Customer terms of service for Rentalcars.com

Updated 22 December 2023

Summary of these Terms

Along with the Terms on this page, there are two other documents that form part of our contract with you:

  • Our How we Work page helps you to use our Platform and understand our reviews, our rankings, our recommendations, how we make money, and more.
  • Our Content Standards and Guidelines help us to keep everything on our Platform relevant to and appropriate for our global audience, without limiting freedom of expression. They tell you how we manage content and take action against anything inappropriate.

By agreeing to our Terms, you’re agreeing to everything in all three documents. If you don’t accept any of these Terms, please do not use our Platform.

All this information is important because it (along with your booking confirmation email, and any pre-contractual information provided before you book), sets out the legal terms on which Service Providers offer their Travel Experiences through our Platform.

If something goes wrong with your Travel Experience, Section A13 of these Terms explains what you can do about it. This includes making a complaint to us, going to court, and (in some cases) using an online dispute resolution service.

If you want to appeal a moderation decision, or report any content on our Platform, our Content Standards and Guidelines explain how to do so, and how we manage these requests.

This summary isn’t part of our Terms, or a legal document. It’s just a simple explanation of our Terms. We encourage you to read each document in full. Some of the words in this summary have very specific meanings, so please check out the ‘Rentalcars.com dictionary’ at the end of these Terms.

A. General terms

A1. Definitions

1. Some of the words you’ll see have very specific meanings, so please check out the ‘Rentalcars.com dictionary’ at the end of these Terms.

A2. About these terms

1. When you complete your Booking, you accept these Terms and any other terms that you’re provided with during the booking process.

2. If any authority decides that some of these terms are unlawful, the rest of the terms will continue to apply.

3. These Terms are laid out like this:

  • Section A: General terms – about our Platform.
  • Section B: Rental car terms – about your Rental.

If there’s any mismatch between A and B, the Rental car terms will apply.

4. The English version of these Terms is the original. If there’s any dispute about the Terms, or any mismatch between the Terms in English and in another language, the Terms as they appear in English will apply, unless local law requires otherwise. (You can change the language at the top of this page.)

A3. About Rentalcars.com

1. Booking.com Transport Limited provides and is responsible for the Platform – but not the Travel Experience itself (see A4.4 below).

2. We work with companies that provide local support services (e.g. Customer Support or account management). They don’t:

  • control or manage our Platform
  • have their own Platform
  • have any legal or contractual relationship with you
  • provide Travel Experiences
  • represent us, or enter into contracts or accept legal documents in our name
  • operate as our ‘process or service agents’.

A4. Our Platform

1. We get information from Service Providers, and we can’t guarantee that everything is accurate – but when providing our Platform, we take reasonable care and act with professional diligence. Unless we’ve failed to do so, or have been negligent, we can’t be held responsible for any errors, interruptions, or missing bits of information. Of course, we’ll do everything we can to correct/fix them as soon as we become aware of them.

2. We’re always working to improve our customers’ experience with Rentalcars.com. So sometimes, we show different people different designs, phrasings, products, etc. to find out how they react. As a result, you might not come across some services or conditions when you visit our Platform.

3. Our Platform is not a recommendation or endorsement of any Service Provider or its products, services, facilities, vehicles, etc.

4. We’re not a party to the terms between you and the Service Provider. The Service Provider is solely responsible for the Travel Experience.

5. We will show you the offers that are available to you, in (what we think is) the right language for you. You can change to another language whenever you like.

6. Unless otherwise indicated, you need to be at least 18 to use the Platform.

A5. Our values

1. You will:

  • abide by Our values
  • comply with all applicable laws
  • cooperate with any anti-fraud/anti-money laundering checks we need to carry out
  • not use the Platform to cause a nuisance or make fake Bookings
  • use the Travel Experience and/or Platform for their intended purpose
  • not cause any nuisance or damage, and not behave inappropriately to the Service Provider’s personnel (or anyone else, for that matter).

A6. Prices

1. When you make a Booking, you agree to pay the cost of the Travel Experience, including any charges and taxes that may apply.

2. Some of the prices you see may have been rounded to the nearest whole number. The price you pay will be based on the original, 'non-rounded' price (although the actual difference will be tiny anyway).

