Your car hire invoice explained

A rental car invoice can include all sorts of line items you may not be familiar with. Read on for an explanation of some of the more common items.

It is important to understand what some of the terms found on your car rental invoice mean. Here are some examples of terminology commonly found on car hire invoices. As VroomVroomVroom never invoices customers for the full rental charges, these invoices will always be raised by the rental car provider.

Additional Driver: Fee for drivers in addition to the renter named in the contract. There is a maximum of four additional drivers per rental contract.
ADMIN REC (Administration Recovery): This relates to administrative functions undertaken in respect to your car rental in Australia.
Administration surcharges: The Administration fee is applied to the total cost of the rental car to cover the state’s applicable stamp duty costs.
Age surcharge: An age surcharge is commonly levied for drivers aged between 21 and 24. This surcharge is to cover the extra insurance costs related to the driver being under 25 years of age. The amount of the daily surcharge varies from one car rental provider to another, but in all cases any age surcharge will be included as a part of your rental car booking process with VroomVroomVroom. In a case where having an additional driver is desired but the additional driver is under the age of 25, this is possible — as long as they meet the licence requirements. This will attract extra charges for an additional driver and an age surcharge, both of which will be payable at the depot counter.
Bike racks: Refers to bike carriers that can be attached to the roof or rear of a rental vehicle. Only certain depots will allow bike racks to be fixed to their vehicles, so be sure to check before making your booking if bike racks are a requirement.
Bond: The security bond is a predetermined amount that will be charged to your nominated payment method upon collection of your vehicle. This amount is dependent on various factors, including the car rental provider, vehicle type, and location, and is generally refunded upon the rental car’s return. It is also important to note that most rental brands will not accept cash deposits.
CC SURCHARGE (Credit Card Surcharge): A surcharge applies to qualifying rentals when paying with a credit card. Businesses are permitted to charge a surcharge for paying by credit card, but the surcharge must not be more than what it costs the business to use that payment method.
Credit card authority process: In Australia, some rental brands have a Credit Card Authorisation Process that requires the owner of the credit card to go to an Australian depot to complete forms and provide identification to verify the use of their credit card. This is most often required if the name on the credit card does not match the name of the driver on the rental car booking.
Child seats: In Australia, children under seven years old are required to be seated in a child seat of some description. Types of child seats include rear-facing, forward-facing, and booster seats. Car rental depots may have a limited supply of child seats, so if you will require one, it is important to book your rental car well in advance to avoid missing out.
Debit cards: If you plan to pay for your hire car with a debit card, please note that most rental brands will only accept debit cards with the Visa/Mastercard logo. Other providers may only accept debit cards in very limited circumstances or not at all. We recommend checking your options prior to making your booking.
E-Tags: In Australia, an E-Tag is a device used for electronic toll payments. Your E-Tag will be detected whenever you travel on a toll road, automatically charging your nominated payment method. Each rental company has its own conditions for toll payment and may charge you additional administration fees for any unpaid tolls, so it’s a good idea to ask your provider about their toll payment policy when you pick up the car. Depending on the rental car provider, drivers may be able to choose to manually pay for their use of a toll road with a pre-paid pass or a credit card over the phone within 48 hours.
Excess: The excess is the amount you will be financially liable to pay if the rental car is damaged during the period of your booking. Without purchasing car hire excess insurance, this charge can range from $3,350 and $9,000 depending on the car type and the supplier.
Excess reduction: Car rental providers offer excess reduction products at the counter, with varying amounts of protection. The purchase of excess reduction insurance is not compulsory in Australia.
Express return: If you want to return your rental car early, you will need to leave the car keys and any applicable paperwork in the depot’s express return box if no staff are present.
Fines: In the instance you receive a fine whilst driving your rental car, your car rental provider will either charge your credit card for the amount detailed on the fine or supply your information to law enforcement agencies.
