a daily mile allowance, then bill per mile | Map the loop before booking, not after |
| Generator | Often metered by the hour with a daily allowance | Boondockers: ask what's included |
| Deposit | Refundable hold, returned after a clean checkout | Film the walkthrough, keep the video |
| Towables | No engine, so usually no mileage meter at all | One more point for travel trailers |
Yes, You Can Bring the Dog. Probably.
Pet policies are set rig by rig, and the owner's house rules ride along with their camper. Plenty of Denver listings welcome dogs, and the pet friendly filter shows you exactly which ones, so nobody wastes a request. Expect rules about beds and hair, expect a pet fee on some listings, and expect us to hand you a lint roller with the keys anyway.
Out-of-State and International Drivers
Flying into DIA from another state? Your home license works exactly like it does for a rental car, and Aurora pickups sit twenty minutes from the terminal. Visiting from abroad? A valid foreign license in English generally does the job, and when the license isn't in English, an International Driving Permit alongside it smooths every conversation, including the one with the checkout flow. Sort it before you book, not at the counter, and say where you're licensed when you request dates so nothing surprises anyone.
The Fine Print That Actually Bites
Skip the myths; these are the clauses that genuinely catch people:
- Festival and event clauses. Plenty of listings say no to certain events by name. If your trip is one of them, ask first, because the deposit conversation afterward is worse.
- Forest road rules. Some rigs are cleared for washboard, some are pavement princesses, and the listing says which. The truck camper crowd exists for a reason.
- Late returns. The next renter's walkthrough is scheduled behind yours. Roll in three hours late and the fee reflects whose Saturday you spent.
- Dumping the tanks. The listing states the return condition. Handle it at the campground dump station on the way out and the cleaning fee stays boring.
Deposits and the Damage Conversation
The deposit is a refundable hold, not a fee, and the whole system runs on documentation. Here's how the smooth version goes: you film the walkthrough at handoff, both sides note the existing dings, you camp, you return it in the shape the listing asked for, and the hold releases. Boring, exactly as designed.
The version that goes sideways always has the same ingredients: no walkthrough video, a surprise discovered late, and two memories arguing. So protect yourself the cheap way. Film everything at pickup, photograph the rig again at return, and report any mishap when it happens rather than hoping it goes unnoticed. Owners forgive a cracked fender flare with a heads-up call far faster than a silent one, and half the time the honest call turns out to be something the last renter did anyway.
The Short Version
- 25 and up rents almost anything; each listing prints its minimum.
- Standard license works. Comfort matters more than credentials.
- Protection gets sorted at booking. Call your agent if you want your own answer.
- Mileage and generator allowances are printed on the listing. Read, then route.
- The dog's invited on the rigs that say so. Filter first.
One more habit worth stealing from the veterans: keep a single folder on your phone for the trip. Walkthrough video, return photos, the listing screenshot, your campsite confirmation. Every question that could come up afterward gets answered by that folder in thirty seconds, and renters who keep it never end up in a he-said conversation about a scratch that predates them.
Requirements handled. Now the fun part: find the rig, find the campsite, and go make the neighbors jealous.
See which campers are free while the good weekends still exist.
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