Local fees and car hire extras explained

Here at Auto Europe, we try to provide a transparent, informative and high-level of service to all our customers. With over 65 years of global car hire industry experience, we have partnered with many local, national and international car rental suppliers in order to provide our customers with the very best choice. Although, choosing a car hire can be a complex issue, along with the base rate, others factors need to be considered. These normally come in the form of local taxes and any other car hire extras you chose to benefit from. For your convenience, our team has put the following guide together of the most common fees and car hire extras to expect.

Auto Europe has no control over extra fees charged locally by suppliers – nor do we set, profit or handle said transactions. As your independent broker, our job is to provide clear advise and to gather all the information in order for you to book your rental car with confidence. Making our customers as informed as possible, means you can then find the right car hire for your budget. During your search, you can gain further information on fees by clicking the info button next to your offer. The same details are also contained in your car hire voucher’s terms and conditions.

Car Hire Fuel Policies

There are currently two types of car hire fuel policies in operation – full-to-full and full-to-empty. The full-to-full car hire fuel policy means that the car is provided with a full tank of fuel upon pick-up, and must be returned with the same level of fuel in the tank. Failure to do so, means you will be charged for the refill plus an administration cost. The full-to-empty car hire fuel policy means that you pick-up the car with a full tank of petrol – of which you have already paid for – and return the car with the fuel tank as empty as possible. No refund is provided for unused fuel left in the vehicle upon its return.

Young/Senior Driver Surcharge

For those drivers who are under a certain age – normally 26 years of age – may be charged a young driver surcharge depending on the supplier, car category and location. Likewise, a driver who is generally over 70 years of age may be charged a senior driver surcharge fee depending on the supplier, car category and location. In both cases, along with the fee, further restrictions may also be imposed, such as, limiting the available car categories, requesting additional documentation, medical certificates, etc. The surcharges are charged due to the higher risk level regarding these ages and higher insurance costs.

Age restrictions that determine a young or senior driver is set by individual car rental suppliers. Some suppliers may charge a fee for drivers younger than 26 years of age, whilst others may only apply this fee to anyone aged 21 and under. Generally, the senior driver fee applies to anyone over the age of 70 and is supplier specific. Although senior driver surcharges are much less common. In both instances you can see if they apply by clicking the info button during your online search results. Alternatively, you can also consult your car hire voucher’s terms and conditions. If you find a surcharge applies, then you can use our online filter tools to narrow down the best car hire rate with the surcharge included. This daily fee amount is determined by the car category, location and duration of your trip.

Additional Driver Surcharge

All additional drivers must be named on the contract during your rental. These drivers must also provide the exact same documentation as the main driver. For this privilege, the car hire supplier normally charges a small daily fee known as an additional driver surcharge. This is charged locally and set by individual suppliers. The amount is also dependent on the car category, location and duration of your trip. Often, car hire supplier provide free additional driver promotions, which will help save you money.

For further information or to find out if an additional driver fee applies, click on the info button during your search engine results. Alternatively, you may also find this information contained in the car hire voucher’s terms and conditions. We encourage you to check out all the car hire suppliers offers individually as additional driver rates vary substantially between suppliers. As previously mentioned, some suppliers even provide free additional drivers.

One-way Car Hire Surcharge

If planning to return the rental vehicle to a different location to that which it was collected, then it is common practice for car hire suppliers to charge a one-way surcharge. If you return the car to another office that is close by to the original pick-up office – then a one-way fee may not apply. However, if you are dropping off the car in another city or country to the original pick-up – a one-way fee will most definitely be added. This fee is charged due to logistical reasons, as the car will need to be sent back to the original pick-up office.

One-way car hire fees are set by individual suppliers and charged on a daily basis. The charge is determined by the car category, locations involved and the duration of your trip. All proposed locations must be listed before your rental commenced and both Auto Europe and the supplier informed. This especially applies if planning to travel between countries. The one-way surcharge amount and whether it applies can be viewed on our website during the search engine results, by clicking on the info button. Alternatively, you may also consult this within the car hire voucher’s terms and conditions. Many rates will already have the one-way surcharge added to the base rate of the car rental. Other suppliers will provide this information for your budgeting but will only charge the fee locally during pick-up.

