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Take your photos seriously
Your pickup photos are your record of the car before you drove it. Get every side, the interior, the odometer, and the fuel gauge.
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Renting on Levy
How renting a car from a local owner works.
Here is what a trip on Levy will look like, from signing up to dropping the car off. Bookings aren't open yet; join early access and we will email you when cars near you are ready.
Step by step
From sign-up to drop-off.
Bookings aren't open yet. When they are, a trip will run like this.
You verify your identity and license once. After that, a trip comes down to a request, a few photos at pickup, and a phone unlock.
- 1
Create your account and verify your license
Sign up with your email, then photograph your driver's license and complete a quick identity check. You do this once, not before every trip.
- 2
Get approved to drive
Levy approves drivers who are 21 or older, hold a valid license, and pass a driving-record check with no reported moving-violation convictions and no active suspension. Only the named driver on a booking may drive the car.
- 3
Find a car near you
Search by where you need the car and for which dates. Each listing shows the car, its photos, the pickup spot, and the daily price the owner has set.
- 4
Send a booking request
You'll see the full price before you send a request: the owner's price plus tax, with nothing added by Levy. The owner accepts or declines. Messages go through Levy, so neither of you shares a personal phone number.
- 5
Sign the trip agreement
A short agreement for the trip covers the dates, the car, the price, and what you owe for things like tolls, tickets, and cleaning. If the car is damaged during your trip, New York law caps what you can owe at the lesser of the actual, reasonable repair cost or the car's fair market value before the damage.
- 6
Pick up the car
During your trip window, open the link on your phone, photograph the car, odometer, and fuel level, then unlock. There is no security deposit and no card hold for damage.
- 7
Drive
Tolls, including the Manhattan congestion toll, are matched to your trip and charged to the card on file. Tickets from your trip are your responsibility under the trip agreement. Message the owner through Levy if you have a question.
- 8
Return and lock
Bring the car back to the agreed spot by the end of your trip, take return photos, and lock it from your phone. The unlock link stops working when the trip ends.
Compared with a rental counter
What is different about renting from an owner.
A traditional rental and a shared car can both get you where you are going. Here is how the experience differs.
Topic
Typical rental company
Levy
Pickup
Typical rental companyA counter or lot, often at an airport or a few set locations.
LevyWherever the owner parks the car, shown in the listing. You unlock it with your phone.
The car
Typical rental companyA car class, such as "midsize SUV or similar."
LevyThe specific car in the photos.
Price
Typical rental companySet by the rental company.
LevyThe owner's price plus tax, shown before you request the trip. Levy adds no fees or markups.
Deposit
Typical rental companyOften a hold on your card beyond the rental price.
LevyNone. Levy never takes a deposit or card hold for damage.
Tolls
Typical rental companyOften a toll device program or a fee per toll, depending on the company.
LevyMatched to your trip and charged to the card on file.
Tips
Make your first trip an easy one.
A little planning goes a long way, especially in the city. Heading into Manhattan below 60th Street? Read the MTA's guide to the congestion toll.
Plan parking at the end
In the city, allow time to find a legal spot near the return location, and read any parking notes in the listing.
Know your route
Bridges, tunnels, the Thruway, and the Manhattan congestion zone all add tolls. They will be matched to your trip, so plan for them.
FAQ
Questions about renting.
Requirements, unlocking, deposits, tolls, and tickets.
What do I need to rent a car?
Drivers must be 21 or older, hold a valid driver's license, verify their identity, and pass a driving-record check with no reported moving-violation convictions and no active suspension. Only the named driver may drive. You also need a payment method, and you sign a short trip agreement for each booking. There is no security deposit.
How do I get into the car?
Once your booking is confirmed and your checks are complete, you get a link that unlocks the car during your trip window. At pickup you photograph the car, odometer, and fuel level, then unlock with your phone. There is no counter and no key to collect.
Is there a security deposit?
No. Levy never charges a security deposit or places a hold on your card for damage, on any trip. New York law prohibits deposits and holds for damage in peer-to-peer car sharing.
New York General Business Law § 913: driver damage limits and the deposit ban
How are tolls handled?
Levy matches tolls to the trip that ran them up and bills them to the driver, so hosts do not have to find each charge on an E-ZPass statement and send an invoice. Drivers see tolls charged to the card on file for that trip.
Who pays parking and camera tickets from a trip?
In New York City, red light and other camera tickets are mailed to the vehicle's registered owner, no matter who was driving. Levy's trip agreement makes the driver responsible for tickets and other trip-related charges incurred during their trip.
How are drivers screened?
Drivers must be 21 or older, hold a valid driver's license, verify their identity, and pass a driving-record check with no reported moving-violation convictions and no active suspension. Only the named driver may drive. Every driver signs a trip agreement before they can unlock a car, and the unlock link works only during the confirmed trip window.
Can I book a car today?
Bookings open when the marketplace launches in your area. Hosts can create accounts and set up listings now, and drivers can sign up for early access. We email you when cars near you are ready to book.
Early access
Be first to book near you.
Join early access and we will email you when cars in your area open for booking.
Get early access
Rent cars from local owners across New York. Sign up and we’ll tell you first when bookings open near you.
New York notices
NOTICE: New York State Law prohibits the following practices by peer-to-peer car sharing program administrators based upon race, color, ethnic origin, religion, disability, sex, marital status, residence or geographic location, income, sexual orientation, genetic predisposition or age: (1) refusal to allow participation in a peer-to-peer car sharing program; and (2) the imposition of any additional charge (except in certain instances where the shared vehicle driver is under the age of 25). In addition, it is unlawful for any peer-to-peer car sharing program administrator to refuse to allow participation in the program to any person solely on the requirement of ownership of a credit card.
Leased or financed car?
If your vehicle is leased or financed, you may need more insurance. If your vehicle is subject to a lease or loan, you may need additional insurance coverage, including motor vehicle physical damage coverage (collision and comprehensive), to share it through Levy. Check your lease or loan agreement and ask your insurer. For insurance questions, contact the New York State Department of Financial Services: (800) 342-3736, www.dfs.ny.gov.