3. Obvious errors and obvious misprints are not binding. For example: if you book a premium car that was mistakenly offered for €1, your booking may be cancelled and we’ll refund anything you’ve paid.

4. A crossed-out price indicates the price of a like-for-like Booking without the price reduction applied (‘like-for-like’ means same dates, same policies, same quality of vehicle, etc.).

A7. Payment

1.

  • If we organise your payment, we (or, in some cases, our affiliate) will be responsible for managing your payment and ensuring the completion of your transaction with our Service Provider. In this case, your payment constitutes final settlement of the 'due and payable' price.
  • If the Service Provider charges you, this will usually be in person at the start of your Travel Experience.

2. This does not affect your rights if you have any problems with your Travel Experience – please refer to ‘What if something goes wrong?’ (A13).

3. If your payment method is denominated in a currency* that is different to the payment currency, your bank or payment method provider (or their payment services providers) may charge you additional fees. For example, this could happen if your credit card is in Euros but your rental company is charging you in dollars. If this is going to happen, we’ll inform you during the booking process.

* This just refers to the default currency of your payment method.

4. If you know of or suspect any fraudulent behaviour or unauthorised use of your Payment Method, please contact your payment provider as soon as possible.

A8. Policies

1. When you make a Booking, you accept the applicable policies as displayed in the booking process. You'll find each Service Provider's cancellation policy and any other policies (about age requirements, security/damage deposits, pets, cards accepted, etc.) on our Platform: on the Service Provider information pages, during the booking process, in the fine print, and in the confirmation email or voucher (if applicable).

2. If you cancel a Booking or don’t show up, any cancellation/no-show fee and any refund will depend on the cancellation/no-show policy.

3. Some Bookings can’t be cancelled for free, while others can only be cancelled for free before a deadline.

4. If you think you're not going to arrive on time, please contact your Service Provider and tell them when they can expect you. It’s your responsibility to ensure you’re on time – and if you aren’t, we are not responsible for any associated costs (e.g. the cancellation of your Booking, or any fees the Service Provider may charge).

5. As the person making the Booking, you are responsible for the actions and behaviour (in relation to the Travel Experience) of everyone in the group. You are also responsible for obtaining their permission before providing us with their personal data.

A9. Privacy and cookies

1. Please see the Rentalcars.com Privacy Statement and Rentalcars.com Cookie Statement to find out how we process your personal data.

A10. Accessibility requests

1. If you have any accessibility requests:

  • about our Platform and/or services, please contact our Customer Service team
  • about your Travel Experience (for example, about wheelchair access), please contact your Service Provider.

A11. Insurance

1. If you have bought insurance through our Platform, please refer to the policy document(s) for the terms and for further information. These Terms do not apply to insurance.

A12. Intellectual property rights

1. Unless otherwise stated, all rights in our Platform (technology, content, trademarks, look & feel, etc.) are owned by Booking.com Transport Limited (or its licensors) and by using our Platform you agree to do so for its intended purpose only and respecting the requirements set out below in paragraphs A12.2 and A12.3.

2. You’re not allowed to monitor, copy, scrape/crawl, download, reproduce or otherwise use anything on our Platform for any commercial purpose without written permission of Booking.com Transport Limited or its licensors.

3. We keep a close eye on every visit to our Platform, and we’ll block anyone (and any automated system) we suspect of:

  • conducting an unreasonable amount of searches
  • using any device or software to gather prices or other information
  • doing anything that places undue stress on our Platform.

4. By uploading a review to our Platform, you’re confirming that it meets our Content Standards and Guidelines and that:

  • it’s truthful
  • it doesn’t contain any viruses
  • you’re allowed to share it with us
  • you own (or are allowed to use) any intellectual property rights that it contains
  • we’re allowed to use it on our Platform and for any other commercial purposes (including marketing and advertising), on any media, worldwide – unless you ask us to stop using it
  • it doesn’t infringe the privacy rights of other people
  • you accept full responsibility for any legal claims against Booking.com Transport Limited related to it.

A13. What if something goes wrong?

