Home Depot truck rental starts at $19 for the first 75 minutes on a Load ‘N Go pickup, cargo van or flatbed, then $5 for each additional 15 minutes, with unlimited local mileage. A full 24-hour rental of the same vehicle typically runs $89 to $129 depending on market. Larger Penske box trucks booked through Home Depot start around $29.99 per day for local moves plus roughly $0.99 to $1.29 per mile. Expect a refundable deposit hold of $100 to $150 on your card.
Below is the complete rate structure, the fees that catch people out, worked cost examples for real scenarios, and a direct comparison against U-Haul, Lowe’s and booking Penske yourself. Prices vary by store and market and change over time — always confirm the current rate at your local store or on homedepot.com before you go.
Home Depot Load ‘N Go Rate Card
Load ‘N Go is Home Depot’s own fleet, kept in the parking lot at most stores. These are the vehicles you rent for a few hours to move a sofa, haul lumber, or make one trip across town. Everything in this tier includes unlimited local mileage — you are paying for time, not distance.
| Vehicle | First 75 minutes | Each extra 15 min | Approx. 4 hours | 24 hours | Mileage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pickup truck (F-250 class, 8 ft bed) | $19 | $5 | $74 | $89–$129 | Unlimited, local |
| Cargo van (Transit class) | $19 | $5 | $74 | $89–$129 | Unlimited, local |
| Flatbed truck | $19–$29 | $5 | $74–$95 | $99–$139 | Unlimited, local |
| Stake bed / utility (select stores) | $29 | $5 | $95 | $129–$149 | Unlimited, local |
The math on the incremental rate matters. After the first 75 minutes you are paying $5 per quarter hour, which is $20 an hour. Cross about the four-hour mark and the daily rate becomes cheaper than continuing to accrue 15-minute increments, so if there is any chance you will be out for half a day, ask for the daily rate up front rather than letting the meter run.
Some stores also cap Load ‘N Go rentals at a set radius or require the vehicle back the same day. That policy is set locally, so confirm it before you drive off — crossing a state line in a Load ‘N Go truck is generally not permitted.
Penske Box Trucks Booked Through Home Depot
For anything larger than a van, Home Depot hands you off to Penske. These are conventional moving trucks, they are reserved in advance rather than grabbed off the lot, and the pricing model is completely different: a low daily base rate plus a per-mile charge.
| Truck size | Cargo volume | Max payload | Moves roughly | Local base/day | Per mile | Approx. MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 ft | ~450 cu ft | ~3,100 lbs | Studio or 1 room | from $29.99 | $0.99–$1.19 | 10–12 |
| 16 ft | ~800 cu ft | ~4,300 lbs | 1–2 bedrooms | from $39.99 | $0.99–$1.29 | 8–10 |
| 22 ft | ~1,200 cu ft | ~10,000 lbs | 3–4 bedrooms | from $59.99 | $1.09–$1.29 | 7–9 |
| 26 ft | ~1,700 cu ft | ~10,000 lbs | 4–6 bedrooms | from $69.99 | $1.09–$1.39 | 6–8 |
Two warnings about that base rate. First, “from $29.99” is a weekday, low-demand, local round-trip price. Book a 26 ft truck for the last Saturday in June — the single busiest moving day of the year — and you may see three or four times that figure. Second, one-way rentals are priced entirely differently: they bundle mileage and a set number of days into one quoted rate, which can look expensive but usually is not once you account for not driving the truck back.
Every Fee You Might Pay
| Charge | Typical amount | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Security deposit hold | $100–$150 | Authorized on your card at pickup, released after return |
| Damage protection (optional) | ~$14–$20 per day | Waives your liability for damage to the vehicle |
| Supplemental liability (Penske) | $12–$25 per day | Third-party coverage above state minimums |
| Refueling charge | $9–$10 per gallon | If you return with less fuel than you started |
| Late return | $5 per 15 min, or a second day’s rate | Past your agreed return time |
| Cleaning fee | $25–$100 | Excessive dirt, debris, spilled material |
| Environmental / recovery fee | $1–$5 per rental | Line item at many locations |
| Furniture pads | $10–$20 per dozen | Not included; rented separately |
| Appliance or utility dolly | $10–$15 per rental | Not included; rented separately |
| Tow hitch / car carrier (Penske) | $60–$200 | One-way moves towing a vehicle |
The refueling charge is the one that quietly doubles a cheap rental. At roughly $10 per gallon versus a pump price in the low threes, returning a 16 ft truck ten gallons light costs about $100 instead of $35. Fill up at a station within a mile of the store before you hand back the keys.
