Rental Car Checklist 2026: What to Compare Before You Book a Car Rental

Compare the total you would pay and the worst case you could face, not the daily rate on the first screen. This guide is a pre-booking check, not a price ranking. It does not say which booking channel or company costs less, because none of the official pages it draws on say that. What it does is collect what consumer bodies in the US, UK and EU tell renters to check: the full price with fees, fuel and mileage, cancellation, excess and deposit, who you are contracting with, and your licence.

The rules differ by country and the pages are dated differently, so each fact below says where it comes from.

The checks at a glance

ECC-Net adds that the terms should spell out the mileage included, the fuel policy, the cancellation policy and the deposit, and that different terms may apply depending on how you book. So get the terms for your exact booking, not a general description of the company.

Extra charges the consumer bodies warn about

The FTC's rental car page (dated September 2023) says advertised rates may not show the final price, and lists the charges below. It is a US page, so the wording reflects US rentals.

The EU side is stricter about how the price is shown. ECC-Net's car rental page says the total booking price must include all charges at the time of booking, including fuel service charges, airport fees, "young driver surcharges" and the one-way fee (when you return somewhere other than where you picked up). Optional extras must be itemised, especially insurance waivers that reduce what you owe after damage. If you buy extra insurance or a separate waiver, you should get a detailed description of what it covers before you sign. ECC-Net also notes that driver age and type of licence affect the price.

Two more EU points from the Your Europe page. Every rental car needs third-party liability insurance valid in all EU countries, and that insurance should be included in the rental price. And EU rules ban discrimination by nationality or country of residence when you hire a car.

The UK government's guide (updated 23 March 2016) adds that car seats and snow chains may be legal requirements at your destination, and renting them from the company carries a charge.

One more item from the FTC page: ask whether the company checks driving records. With a recent violation, you might be refused a car even with a confirmed reservation.

Fuel policies

ECC-Net describes the two main policies:

• Collect full, return empty. You get no refund for unused fuel, even if you paid for the whole tank upfront.
• Collect full, return full. You refuel with the correct fuel type before returning the car. If it is not full, you pay the refuelling cost.

ECC-Net's rule of thumb: fuel should not be prepaid unless the pre-hire terms you agreed to clearly said so.

Each company publishes its own version. Sixt's fuel help page, as one example, says its standard rule is full-to-full. If you return the car below full, Sixt refuels it and charges for the fuel plus a service fee, with prices displayed at the branch and stated in the rental agreement. Prepaid fuel is an optional alternative. The same page says to use the fuel type shown on the sticker on the fuel cap or filler door, and, if you put in the wrong fuel, not to start the engine and to call roadside assistance. That is one company's rule, not a market standard, so read the fuel clause of your own agreement.

Excess, deposit and waiver: what they mean

Three terms cause most of the confusion. The UK government's guide (updated 23 March 2016, so treat it as older guidance) defines them plainly and says damage charges are the single largest cause of complaints.

• Excess: the most you have to pay if the car is damaged.
• Deposit: the amount you must make available on your credit card. It shows the company you can pay the excess, and while it is "ring-fenced" you cannot spend it on anything else.
• Collision damage waiver (CDW): the "insurance" that usually comes as standard. It usually does not cover everything and often excludes items such as tyres or glass.

The same guide makes these points:

• Before you choose a car, look at the excess and deposit. For some deals, especially cheaper ones, both can be very large. A deal that costs a little more but has a much smaller excess and deposit may suit you better.
• If you can't cover the deposit or don't want to leave one, the company will usually ask you to buy extra insurance. That reduces the excess and deposit to a small sum or zero, but it can be very expensive.
• You don't have to buy extra excess insurance from the rental company. If you buy independent insurance, the company may still take a deposit. If the car is damaged, it deducts the repair cost from the deposit and you reclaim that from your insurer.

The FTC page covers what to check before you pay the counter for cover:

• Companies usually offer cover for a fee, but you may already be covered by your own car or homeowner's insurance, your employer if you travel on business, or a credit card or auto club.
• A CDW (also called a loss damage waiver, LDW) does not pay for injuries to you or damage to your belongings.
• A card's CDW usually requires you to decline the rental company's cover.
• Without a CDW or other cover, you are responsible for damage, sometimes up to the full value of the car.
• A CDW can be cancelled if you drive recklessly, drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or let an unauthorised person drive.

The official pages don't go into what any specific card or policy covers, so ask your issuer or insurer before you travel.

The card hold

The FTC says most companies place a hold on your card for more than the agreed rental cost. They don't process it if you return the car as promised. But if you are near your credit limit or have a low balance when the hold is placed, your card could be declined for other purchases.