1. If you have a query or complaint, please contact our Customer Service team. You can do this by accessing your Booking, or through our app, or through our Help Centre (where you’ll also find some useful FAQs). You can help us help you as quickly as possible - by providing:

  • your Booking confirmation number, your contact details, your PIN code (if you have one) and the email address you used when you made your Booking
  • a summary of the issue, including how you’d like us to help you
  • any supporting documents (bank statement, pictures, receipts, etc.)

2. All queries and complaints are recorded, and the most urgent ones are treated as highest priority.

3. If you’re a resident of the Czech Republic and you’re not happy with the way we handle your complaint, you can complain to the Czech Trade Inspection Authority - Central Inspectorate, ADR Department, registered office Štěpánská 15, Prague 2, postal code: 120 00, email: adr@coi.cz, https://www.coi.cz/informace-o-adr/.

4. If you’re a resident of Brazil and you're not happy with the way we handle your complaint, you can complain via the Brazilian Federal Consumer Dispute Resolution Platform (consumidor.gov.br/).

5. We do try to resolve disputes with you directly, and we’re not obliged to submit to any alternative dispute resolution procedures handled by independent providers.

6. You may also bring legal proceedings before a competent court – please refer to ‘Applicable law and forum’ (A17) for details.

A14. Communication with the Service Provider

1. We may help you communicate with your Service Provider, but that doesn’t mean we’re taking responsibility for the Travel Experience or anything the Service Provider does/doesn’t do. We can’t guarantee that they will read anything from you or that they’ll do what you ask. In itself, the fact that you contact them or they contact you doesn’t mean you have any grounds for legal action. If you need help, please contact us via our Help Centre.

A15. Measures against unacceptable behaviour

1. If you breach these Terms (including our values and our Content Standards and Guidelines) or fail to comply with applicable laws or regulations, we have the right to:

  • stop you making any Bookings,
  • cancel any Bookings you’ve already made
  • stop you using:
    • our Platform,
    • our Customer Service

2. If we cancel a Booking as a result, you may not (depending on the circumstances) be entitled to a refund. We may tell you why we've cancelled your Booking, unless telling you would (a) contravene applicable laws and/or (b) prevent or obstruct the detection or prevention of fraud or other illegal activities. If you believe we have incorrectly cancelled your Booking, please contact our Customer Service team.

A16. Limitation of liability

1. Nothing in these Terms will limit our (or the Service Provider’s) liability (i) when we (or they) were negligent and this led to death or personal injury; (ii) in case of fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; (iii) in respect of gross negligence or wilful misconduct; or (iv) if such liability can otherwise not lawfully be limited or excluded.

2. If you are in breach of these Terms and/or the Service Provider’s terms, we won’t be liable for any costs you incur as a result.

3. We are not liable for:

  • any losses or damages which were not reasonably foreseeable when you made your Booking or otherwise entered into these Terms; or
  • any event which was reasonably beyond our control.

4. We don’t make any promises about Service Providers’ products and services apart from what we expressly state in these Terms, for example in Section A4.

5. To the extent permitted by law, the most that we, (or any Service Provider) will be liable for (whether for one event or a series of connected events) is your reasonably foreseeable losses or damages in connection to your Booking(s).

6. Just to be clear, these Terms are between you and us:. Nothing in these Terms will entitle any third party other than the Service Provider to anything.

7. You may be protected by mandatory consumer protection laws and regulations, which guarantee you rights that no company’s terms can overrule. If there is any inconsistency between those laws and regulations and these Terms, such mandatory consumer protection laws and regulations will override.

A17. Applicable law and forum

1. These Terms are governed by English law. You can also rely on your national consumer law if you are a consumer living in a country in the European Economic Area, UK or Switzerland (‘Europe’).

If you are a consumer living outside Europe, to the extent permitted by mandatory local (consumer) law, these Terms are governed by English law.

2. If you are a consumer living in Europe (as defined above):

  • You may bring a legal action against us:
    • in the courts of the country where you live, or
    • in the courts in England and Wales.
  • We may bring a legal action against you in the courts of the country where you live.

If you are a consumer living outside Europe, to the extent permitted by mandatory local (consumer) law, any dispute will exclusively be submitted to the court in England and Wales.