Requirements: What You Need to Rent
- Valid driver’s license. A standard Class D license covers everything in both fleets, including the 26 ft truck. No CDL is required.
- Minimum age. Generally 21 for Load ‘N Go and 18 for Penske, though individual locations set stricter policies. Under-25 surcharges are common on the Penske side.
- Proof of insurance. Home Depot requires you to show current auto insurance for Load ‘N Go rentals. Many personal policies extend to rented pickups and vans but exclude box trucks over a certain weight — call your insurer and ask specifically, because the answer differs by carrier and state.
- Credit or debit card in your name. Debit cards are accepted at most locations but often trigger a larger hold and sometimes an additional ID check.
- No reservation needed for Load ‘N Go. First come, first served. Penske trucks must be reserved in advance.
Worked Cost Examples
Rate cards are abstract. Here is what four realistic jobs actually cost.
| Scenario | Vehicle | Breakdown | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collect a sofa and two chairs from a store 10 miles away, back in under an hour | Load ‘N Go pickup | $19 base + ~$4 fuel | ~$23 |
| Haul 40 bags of mulch, 12 pavers and 6 fence panels; three hours total | Load ‘N Go pickup | $19 + 7 × $5 (extra 105 min) + ~$8 fuel | ~$62 |
| Move a one-bedroom apartment across town, 30 miles driven, half a day | Penske 12 ft | $29.99 base + 30 mi × $1.09 + ~$12 fuel + $14 damage waiver | ~$89 |
| Move a three-bedroom house 45 miles, one full day | Penske 22 ft | $59.99 base + 90 mi round trip × $1.19 + ~$45 fuel + $20 waiver + $25 dollies and pads | ~$257 |
Notice how the fuel line grows. A 22 ft truck returning 8 mpg over 90 miles burns around 11 gallons. On longer moves fuel frequently exceeds the base rental rate, which is why comparing only headline daily prices between companies leads people to the wrong choice.
What Actually Fits in Each Vehicle
Pickup truck
An 8-foot bed takes full sheets of plywood and drywall flat, standard 8-foot lumber, about 30 to 40 bags of soil or mulch, a washer and dryer, or a two-seat sofa on its side. Payload is roughly 2,000 to 3,000 pounds — enough that you will run out of space before you run out of weight capacity for most household loads, though a pallet of pavers or bagged concrete will hit the weight limit fast.
Cargo van
Better than a pickup for anything that must stay dry or out of sight. Holds a queen mattress, a dresser, and 15 to 20 medium boxes, or a full studio apartment in two trips. The tradeoff is a low roof and a rear opening that will not take a tall appliance upright.
Flatbed
The specialist. Long lumber, roof trusses, landscape timbers, a small shed, appliances on a pallet. Side loading with a forklift makes it the only realistic option for bulk building materials. If your project is a large outdoor build — decking, a patio, or the base preparation described in our guide to artificial grass costs and whether to buy — this is the vehicle that saves you four pickup trips.
Box trucks
Use the room count in the table above but adjust downward if you own heavy furniture, a piano, or a lot of books. The single most common mistake is renting a 16 ft truck for a two-bedroom home and discovering it is a two-trip job. Sizing up one step costs roughly $20 a day and saves hours.
Home Depot vs U-Haul vs Lowe’s vs Penske Direct
| Provider | Entry price | Mileage | Reservation | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Depot Load ‘N Go | $19 / 75 min | Unlimited, local only | Not required | Short hauls, same-day store pickups, DIY material runs |
| U-Haul pickup / van | $19.95 / day | $0.79–$1.29 per mile | Recommended | Longer local trips; more locations |
| U-Haul box truck | $29.95–$39.95 / day | $0.79–$1.29 per mile | Yes | One-way moves; the largest network |
| Lowe’s truck rental | ~$19 / 90 min | Unlimited, local | Not required | Direct equivalent to Load ‘N Go |
| Penske direct | from $29.99 / day | Per mile local; included one-way | Yes | Long-distance moves, newer fleet |
The honest summary: Home Depot wins decisively on short local trips because unlimited mileage plus a $19 base beats every per-mile competitor under about three hours. U-Haul’s $19.95 daily rate looks cheaper on paper but adds mileage, so a 40-mile day costs $19.95 plus roughly $40 in mileage plus fuel. For anything long-distance or one-way, Home Depot is not really in the running — book Penske or U-Haul directly.
Booking Penske through Home Depot versus booking Penske yourself usually produces the same fleet at similar prices, but promotional codes, AAA and military discounts are easier to apply when you book direct. Check both.