Flight details: To ensure a staff member will be on site to process your booking in the instance your flight is delayed, it is best to provide your flight details when placing your booking. Some providers require this information as a part of their booking process while it is optional with other providers.
FPO (Fuel Purchase Option): There are certain locations that allows customers to purchase a tank of fuel in advance at a discounted price during the time of rental. This will save you time from refilling the tank before returning the rental car. Unused fuel won’t be refunded.
FUEL SERVICE: The car rental supplier provides vehicles with a full tank of fuel upon pick up. There are convenient options for replacing the fuel that you’ve consumed before you return the vehicle.
Grace period: Some rental brands have a grace period for car rental returns. This can vary between rental brands. If you return your vehicle after the grace period, you may be charged for a full additional day at the current rate.
Intercity Fee: These are charges for returning a car to a location other than initial rental location and/or location specified in the rental contract.
Late Return Fees: These are fees for returning a car after the return time agreed to at the time of rental. Please note that a return of below 30 minutes will generally not attract a charge for an extra hour, while late returns of 30 minutes and over will. Late returns of one hour and 30 minutes and over will result in a charge for an additional rental day.
LDW (Loss Damage Waiver): This applies to all vehicle damage to rental cars, with the exception of damages obtained through fraud, or through an accident resulting from use of the car in a manner prohibited by the rental agreement. By accepting LDW you will be relieved of all financial responsibility for loss or damage to the rental car, whether or not you have insurance to cover such damage. In order for LDW to be applied to any damage claims, you must properly report the related incident in accordance with the Rental Agreement.
Limited kilometres: Some rental vehicles may have limits on the amount of kilometres you can travel. Further charges will apply to your booking if you exceed the kilometre limit.
LIS (Liability Insurance Supplement) : Offers liability protection of up to $1,000,000 (in CA and FL up to $2,000,000 for liability only) and up to $1,000,000 of coverage for bodily injury or property claims with uninsured/underinsured motorists.
LLDW: The rental agency agrees not to hold you responsible for up to $1,000 of damage to the rental vehicle.
LOC FEE (Location Fee): This applies when the customer collects the vehicle from a premium location including airports and downtown locations. The fee varies per location and is imposed as a percentage of other charges as shown on the car rental record.
MAX (Maximum Cover): This reduces the Accident Damages Excess to zero. It also includes Single Vehicle Accident Excess buy out and is available at participating locations.
One-way fees: If applicable, one-way fees are included in the total cost of the rental car. One-way charges vary, and will only apply if you opt to collect and return your rental car at different locations.
PDW (Partial Damage Waiver): This applies to insurance replacement rentals. The rental agency agrees not to hold you liable for loss or damage to the rental car up to the amount of your personal auto insurance deductible (up to $1,000).
PAI ( Personal Accident Insurance): This provides limited death benefit and covers limited medical expenses for renter and passengers. Usually, total benefits for any one accident are limited up to $225,000.
PEC (Personal Effects Coverage): This covers some personal belongings. Coverage limits are usually up to $600 per person, with the maximum coverage for all claims limited to $1,800.
Premium Emergency Roadside Assistance: This provides roadside assistance including lockouts, lost key, flat tire and mounting, and dead battery, among other services.
Return Change Fee: Customers who are currently renting and who extend their rental past a 12-hour grace period or change the location of their return will be charged a nominal fee.
Service Charges/Taxes: These represent state and local taxes, as well as surcharges/service charges collected by the rental company to reimburse state and local governments, airport authorities, and other government and transportation agencies, as well as additional fees.
Underage Fee: Renters under 25 years old are subject to Underage Fee. Generally, the fee varies based on renter’s age, car class, and renting location. Car class restrictions also apply.
VRR (Vehicle Registration Recovery): This recovery reimburses the car rental company for vehicle registration and compulsory third party insurance imposed by various state and territory vehicle registration authorities. It is charged per day and applies to all rental days. The VRR will be considered on a full day basis even if you only used the rental vehicle for a few hours.

Note: The details above were partly based on a Hertz invoice and can change at anytime

If there are still some details in your car rental invoice that you don’t understand, feel free to contact our friendly customer care experts so they can answer all your queries.

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