How to verify a renter's driver's license and insurance

On Turo or Getaround, the marketplace screens the renter and supplies the trip's insurance. The moment you take a booking yourself, both jobs are yours. Most of the losses independent operators describe trace back to one of them being skipped: a borrowed license, a policy that lapsed last month, or coverage that never applied to a rental car in the first place.

Part 1: Verify the driver's license

You're answering three questions: is this a genuine license, is it valid for the whole trip, and is the person holding it the person who booked?

1. See the physical license, front and back. A photo sent by text is easy to borrow or edit. Have the renter capture both sides themselves, live, rather than uploading an old picture.
2. Match the face. Compare the license photo to the renter, either at pickup or with a live selfie taken at the same moment as the license capture. This is the step that catches a borrowed license.
3. Match the name and date of birth. The name should match the booking and the card being charged. The date of birth should clear your minimum age for that vehicle.
4. Check the expiration against the trip. A license that expires before the return date is a problem for a multi-week rental, not just a one-day one.
5. Note restrictions and class. Corrective lenses, daylight-only and probationary restrictions matter, and some vehicles (larger RVs, some trailers) need more than a standard license in some states.
6. For international renters, ask for an International Driving Permit where your state or insurer expects one, alongside the home-country license and a passport.

A valid-looking license doesn't mean a valid driving privilege. A license can be suspended while the card stays in the wallet. If you need to know the driving record itself, that's a motor vehicle record (MVR) check: it needs the renter's consent and goes through a licensed screening provider. Ask your insurer whether they want one, especially for high-value vehicles.

Part 2: Verify the renter's insurance

An insurance ID card shows a policy number and dates. It doesn't show coverage limits, exclusions or whether the policy is still paid up. Here's what to check instead:

1. Ask for the declarations page, not the ID card. The declarations page lists the named insureds, the covered vehicles, each coverage with its limits and deductibles, and the policy period.
2. Confirm the policy is active today and through the return date. A policy that ends mid-trip is one of the most common surprises. Paper can't tell you whether it was canceled for non-payment last week, so confirm with the insurer or a verification service.
3. Confirm the renter is a named insured, not just a household member listed on someone else's policy.
4. Check physical damage coverage. Liability alone pays for damage the renter does to others, not to your car. Look for collision and comprehensive, and note the deductibles.
5. Check whether the policy extends to a rented car at all. Many personal policies carry some coverage over to a car the policyholder rents, but some exclude cars rented from an individual or through a car-sharing program. The policy wording decides, not the renter's belief. When in doubt, the renter can ask their insurer to confirm in writing.
6. Decide what you'll accept when it falls short. That might be a larger deposit, a coverage product you offer, or declining the booking. Decide in advance so it isn't a negotiation at the curb.

When to run the checks

• Right after booking, not at pickup. Checking days ahead leaves time to fix a problem. Discovering it at the curb leaves you choosing between a lost rental and a risky one.
• Again at pickup, in person. Hold the physical license and compare the face, even when the online checks passed.
• Re-check for long rentals. For monthly or rolling rentals, confirm the policy at each renewal or extension, not just the first time.
• Keep the record with the booking. Store the result, the date it was checked and the signed agreement together. If you ever need them for a claim or a dispute, you'll need them fast.

How Fleetwire handles it

Fleetwire builds both checks into the booking so you aren't collecting photos by text:

• ID verification with Stripe Identity. After booking, the renter's confirmation page asks them to verify, or you text them a link from the booking. They capture their driver's license live on their phone and take a selfie that must match the license photo. It runs on your own Stripe account, and the license's expiration date is saved with the renter so an expired ID is flagged.
• Insurance verification with Axle. The renter connects their insurance account instead of sending a card. You see the carrier, named insureds, covered vehicles, each coverage with its limits and deductibles, and the policy dates. Fleetwire flags a policy that's inactive, expired, or ends before the trip does.
• Status on every booking. ID verified, pending or failed, and insured, expired or expiring mid-trip, appear on the booking, so you can see what's outstanding before pickup and follow up or cancel in time.
• The rest of the file. A minimum age per vehicle at checkout, a card-hold deposit, and an e-signed agreement. On Standard and Premium you can require the agreement to be signed before the renter pays.

Whether a policy is adequate (high enough limits, the right coverages) stays your call. Fleetwire shows you the facts from the insurer, not a pass/fail verdict.

Frequently asked questions