General Car Rental Guidelines

1. The elements listed below are merely informative and only represent the information, rules and obligations commonly required by car rental companies.

2. Each car rental agreement has its own particularities, therefore it is important to read it carefully before signing it.

3. BookingCars shall not be held responsible for any changes and/or requirements set out by the rental companies without prior notice. Any questions regarding these procedures and requirements shall be addressed beforehand, since they could affect the execution of the rental agreement.

4. Car Rental Agreement: The car rental agreement comprises a set of rules, information, rights and obligations between the car rental company and the lessee in regards to the services hired. The agreement shall be presented by the car rental company to the lessee at the time of pick-up, having the latter the responsibility to read its terms and conditions carefully. Some rental companies may provide the agreement in the lessee’s native language. It is the lessee’s responsibility to inquire about its availability before signing it.

5. Driver’s Minimum Age: 25 years old. Individuals between the ages of 21 and 24 with a driver’s license are subject to additional fees charged by the rental company. Also, there may be specific age limits for certain countries or vehicle categories. For more information, contact one of our experts.

6. Driver’s License: Drivers are required to present at the rental office the original copy of their national driving license, it must be valid throughout the duration of the rental period. Drivers shall only rent vehicles in the category allowed by their license. In some cases, an international driver’s license may also be required together with the license issued by the driver’s country of origin.

7. Passport: In order to execute the agreement, the lessee shall also present at the rental office a valid passport issued by the same country as the driver’s license.

8. Credit Card for Security Deposit: The lessee shall present at the rental office a valid international credit card, in the name of the lessee and with an available credit limit enough to cover the security deposit. Third-party credit cards, prepaid credit cards and credit cards not authorized for international transactions are not accepted. The credit card shall be accepted under the rental company’s discretion at the time of the execution of the agreement. The security deposit varies depending on the vehicle category and rental period, and it may be withheld by the rental company in case of damages on the rental vehicle or to pay for optional services hired directly at the rental office.

9. Restrictions: Car rental companies reserve the right to request more than one credit card with available credit to allow for the rental of certain vehicle categories. These restrictions apply at some locations, therefore we suggest contacting the company for further information.

10. Booking Confirmation Document (Voucher): The voucher serves as proof of reservation of the vehicle, and shall be printed for its presentation at the rental office or to check the reservation information. The voucher shall only be accepted if the personal data (lessee’s name, confirmation number, dates, etc.) match the booking information at the rental office. Failure to present the voucher (Booking Confirmation Document) at the rental office may prevent the lessee from making use of the amount prepaid online, as well as the right to take advantage of rates booked in advance.

11. Currency: The amount on the booking prepaid at your country of origin is, generally, expressed in local currency based on the exchange rate on the day of the purchase, since the rate’s original currency is in US Dollars (USD).

12. Payment of Fees and Additional Optional Services: Any additional services, products and accessories booked by the lessee with the car rental company on the day the agreement is executed or during the rental period, are the lessee’s responsibility and their payment shall be made directly at the rental office. Once the agreement is signed and the rental period begins, the optional services booked shall not be cancelled or reimbursed.

13. No Smoking: It is strictly forbidden to smoke inside the rental vehicle. In the event of non-fulfillment, a fine may be imposed, which amount varies depending on the car rental company, thus it shall only be confirmed at destination.

15. Return of Vehicle: Failure to return the vehicle on the date indicated on the Booking Confirmation Document (Voucher), constitutes a misappropriation offense and shall result in the search and seizure of the vehicle, as well as in other civil and criminal penalties.

16. Vehicle Pick-Up Policy: The car rental company shall guarantee the vehicle reservation until whichever occurs first: 29 minutes after the stipulated pick-up time or until the car rental office’s closing time. After this period, the reservation will be cancelled (No-Show). In the event of delays of any nature, including flight delays, rescheduling or overbooking, contact the car rental pick-up location immediately on the phone number printed on the voucher. If you have difficulty contacting the office, get in touch with us to examine the possibility of updating the pick-up time.