Europcar's deposit policy page shows how one company handles it, for rentals in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom:

• The deposit is blocked, not debited, on your payment card at pick-up (or within 48 hours before pick-up with online check-in), and it counts against your card's authorised limit.
• It is used to settle extras such as fuel missing at return, extra days, extra mileage and one-way charges.
• If you have not prepaid, the rental price is authorised on the card as well as the deposit.
• For a prepaid rental in Belgium, Germany or the UK the deposit is EUR 300 (or GBP 250). Where you buy a protection that reduces the damage excess to zero in Germany or the UK, it falls to EUR 100 (or GBP 100).
• The page gives 4 working days after invoicing as the release time in the standard cases, and up to 30 days if you start a rental, leave a deposit and then cancel.

Amounts differ by country and by vehicle class. The page lists other figures for other countries and for premium and special categories, and says some higher categories in Portugal require two physical credit cards. Treat the figures above as one company's page, not an average.

If the counter pushes extra insurance

Pressure selling at the desk is described by both the UK government guide (2016) and ECC-Net's news item of 6 October 2025. ECC-Net says renters are sometimes pushed into signing an insurance contract that was already concluded at booking, or into buying unnecessary extra insurance, and face surcharges they already paid in advance. Sometimes the company even threatens to withhold the car if you refuse to pay.

The UK guide's advice, in order:

1. Consider whether you can walk away and rent from another provider.
2. If you can't, pay for the insurance so you get the car, but write on the contract that you object to the payment and reserve the right to complain and ask for your money back. If you can, pay by credit card, so you can later claim through your card provider.
3. Ask for the staff member's name and complain to the company's head office straight away.
4. For a pick-up in Spain, ask for the "Hoja de Reclamacion" (the official complaint form). The 2016 guide says the company must give it to you.

Carry your booking confirmation so you can show the desk exactly what you booked. If the company can't give you the car you booked, the UK guide says you should be refunded the difference for a downgrade, or get an upgrade at no extra cost.

Who you are contracting with, and whether you can cancel

The Your Europe page and ECC-Net's car rental page make the same point. Intermediaries or brokers do not provide the car themselves. They book a car in your name with the rental company. In a dispute, the rental company is responsible for carrying out the contract unless the contract says otherwise. ECC-Net's 2025 news item says the split of responsibility between several parties is a common problem, with each pointing to another when a refund is needed.

These two pages cover the EU (ECC-Net's page also covers Norway and Iceland). Rules in other countries differ.

On cancelling:

• EU: the Your Europe page says car hire is not covered by the 14-day cooling-off period. If you book online, by phone or by email, you don't automatically have the right to cancel and claim a refund, although the company's terms may allow it. ECC-Net says the same.
• US: the FTC page (September 2023) says you may need to cancel in advance, sometimes as much as a week ahead, to avoid fees. If you paid ahead for a prepaid reservation, there may be fees no matter when you cancel.
• No-shows: ECC-Net's 6 October 2025 news item says some intermediaries keep the whole amount paid on a cancellation or no-show, even though you have not yet concluded a contract with the rental company. It also says renters delayed by a late flight have reached the desk to find the no-show policy applied and the car gone. Ask how long the car is held after a delay, and save the branch phone number.

These are the agencies' warnings. They are not a claim about every company, so read the cancellation terms of the booking you are about to make. ECC-Net counts 6,016 car-rental complaints received in 2025.

Do you need an international driving permit?

It depends on the country you drive in and on the rental company. Both are worth checking before you pay for a permit.

The Your Europe and ECC-Net pages agree on the basics: if you rent in another EU country, check that your driving licence is valid there.

If you hold a US licence

AAA's IDP page says AAA is one of two organisations authorised by the US Department of State to issue IDPs.

• Online: USD 20 permit fee and USD 10 passport photo fee, plus shipping. Allow about 5 business days plus return shipping. The IDP is printed and mailed, and there is no digital version. AAA says to visit a branch if you need it in 7 business days or less.
• At a branch: USD 20 (plus sales tax if applicable), a completed application form, two original passport pictures and a valid US licence. Call first to check the branch offers the service.
• Timing: an IDP can't be issued more than six months before the effective date.
• Where and to whom: AAA issues IDPs only to holders of a valid US licence, and an IDP to go with a US licence can only be issued in the USA.

AAA's examples of why you might want one: some countries don't recognise a US licence but do recognise an IDP (Hungary), and others accept the licence but require a translation (Spain). Even where the government doesn't require an IDP, a rental company there may. AAA also says an IDP is only a translation of your licence, not a licence to drive, so you carry both.

If you hold a UK licence

The gov.uk IDP page says you might need one depending on the country and how long you stay. With a UK photocard licence you do not need an IDP to drive in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein. If you have a paper licence, you need to update it to a photocard or get an IDP. There are three types (1926, 1949 and 1968), and the country determines which one. Even where no IDP is required, the page says to check whether the hire company wants one. Some entries from its country table:

An IDP costs £5.50 at certain PayPoint shops, according to the gov.uk "Driving abroad" page. That page also says you can get a licence "check code" up to 21 days before the trip to share with a hire company; if you got your licence in Northern Ireland, you need to show your paper counterpart instead. When you hire a car, it is your responsibility to check you have the equipment the country requires, such as a reflective jacket and warning triangle in many countries.