International Cross-border Car Hire Surcharge

For customers interested in taking their car hire across international borders, an international cross-border car hire surcharge may be incurred. This fee is set individually by suppliers and paid locally during pick-up. The fee amount is determined by the car category, locations involved and the duration of your trip. Some international countries may be restricted, whilst others may be outright banned. It is therefore important to inform both Auto Europe and the supplier beforehand of your desire to do so.

Driving outside of the country your car hire belongs to will require additional insurance. Failure to inform us could mean your vehicle is not insured and you will be held reliable for any damage or loss to the vehicle during your drive. You may also encounter problems with local law enforcement if not insured correctly.

Car Hire Insurance Coverage

All car hire base rates come with the legally required insurance coverage for the chosen destination. These is Theft Protection (TP), Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Limited Liability (with or without excess). Because these insurances do not cover all eventualities, we recommend taking out our Zero Excess Package – for a small daily fee, your vehicle will be covered for damage and loss to car keys, wheels, undercarriage and much more. Insurances are charged daily and are individually set by each supplier. The fee is also dependent on the car category, location and duration of your trip.

Suppliers may also recommend extra insurances locally during time of pick-up. Auto Europe does not recommend or offer these insurances – and for the most part, if you have already taken out our Zero Excess Package, this won’t be needed. Local insurance types include, Super CDW, Travel Insurance, Roadside assistance and more. These local insurances are fully optional. Auto Europe does not profit or deal with the transactions. No refunds are provided if the customer decides to takeout said local insurances, even if deemed to have been unnecessary afterwards.

Car Hire Winter Tyres

In certain countries it is a legal requirement due to weather conditions to have your car rental equipped with winter tyres. If this is the case at your chosen destination, then a winter tyre fee may be added to your rental rate. Each supplier sets their winter tyre policy and charges. This information can be found during your search results by clicking the info button. The same is also found within the car hire voucher’s terms and conditions. Many suppliers provide regular deals which will allow you to save money. Consult our free winter tyres promotions to find out more.

Additional Car Hire Equipment (Ski’s support, GPS device, GPS, child seat)

For your convenience, car rental suppliers allow you to hire additional useful equipment during your pick-up. This not only saves you the hassle of bringing your own, but also in costly airline luggage fees, etc. Although you may request this equipment once at the counter, we highly recommend reserving said equipment during the reservation process – this is to avoid being disappointed on the day if the equipment isn’t available. It is common that for winter destinations in particular, ski equipment is rented out quickly.

Auto Europe provides costs for all additional equipment your chosen supplier may offer during your online reservation. The cost of extra equipment is charged locally and paid directly to the supplier during pick-up. Each supplier sets their own fees for the equipment, with many also offering promotions such as GPS included with your rental. Once you have informed us of your desire to rent extra equipment, our reservation team will confirm its booking with you. Care should be taken to look after any equipment as a fee will be charged if returned damaged or if lost. Extra equipment is optional, but customers should consider the law especially regarding child car seats.

You can minimise your fees regarding extra equipment if researched correctly. As previously mentioned, many supplies offer GPS included in each rental. For those that need a child car seat, its advisable to see if it is cheaper to bring your own. The same could be said for ski equipment. We also advise checking out our free winter tyre promotions. Ultimately, by using our online filters you can narrow down and better compare each supplier rental rate and find one that suites your budget.

Other Possible Applicable Fees

It is important to realise that other local fees and taxes may apply to your booking. These are charged locally by the supplier and often Auto Europe only displays these during your booking search for informative purposes. By being transparent we help you easily compare your rental rates. Said additional fees could include late return fees. Out-of-hours fees, parking fees, VIP fees, airport taxes and more. Fees are set by each supplier and are location dependent. For example, collecting a car hire at a busy transport hub, or in a city centre, may incur an additional tax of between 20€ to 80€.

The most encountered fee is the late return surcharge. This fee is charged when a customer returns the vehicle later than expected. To minimise the risk of this happening, we highly recommend planning your return route carefully before drop-off, and leaving enough time should you unexpectantly encounter any problems. If you happen to return the car whilst the office is closed, then you might also be charged an out-of-hours surcharge for this service.

Avoiding these extra fees and taxes can be challenging sometimes and may not even be worth it. For example, to avoid airport or train station taxes, consider picking up your car hire at a city counter. Simply consult the cost of catching public transport from the airport to the city centre. Sometimes it is cheaper, but often it will not be worth the hassle and compensation. These are just a few tips for saving your money on your rental. If you’d like to discuss your rental with us, please call our reservation agents today.