17. Vehicle Drop-Off Policy: The lessee shall return the vehicle to the rental office on the date, time and location indicated in the rental agreement. After said time, the car rental company reserves the right to make adjustment on the booking price adding penalties and/or fees as established at the time of pick-up. We suggest you arrive at the car rental drop-off location at least four hours before your boarding time. This will give you enough time to conclude the agreement and get to the airport.

18. Car Rental Office Opening Hours: The office’s opening hours are subject to change without prior notice. In case of picking up or dropping off the vehicle on a date, at a time or at a location other than the one indicated in the agreement, it will be the lessee’s responsibility to check availability with the car rental office or with BookingCars.

19. Rental Extensions: If the lessee needs to extend the rental agreement, he/she should contact the rental office to request for authorization and, therefore, update the rental price.

20. Delivery and Shuttle Service: In order to make use of the delivery or shuttle service, lessee shall provide the flight information in advance. These services will only be available for car rental offices located outside the airport premises. Failure to provide this information shall result in the cancellation of the reservation without prior notice.

21. Optional Services and Accessories: The lessee may request optional items directly at the rental office based on the lessee’s needs at the time the vehicle is picked up. Additional drivers are subject to the same rules as the main driver and shall be present at the time the agreement is executed.

22. Vehicle group: Vehicles are booked and guaranteed by GROUP, not by make, year, model, color, license plate or configuration. Vehicle models may suffer variations without prior notice during the car rental company’s fleet renewal. Luggage capacity is for information purposes only and may be smaller depending on the number of passengers as well as the number and size of the suitcases that need to be transported. If the number of passengers and/or suitcases surpasses the capacity of the vehicle rented, BookingCars shall not be held liable for the rejection of the reservation or any additional charges regarding the change of category. It is common practice to offer an upgrade for an additional cost at the time of pick-up. If the upgrade is accepted by the lessee, the prepaid amount will be taken as partial payment and the difference shall be charged directly on the lessee’s credit card.

23. One-Way Fee: It consists in a fee charged by the rental company when the pick-up location is different from the drop-off location. It is necessary to check in advance what locations have this option available. The fee shall be paid directly to the rental company. When the vehicle drop-off location is different from the one indicated in the rental agreement, in addition to the one-way fee, the rental company might add an additional charge by way of ‘breach of contract’, in which case the rental company may or may not accept the return of the vehicle at a different location without prior negotiation.

24. Border Restrictions: Rental companies reserve the right to charge fees for crossing borders between states or countries with their vehicles, or restrict this activity altogether. It is the responsibility of the lessee to inform the company about his/her itinerary.

25. Additional Expenses: The additional expenses not detailed in the voucher shall be charged directly to the lessee by the car rental company on the credit card used as security deposit. Some examples of additional expenses include: traffic tickets, damages on the vehicle not covered by insurance, fuel, tolls, optional insurance coverage, and accessories and services hired directly at the rental office. Other additional charges may be applied by the rental company.

26. Traffic Tickets: The lessee shall be held solely responsible for the civil and criminal liability as well as the payment of any traffic tickets before the corresponding local authority. The car rental company may reserve the right to intervene or advance payments, which will then be charged to the lessee and, in which case, the rental company may also charge administrative fees.

27. Early Return of Vehicle: There will be no refunds for unused rental days.

28. Rate Update: The price on the booking corresponds to the information included in the voucher. This price may be modified when: a) changes in the itinerary, category, services and booking information occur; b) optional items or services are added or excluded; c) additional charges not included in the reservation or printed in the voucher are presented by the rental company; d) the fees to be paid at destination were altered by the car rental company. In case of disagreement with the recalculated amounts presented in the agreement, the lessee may challenge them directly with the rental company. The customer’s signature on the agreement will be deemed as an agreement between the parties, hence no additional charges may be imposed afterwards.

29. Vehicle Inspection: If possible, we recommend the lessee to pay close attention to the vehicle inspection at the time of pick-up. It is important to verify and point out the general conditions of cleanliness, hygiene, maintenance, damages and/or failures that may exist in the rental vehicle. The rental office may charge a maintenance fee for failures occurred during the rental period, as well as a cleaning fee based on the rental company’s chart.