A18. Linked travel arrangements

1. If:

  • after selecting and paying for one travel service, you book additional travel services for your trip or holiday during the same visit to the Platform; or
  • you book additional travel services for your trip or holiday via a link provided to you by us not later than 24 hours after receiving confirmation of your initial Booking with us,

you will NOT benefit from rights applying to packages under the EU’s Directive (EU) 2015/2302 or the UK's Package Travel and Linked Travel Arrangements Regulations 2018 (together, the ‘Package Travel Requirements’). Therefore, we will not be responsible for the proper performance of those travel services. In case of problems, please contact the relevant Service Provider.

2. In either of these cases, the travel services will become part of a linked travel arrangement and not a package. In that case we have, as required by EU and UK law, protection in place to refund your payments to us for services not performed because of our insolvency. Please note that this does not provide a refund in the event of the insolvency of the relevant Service Provider.

3. We have voluntarily extended this insolvency protection to customers outside of the EU and UK who have booked multiple travel services via our Platform that constitute Linked Travel Arrangements within the meaning of the Package Travel Requirements. This extension only applies to payments received by us.

4. We have taken out insolvency protection by way of a bank guarantee with Deutsche Bank administered by Sedgwick International UK for any monies paid directly to us.

5. Travellers may contact Sedgwick International UK if the services are denied because of our insolvency.

6. Note: This insolvency protection does not cover contracts with parties other than us, which can be performed despite our insolvency.

7. Please see Directive (EU) 2015/2302 as transposed into national law in the European Union or in the United Kingdom.

A19. Modification clause

1. We may make changes to these Terms. Where such changes are material, we will inform you in advance of such changes becoming effective, unless the changes are required by applicable law.

2. If you do not accept the changes, please do not use our Platform.

3. Otherwise, your continued use of our Platform after the effective date of the proposed changes will constitute your acceptance of the revised Terms.

4. Any existing Bookings will continue to be governed by the Terms that applied when the Booking was made.

B. Rental car terms

B1. Contractual relationship

1. This Platform is operated by Booking.com Transport Limited. The company is registered in England and Wales (Number: 05179829) at the following address: 6 Goods Yard Street, Manchester, M3 3BG, United Kingdom. VAT number: GB 855349007. This means that you accept that the process of making a Booking with Booking.com Transport Limited is governed by these Terms – although your actual Rental will be governed by the Rental Agreement with your Service Provider (which you sign at pick-up).

2. When you book a Rental, your Booking is either (a) with us or (b) directly with the Service Provider (the rental company that provides the car). Either way:

  • our Terms govern the booking process; when we send you your Booking Confirmation, you’ll enter a contract with us
  • the Rental Agreement governs the Rental itself; when you sign this at the rental counter, you’ll enter a contract with the Service Provider (but you’ll see and accept the key terms of it while you’re booking your car).

3. In most cases, you’ll get your Booking Confirmation as soon as you complete your Booking – but if the Service Provider doesn't confirm your Rental immediately, we won’t take payment or send you your Booking Confirmation until they’ve done so.

4. If there’s any mismatch between these Terms and the Rental Agreement, the Rental Agreement will apply.

5. The Main Driver (the person whose details are entered during the booking process) is the only person who can change or cancel the Booking, or discuss it with us - unless they tell us they nominate someone else to do this.

B2. What we will do

1. We provide the Platform on which Service Providers can promote and sell their Travel Experiences – and you can search for, compare and book them.

2. We don’t guarantee the precise make and model you’re booking (unless we expressly say so). The phrase ‘or similar’ means you could get a similar car (i.e. the same size, with the same kind of gearbox, etc.). So the car pictures are illustrative only.

3. Once you’ve booked your Rental:

  • we’ll give the Service Provider the Booking details (e.g. the Main Driver's name and contact phone number)
  • we’ll confirm the Pick-up information (e.g. the Service Provider's contact details, and what you need to take with you).

B3. What you need to do

1. You must provide all the information we need to arrange your Booking (contact details, Pick-up Time, etc.).

2. You must read and agree to comply with these Terms and the Rental Agreement - and acknowledge that if you breach them:

  • you might have to pay additional charges
  • your Booking might be cancelled
  • the counter staff might refuse to hand over the keys at the rental counter.