The official pages don't give permit rules beyond these tables, so check the destination country's rules and your rental company's own requirement.

At pickup and at return

ECC-Net's car rental page and the UK guide (2016) agree on the routine.

At pickup

• Inspect the car with a staff member, using the checklist or diagram if there is one. If nobody is available, inspect it yourself and write down or photograph any damage before you leave.
• Take dated and timed photos and a video from all angles.
• Report defects, however minor, while you are still on the company's premises. Make sure every defect is on the pre-rental form, that both you and the company have signed it, and that you keep your copy.
• Sixt's help page suggests photographing the fuel gauge at pickup, and says that in rare cases when the tank isn't full, the level is noted in eighths on your agreement and you return the car at that level.

At return

• Return on time. ECC-Net says companies tend to charge a full day even if the car is just one hour late. The FTC page says many US companies don't charge if you are under 30 minutes late, though optional items may still be charged for a full day. If you are running late, ask whether it costs less to pay the late charge or extend the reservation.
• Follow the fuel policy in your agreement and keep the receipt.
• If you can, return during opening hours and inspect the car with an employee. Get a representative of the company to sign an acceptance form, and keep the paperwork whether or not there is damage.
• If you return out of hours, photograph and film the car. ECC-Net says such cars are usually inspected the next day, and you can be charged for damage later.
• Delete your phone from the car's infotainment system before you hand the keys over. The FTC page says many newer cars keep data such as locations, call logs and contacts, and that avoiding a connection made only for charging is safer.

If there is an accident: ECC-Net says to note the names and addresses of everyone involved, tell the rental company right away, and call the local police if it is disputed who is responsible. Take dated photos and video of the car and the scene. It also advises carrying a European Accident Statement form, which most insurers want for injury claims.

If you are charged something you don't accept

ECC-Net says disputes about extras and damage surcharges after the car is returned are the most common problem in car rental. Its steps for the EU, Norway and Iceland:

1. Complain to the company in writing. Ask for an explanation and evidence of damage, such as a repair certificate or invoice.
2. Contact your national European Consumer Centre. ECC-Net says its legal assistance is free of charge. It will assess whether it can take your case and mediate.
3. Use a dispute service. The European Car Rental Conciliation Service, or a national alternative dispute resolution body, can mediate if the company adheres to its rules. Its decision binds the participating company but doesn't stop you going to court.
4. Ask your card provider about a chargeback. ECC-Net says to do this if the company doesn't respond or rejects your complaint.
5. Go to court. The European Small Claims Procedure covers cross-border claims up to EUR 5,000, through the local court in the country where you live.

The UK guide (2016) says to ask for evidence of the damage and the repair invoice, claim on any insurance that covers the issue, and, if you paid by credit card, consider a claim to your card provider under section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act. It also says to check whether the company belongs to an arbitration or conciliation service, and lists the BVRLA Conciliation Service for UK rentals, ABTA's dispute service (some booking agents belong) and Citizens Advice.

For the US, the FTC page says to report problems to the rental company's customer service, to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general.

Check the company's own page

Companies publish their own rules on deposits, fuel and extras, and these can be stricter or looser than the general guidance. Two examples of what such pages cover:

• Europcar's deposit policy page covers how much is blocked, what it pays for, and when it is released, as set out above.
• Sixt's "what is included" page says the rate includes the vehicle, the mileage option you chose, third-party liability insurance, all applicable taxes and roadside assistance. It lists fuel, optional extras, the young driver surcharge, tolls and traffic fines, and protection upgrades with a reduced deductible as not included. It lists a "Cross-Border Travel Fee" among the optional extras. It also says its rates are dynamic and a rate is only guaranteed once the booking is confirmed.

Those are two companies' own rules, not a template for the rest. If you plan to cross a border, tell the company when you book, as Your Europe and ECC-Net advise, so it can make sure the documents, insurance and breakdown cover are right. Your Europe adds that the company can supply an EU-registered car for trips between Switzerland and EU countries, and that in many countries winter tyres are compulsory in certain months.

Which checks matter most for your trip

• Renting in the EU, Norway or Iceland: start with who the contract is with, the cancellation terms and how the total is itemised.
• Renting in the US: start with the fee list above (airport, tolls, fuel, extra drivers), the cancellation deadline and whether you may be refused because of your driving record.
• Booked through an intermediary: find out who provides the car, and read the cancellation and no-show terms of your booking.
• Low card limit or debit card: read the deposit and card hold terms before you go, since a hold can leave the card unable to pay for anything else.
• Driving across borders: tell the company at booking and get the permission and the fee in writing.
• Renting outside your home country: check the licence rules for that country and whether the company asks for an IDP.

Need flights or a hotel quote?

If you are planning the rest of the trip, contact us with your travel dates and we will come back with a quote for flights or a hotel.