Eight Ways to Cut the Cost
- Load before the clock starts. Have everything staged, wrapped and ready at the curb. The 75-minute window disappears fast if you are still disassembling a bed frame.
- Go midweek and mid-month. Demand peaks on weekends and at month end when leases turn over. Tuesday morning is the cheapest and least contested slot.
- Avoid the last weekend in June and the Labor Day weekend. These are the two highest-demand periods in the US moving calendar, and Penske pricing responds accordingly.
- Ask for the daily rate if you will exceed four hours. Twenty dollars an hour in increments overtakes the day rate quickly.
- Check your existing coverage before buying the waiver. Many personal auto policies and some credit cards already cover rented pickups and vans, which makes the $14 a day pure margin.
- Refuel a mile from the store. Saves roughly $6 to $7 per gallon versus the refueling charge.
- Bring your own straps, blankets and dolly. Renting them adds $20 to $40 that a one-time purchase of moving straps largely eliminates.
- Compare against paid delivery. Home Depot charges a flat local delivery fee — often around $79 — on many large purchases, and appliance delivery is frequently free with purchase. For one bulky item, delivery can beat renting once you count your own time and fuel.
When Renting Is the Wrong Call
Renting a truck is not always the cheapest route. If you are buying a single appliance, a mattress, or a pallet of material from Home Depot itself, priced delivery is often lower than the true cost of a rental once fuel and your own labour are counted. If your load exceeds a 26 ft truck, or you cannot physically lift it, a two-person labour-only service booked separately and combined with a rental truck typically costs less than a full-service mover while removing the heaviest work.
And for jobs spread across several weekends — a deck build, a room renovation, repainting an exterior in the colours covered in our guide to the best mobile home exterior paint colors — the running total of repeated $19 rentals adds up. Consolidating material runs into one flatbed trip is usually the cheaper plan.
How to Book, Step by Step
- Load ‘N Go: Go to the Tool Rental desk inside your local store. Bring your licence, insurance card and a card for the deposit. No booking needed, but call ahead at busy times to check availability — a single store may hold only two or three vehicles.
- Penske through Home Depot: Reserve online at homedepot.com under moving truck rental, or by phone. Confirm the pickup location, since Penske trucks are often at a nearby Penske facility rather than the store itself.
- At pickup: Photograph all four sides, the roof edge, the cargo area and the fuel gauge before you leave. This is the single best protection against a damage dispute.
- At return: Refuel, sweep the cargo area, photograph the gauge and interior again, and get a printed or emailed receipt confirming the return time.
For more cost breakdowns and practical guides, see our tech category, including our look at single board computers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does it cost to rent a truck from Home Depot?
Load ‘N Go pickups, cargo vans and flatbeds start at $19 for the first 75 minutes, then $5 for each additional 15 minutes, with unlimited local mileage. A 24-hour rental of the same vehicle typically costs $89 to $129. Larger Penske box trucks booked through Home Depot start around $29.99 per day plus roughly $0.99 to $1.29 per mile. Rates vary by market, so confirm locally.
Does Home Depot charge by the mile?
Not for Load ‘N Go vehicles — pickups, cargo vans and flatbeds include unlimited mileage for local use, and you pay only for time. Penske box trucks booked through Home Depot do charge per mile on local rentals, generally $0.99 to $1.29. One-way Penske rentals bundle mileage into the quoted rate instead.
What deposit does Home Depot require for a truck rental?
Expect a refundable authorization hold of $100 to $150 on your credit or debit card at pickup. The hold is released after you return the vehicle, though the funds may take several business days to clear back to a debit account. Debit cards sometimes trigger a larger hold or an extra identification check.
Do I need a special licence to drive a Home Depot rental truck?
No. A standard driver’s licence covers every vehicle in both the Load ‘N Go and Penske fleets, up to and including the 26-foot box truck. No commercial licence is required. You will need to be at least 21 for Load ‘N Go at most stores, and Penske typically requires 18 with under-25 surcharges.
Can I take a Home Depot rental truck out of state?
Load ‘N Go vehicles are intended for local use and most stores prohibit crossing state lines or set a mileage radius. If you need to travel between states, book a Penske truck — either a local round trip or a one-way rental, which is designed exactly for that and includes mileage in the quoted price.
Is Home Depot cheaper than U-Haul?
For short local trips, yes. Home Depot’s $19 for 75 minutes with unlimited mileage beats U-Haul’s $19.95 daily rate plus $0.79 to $1.29 per mile on any trip under a few hours. For longer local moves, all-day rentals or anything one-way, U-Haul or Penske direct is usually cheaper and has far more locations.