3. You must check your Rental's specific requirements, as many details (driving licence requirements, security deposit size, paperwork needed, payment cards accepted, etc.) vary per Rental. So please make sure you carefully read:

  • these Terms
  • the key terms of the Rental Agreement, which you'll see while you’re booking, and
  • the Rental Agreement itself, which you'll receive at Pick-up.

4. You must be at the rental counter by your Pick-up Time (note that some Service Providers have a pick-up ‘grace period’ in case you are delayed). If you arrive after the Pick-up Time (and after the pick-up grace period, if any), the car may no longer be available, and you may not be entitled to a refund from the Service Provider. Please check the Rental Agreement for further information (while you're booking your car, please check 'Important info', which informs you of any grace period, and which you accept at checkout). If you think you might be late, it's vital that you contact the Service Provider or us, even if it's because of a flight delay and you’ve provided your flight number.

5. The key terms of your Rental tell you what the Main Driver needs at Pick-up. You must ensure that when they get to the rental counter, they bring everything they need (e.g. driving licence, any required ID, and a credit card in their own name, with enough available funds to cover the security deposit).

6. You must make sure the Main Driver is both eligible and fit to drive the car.

7. You must show the counter staff each driver's full, valid driving licence, which they must have held for at least 1 year (or longer, in many cases). If any driver has endorsements/points on their licence, let us know as soon as you are aware of this, as the Service Provider may not allow them to drive.

8. You must ensure that any driver with a driving licence issued in England, Scotland or Wales obtains a licence 'check code' no more than 21 days before Pick-up.

9. You must ensure that every driver has their own International Driving Permit (if they need one) as well as their driving licence. Note that all drivers must carry their driving licence (and International Driving Permit, if they need one) at all times.

10. You must ensure that every child has an appropriate child seat if they need one.

11. You must, if anything goes wrong during your Rental (accident, breakdown, etc.):

  • contact the Service Provider
  • not authorise any repairs without the Service Provider's consent (unless the Rental Agreement allows this)
  • keep all documentation (repair bills, police reports, etc.) to share with us / the Service Provider / an insurance company.

B4. Price and payment

Additional costs and fees

1. In many cases, the Service Provider will charge a young driver fee for each driver under a certain age (e.g. 25). In some cases, they may charge a senior driver fee for each driver over a certain age (e.g. 65). When booking on our Platform, you must enter the Main Driver's age, so we can show you details of any age-related fee(s) – which you would pay at Pick-up.

2. In many cases, the Service Provider will charge a one-way fee if you drop the car off at a different location. If you intend to do this, you need to enter the drop-off location while booking, so we can tell you if it’s possible, and show you details of any one-way fee – which you would pay at Pick-up.

3. In many cases, the Service Provider will charge a cross-border fee for taking the car to a different country/state/island. If you intend to do this, it's vital you tell us and/or the Service Provider as soon as you can (it must be before Pick-up).

4. The price of your Rental is calculated based on 24-hour units, so (e.g.) a 25-hour Rental will cost as much as a 48-hour Rental.

5. If, after Pick-up, you decide you want to keep the car for longer, please contact the Service Provider. They'll tell you how much this would cost, and you'll enter a new contract with them. If you drop the car off late without agreeing this in advance, they may charge an additional fee as well.

Extras

6. In some cases, you'll pay for any optional extras (child seats, GPS, winter tyres, etc.) when you book your car – in which case, you're guaranteed to get them at Pick-up.

7. In other cases, you'll merely request any extras when you book your car – in which case:

  • you'll pay for them at Pick-up, and
  • the Service Provider doesn't guarantee they'll be available for you.

B5. Amendments, cancellations and refunds

1. We go above and beyond our legal obligations. Even though local laws don’t require us to offer specific cancellation rights, we guarantee that we will honour our refunds policy if you cancel your Booking.

2. The following ‘Cancellation and Amendments’ terms apply to all Bookings apart from Bookings that are labelled ‘non-refundable’ (you cannot amend a non-refundable Booking, and you won’t receive a refund if you cancel it).

