Planning a big move, and wondering, “How long can you rent a U-Haul?”
Many customers are clueless about the rental duration when it comes to these handy trucks, creating stress in an already intense situation.
Renting a U-Haul can be a lifesaver when you’re shifting homes, venturing on a cross-country move, or just need to haul large items.
But without clear information, you might find yourself racing against the clock, dreading late fees and unforeseen charges.
Do you know what’s even more surprising? The answer to this question is not as straightforward as you might think.
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How Long Can I Rent a U Haul?
So you can rent a U-Haul anywhere from a few hours up to a 24-hour period. And some locations do offer multiple days for you to rent their U Hauls. Keep in mind that this is not every single U Haul location. Some U Haul places will only allow you multiple days if the move is out of state.
Can I Add More Days to My Rental?
Yes, in most instances, you can add more days to your rental. You should arrange this prior to time with the workers at the U Haul location. It may be harder to add days to a rental if you wait until the rental is already in your position.
However, it may not be much of a problem at all. Rather than just keeping the U Haul, you do need to call or go up to the U Haul place and get permission from a worker or manager to keep the U Haul for extra days. There are some U Hauls that can be kept up to 90 days.
How long you can keep a U Haul depends a lot on availability and the location rules in particular. Not all U Hauls are created equal. Some U Haul locations are more lenient than others and some are stricter.
It is good practice to plan ahead for needing more days but you may not be able to do this. If you book a certain number of days but as you are moving realize that you are going to need more time or days to move, you should contact your local U Haul right away.
What If I Don’t Return the U Haul Once My Days Are Up?
If you don’t return the U Haul once your days are up, U Haul will send someone out to find you and find you they will. You don’t want to be on the run from U Haul. They’ll get law enforcement involved and it’ll be a whole ugly scene for nothing.
Why go through the trouble when you can just turn the truck in on time and rent another one if need be. Or ask to get an extension on the truck that you currently have. If the truck is available for the time that you are needing it, there should be no trouble renting it for more hours or even more days.
Just don’t take it upon yourself to keep the truck past its due date or due time. U Haul will not hesitate to come look for its vehicle and possibly file charges against you. All of this can certainly be avoided.
Can I Rent a U Haul Back-to-Back?
While this probably doesn’t happen often or a whole lot, it is certainly possible to rent a U Haul back-to-back. If you rent a U Haul and you realize your need it longer and that U Haul is available to be rented again, your local U Haul may have no problem lending the truck to you again for a price of course.
While each U Haul has its rules and policies, I don’t know of any U Haul that would lose out on money all because they don’t want to let the same person rent the same truck back-to-back. It is actually counter-productive when you think about it. And as it pertains to U Haul making money, they don’t care who it comes from, as long as they get their money.
If you need to rent a U Haul back-to-back you need to talk to someone at your local U Haul as soon as possible. Let them know your situation and you may be surprised by how accommodating they really are. You won’t know unless you try.
It is possible that the U Haul you have has already been rented out to someone else after your due date. I’m not 100% sure how the reservation systems works. However, it can be suspected that if you are supposed to return the truck by a certain date or time, then the system will allow someone else to book the same truck because it is expected to be back.
U Haul has to keep their money rolling in and if you choose not to return the truck on time you are biting into their profits. U Haul will not be happy about this and it could affect your being able to get a rental in the future. So you want to be mindful of this when you rent a U Haul for a certain date and number of hours.
Can I Turn the U Haul in and Get Another U Haul?
If the U Haul you are wanting to rent for longer has already been reserved, turn the truck back in. You should be able to rent another U Haul right away. That is if they have any available.
If there are no other U Hauls available you may hae to wait until one does become available. It really depends on where you are renting from and how many U Hauls they have available at the time. Even if there are no U Hauls available to rent right away, don’t get discouraged.
How Long Am I Able to Rent a U Haul?
You can usually rent a U Haul for anywhere from a few hours to 24-hours or 1 whole day. In some instances, you will be able to rent a U Haul for more than 24-hours or even for multiple days. This is especially so if you are moving out-of-state. Normally, you can’t rent a U Haul for more than a day.