30. Vehicle Documents and Safety Features: When picking up the car, check for the vehicle’s documents and the presence of the following safety features: spare tire, jack, lug wrench, warning triangles and fuel gauge.

31. Fuel and Refueling: The vehicle will be received by the booking’s holder with fuel (normally a full tank) and shall be returned in the same conditions. If not, there will be a fuel surcharge based on the fuel price chart available at the rental office. Refueling exemption shall only apply when this condition is expressly indicated in the agreement or is purchased at the rental office when picking up the vehicle. We suggest you fuel up immediately before dropping off the vehicle, within a 5-km radius of the drop-off location, and you keep your receipt so that you have proof in case of discrepancy.

32. Items Not Included in Damages Coverage/Mandatory Insurance: The lessee shall be subject to the terms and conditions in the rental agreement. As a general rule, the damages coverage does not include, among others, the following items: accessories, damaged tires, suspension damage due to potholes or impacts, cracked windshield, damages caused by floods or other natural disasters, loss or damage of vehicle key and/or documentation. These elements may vary depending on the rental company and shall be confirmed at the time of pick-up. Carefully read the damages coverage details in your reservation. Lessee shall contact BookingCars if he/she is interested in purchasing damages coverage or in case of discrepancy in the conditions presented. BookingCars shall not be held liable for the vehicle’s loss of coverage if the vehicle is driven by non-authorized people, people under the influence of alcohol/drugs or who fail to comply with the existing traffic rules.

33. Co-insurance or deductible fees: When applicable, co-insurance or deductible fees shall be indicated in the rental agreement and, in the event of damages to the vehicle, the fee shall be charged directly to the customer by the rental company. In addition to this fee, the rental company may also charge the lessee for the period in which the vehicle could not be used due to maintenance. Inquire about these fees and charges when signing the rental agreement, since each company has its own particularities.

34. Traffic Accidents: In case of accident, theft or damage to the rental vehicle, the lessee shall contact the rental company immediately and file the corresponding police report. The lessee shall fill out the rental company’s accident report form within 24 hours of the incident.

35. Cancellation: The customer shall contact BookingCars to cancel the reservation before the specified pick-up date and time. Once cancelled, the booking shall no longer be used. The booking allows cancellation without charge up to 24 hours before the date and time of vehicle pickup. Cancellations made between 24 hours and 12 hours before the vehicle pick-up time will have a 50% penalty. Cancellations less than 12 hours before the vehicle pick-up time have a 100% penalty. If the booking is canceled by the rental company because the customer failed to meet the minimum requirements due to the customer’s non-compliance of the minimum rental requirements (minimum age required, driver’s license valid in the country of destination, valid passport, valid credit card for security deposit, printed booking confirmation, etc.) and/or non-use of the booking for another reason have a 100% penalty. If you do not show up to pick up the vehicle on the agreed date and time, there will be a 100% penalty.

36. Modifying a Reservation: All requested modifications will be subject to availability of vehicles and update of rates based on the current rate chart and the currency exchange rate at the time the modification is requested, which may be different from the one applied in the prepaid reservation.

37. Duplicate Reservations: The rental company may not allow an individual to sign more than one rental agreement for the same period of time. Therefore, if you need to make two bookings under the same name, we suggest you contact BookingCars for help.

38. No-Show: Holders of the reservation may be charged a No-Show penalty of 100%.

39. Non-availability of Vehicles: BookingCars does not assume any responsibility for the rental company’s failure to meet its obligations regarding the availability of vehicles. It is the lessee’s responsibility to inform BookingCars about any difficulty caused by the rental company at the time of signing the agreement or picking up the vehicle. BookingCars shall not be held liable for any losses, modifications, cancellations or delays due to force majeure, including but not limited to problems with airlines, civil conflicts and natural disasters.

40. Non-compliance with Rental Requirements: The rental company may refuse to execute a rental agreement if the requirements stipulated are not fulfilled, or if the individual is deemed as incapable of driving a vehicle.

41. Holder of the Reservation: The booking confirmation document (voucher) is personal and non-transferable.

42. By making a reservation you agree to the Privacy Policy of BookingCars.