Cancellations

3. If you cancel:

  • MORE THAN 48 hours before your Rental is due to start, you’ll receive a full refund.
  • LESS THAN 48 hours before, or while you’re at the Rental counter, we’ll refund what you paid minus the cost of 3 days of your Rental - so there won’t be any refund if your car was booked for 3 days or less.
  • AFTER your Rental is due to start (or you just don’t turn up) you’ll receive no refund.

4. The counter staff may refuse you the car if (for example):

  • You don’t arrive on time
  • You are not eligible to rent the car
  • You don’t have the documentation you need
  • The main driver doesn’t have a credit card in their own name, with enough available funds for the car’s security deposit.

For more on your Service Provider’s rules, please refer to the ‘Important Information’ that’s available while booking - or the Rental Agreement that you sign at the counter.

If they refuse you the car, please call us straight away from the rental counter to cancel your Booking, and we’ll refund what you paid, minus the cost of 3 days of your Rental. If you don’t, the cancellation fee will be the full cost of your Rental - unless you can prove that the situation has cost us substantially less than that.

Amendments (changes to your Booking)

5. You can make changes to your Booking anytime before you’re due to pick the car up.

6. In most cases, the easiest way to do this is via our app - or our website (under ‘Manage Booking’).

7. There is no administration fee for changing your Booking, but any changes you make may affect the rental price. Sometimes, the only way we can change a Booking is to cancel it and make another one, in which case we may charge you a cancellation fee on the rental company’s behalf.

8. If changing your Booking would change the price or incur a cancellation fee, we will tell you in advance.

Changes made by us

9. If we/the Service Provider need to change your Booking (e.g. if the Service Provider can’t provide the car), we’ll tell you as soon as we can. If you don't accept that change, you’ll be entitled to cancel and claim a full refund (no matter how close the start of your Rental is) but we will have no additional liability for any direct or indirect costs you may incur (e.g. hotel rooms or taxis).

B6. What else do you need to know?

General

1. In all cases, drivers must be at least a minimum age to rent or drive a car. In some cases, they must also be below a maximum age. The limit(s) can vary by Service Provider, by location and by type of car.

2. Only eligible drivers whose names appear on the Rental Agreement may drive the car.

3. You must not take the car to a different country/state/island and/or drop it off at a different location without arranging this in advance.

Late Pick-up/early drop-off

4. If you pick your car up later (please see B3.4 above) or drop it off earlier than agreed in your Booking Confirmation, the Service Provider will not refund you for the 'unused' time.

How We Work

5. For information on reviews, ranking, how we make money (and more), please check out How We Work, which is also part of our Terms.

Rentalcars.com dictionary

‘Booking’ means the booking of a Travel Experience on our Platform, whether you pay for it now or later.

‘Booking.com’, ‘us’, ‘we’ or ‘our’ means Booking.com Transport Limited.

‘Booking Confirmation’ means the confirmation email and voucher we send you, explaining the details of your Booking.

‘Group Company’ means an affiliate of Booking.com – either a direct shareholding of Booking.com or part of the Booking Holdings Inc. group.

‘Main Driver’ means the driver whose details were entered during the booking process.

‘Payment Method’ means the method used to pay for a Booking, which might be a credit/debit card, or an alternative payment method.

‘Pick-up’ means the process at the start of your Rental, when you provide the required ID and other documentation, pay for any fees and additional extras, enter into the Rental Agreement, and collect your car.

‘Pick-up Time’ means the (local) date and time you’re due to pick up your car, as stated in your Booking Confirmation.

‘Platform’ means the website/app on which you can book Travel Experiences, whether owned or managed by Booking.com Transport Limited or by a third-party affiliate.

‘Rental’ means the provision of a car by a Service Provider.

‘Rental Agreement’ means the contract between you and the Service Provider, which you sign at Pick-up. You’ll be provided with a summary of the key terms during the booking process.

‘Service Provider’ means the provider of a travel-related product or service on the Platform, including but not limited to: a car rental company.

‘Terms’ means these terms of service.

‘Travel Experience’ means one of the travel-related products or services on the Platform.

VERSION: 2.0

DATE: 22 December 2023

For reservations made between 20 June 2023 and 21 December 2023 inclusive