SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                            WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549


                                    FORM 8-K
                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(D) OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


     DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED) JANUARY 13, 1998
                                                      ----------------

                              UNITED RENTALS, INC.
             (EXACT NAME OF REGISTRANT AS SPECIFIED IN ITS CHARTER)


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          Delaware                   1-13663                   06-1493538
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 (State or Other Jurisdiction  (Commission file Number)       (IRS Employer
 of  Incorporation)                                        Identification No.)


        Four Greenwich Office Park, Greenwich, Connecticut           06830
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               (Address of Principal Executive Offices)           (Zip Code)


       Registrant's telephone number, including area code (203) 622-3131
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Item 2.  Acquisition or Disposition of Assets
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     During the period January 13, 1998, through January 22, 1998, United
Rentals, Inc.(the "Company") completed the three acquisitions described below.
Each of such acquisitions has been accounted for as a purchase.

     1.  On January 13, 1998, the Company acquired all of the outstanding stock
of Mission Valley Rentals, Inc. ("Mission Valley").  Mission Valley is an
equipment rental company and operates four rental locations in the State of
California.  Mission Valley leases the land and buildings comprising its rental
locations.

     2.  On January 22, 1998, the Company acquired the equipment rental
businesses of the following three affiliated companies (collectively, "Access
Rentals"): (i) Access Rentals, Inc., (ii) Access Lift Equipment Inc. and (iii)
Reinhart Leasing, LLC.  This acquisition was effected by the Company acquiring
all of the outstanding stock of each of Access Rentals, Inc. and Access Lift
Equipment, Inc. and substantially all of the assets of Reinhart Leasing, LLC.
Access Rentals is an equipment rental company specializing in aerial lift
equipment and operates 19 rental locations (18 in the United States and 1 in
Canada).  The rental locations in the United States are in the following ten
states:  Connecticut (1), Florida (2), Indiana (1), Minnesota (2), New York (6),
New Jersey (1), Pennsylvania (1), South Carolina (1), Tennessee (2), and
Washington (1).  The rental location in Canada is in Ontario.  Access Rental
leases the land and buildings comprising its rental locations.

     3.  On January 22, 1998, the Company acquired the following group of
affiliated companies (collectively, "BNR"): (i) 2. BNR Equipment Ltd., (ii)
650310 Ontario Limited, (iii) 754643 Ontario Limited, (iv) 766903 Ontario Inc.,
(v) BNR Equipment, Inc. and (vi) 1270984 Ontario Limited. This acquisition was
effected by the Company acquiring all of the outstanding stock of each of the
aforementioned companies. BNR is an equipment rental company and operates eight
rental locations.  These locations are in New York (1)  and in Ontario, Canada
(7).  BNR leases the land and buildings comprising its rental locations.

     The aggregate consideration paid by the Company in respect of the companies
acquired in the three acquisition transactions described above was $80.1 million
and consisted of approximately $72.9 million of cash, 370,321 shares of the
Company's Common Stock, and warrants to purchase an aggregate of 30,000 shares
of the Company's Common Stock.  The Company also assumed or  repaid outstanding
indebtedness of the companies acquired in the aggregate amount of approximately
$63.8 million.  The consideration for each of the acquisitions was determined
through arms-length negotiations between the Company and the former owners of
the businesses acquired.  The Company funded the cash portion of the
consideration from cash on hand of approximately $67.6 million (representing the
portion of the net proceeds of the Company's initial public offering that was
not used for repayment of debt) and from borrowings under the Company's
revolving credit facility of approximately $5.3 million.
 

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Item 7.   Financial and Statements Exhibits

(a)  Financial Statements of Businesses Acquired

     The required financial statements will be filed on or prior to  March 23,
1998.

(b)  Pro Forma Financial Information

     The required pro forma information will be filed on or prior to  March 23,
1998.
 

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                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized on this 27th day of January, 1998.

                                    UNITED RENTALS, INC.


                                    By:          Michael J. Nolan
                                         -------------------------------
                                         Name:  Michael J. Nolan
                                         Title:  Chief Financial Officer

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