Teslas don't come with a physical key to hand over at pickup. Instead, you grant access digitally through the Tesla app by adding your renter as a driver. This article walks you through exactly how to send that access, when to do it, and how to revoke it at the end of the trip.
How Tesla Access Works for Rentals
Owners add drivers to their vehicle through the Tesla app by going to Security & Drivers, tapping Manage Drivers, and sending an invitation to the driver. Once you add your renter as a driver, their phone becomes their key — there's no physical handoff required on your end.
This means two things matter for a smooth handoff:
- You need the renter's correct account details before you can send the invite.
- You need to send access with enough lead time before their pickup, since accepting the invite and pairing a phone key both take a few minutes.
Step 1: Get the Renter's Account Details
Before you can add a renter as a driver, you'll need the phone number or email address tied to their Tesla account (or the one they plan to use to create one). Get this from your renter through the platform's messaging as soon as the booking is confirmed — don't wait until pickup day.
If the renter doesn't yet have a Tesla account, that's fine — you can still send the invite to their email, and Tesla will prompt them to create one when they accept.
Step 2: Add Your Renter as a Driver
Once you have their details, add them as a driver in the Tesla app:
- Open the Tesla app and select the vehicle.
- Tap Security & Drivers.
- Tap Manage Drivers.
- Tap Add Driver and enter the renter's phone number or email.
- Send the invitation.
If the renter doesn't have a Tesla account yet, a welcome email is sent to their registered email address so they can create one and accept access. If they already have an account, they'll get an in-app invitation they can accept directly.
Timing tip: Send this invite the day before or the morning of pickup — not minutes before. Accepting the invite and pairing a phone key both need to happen before the renter arrives, and rushing this step is the most common cause of delayed pickups.
Step 3: Confirm the Renter Accepted
Tesla lets you add up to five drivers to share access to your vehicle, and the Manage Drivers screen shows everyone who currently has access. Check back after sending the invite to confirm your renter shows up on that list — if they don't appear after a reasonable amount of time, follow up with them directly, since an unaccepted invite means they won't be able to unlock the car at pickup.
Step 4: What Happens on the Renter's End
Once they've accepted, your renter still needs to be standing near the vehicle to pair their phone as a key — this is a separate step from accepting the invite, and it's on them to complete it. If they run into trouble here, it's usually because they're too far from the car, their Tesla app needs updating, or Bluetooth is off. You don't need to do anything on your end for this part, but it helps to give your renter a heads-up that this final pairing step exists so it doesn't catch them off guard at pickup.
Step 5: End of Rental — Remove Access
When the rental ends, remove the renter's driver access so their phone no longer works as a key. In the Tesla app, tap Manage Drivers, find their name, and tap remove. Do this promptly after drop-off — leaving old renters with active access is a security risk you don't want hanging around between bookings.
Troubleshooting
- Invite not showing up for the renter? Double-check you entered the correct phone number or email. A typo here is the most common reason invites don't arrive.
- Renter says they can't pair their phone key? That step happens on their end near the vehicle — confirm they're close to the car, their app is updated, and Bluetooth is on. If it's still not working, direct them to Tesla support for pairing issues, since that's outside what you control as the operator.
- Need to send access again? If an invite expires before the renter accepts it, just repeat Step 2 to send a new one.
- Removing the wrong driver? Double-check the name on the Manage Drivers list before tapping remove — there's no undo, so you'd need to send a fresh invite if you remove the wrong person.
Tip: Build sending Tesla access into your standard pre-trip checklist, right alongside confirming pickup time and location. Renters can't get into the car without it, so treat it as one of the first things you do once a booking is confirmed — not a last-minute task.