Tips for returning a hire car

Hopefully you've had a great trip with your hire car, perhaps on a long road trip across Australia or a quick getaway up the coast.

But before it's all finished, there's one last thing to do – return the vehicle.

Although hire car returns are normally straightforward, there are a few key things to know to help you avoid any problems.

Getting the vehicle back on time is one of the most important things for returning a hire car in Australia. But there are some other checks you should do in advance to prepare for drop-off.

Location

First, make sure you know the location of where to return the car. Often this will be the same place where you picked it up, but there could be a slight difference. Sometimes you might pick up the vehicle from the office but return it to a nearby car park, for instance.

If the return location is different, you should be given instructions when you pick up the car. If the instructions are on paper, a good trick is to take a photo of the details in case you lose the paper.

Be sure to write down any additional information you're given for the drop-off location. You may have to leave a parking ticket on the dashboard or drive through a particular gate, for instance.

Returning keys

When you are returning a hire car, do not leave the keys in the vehicle.

If the office is open, drop off the keys in person to confirm they've been received. If the office is unattended, there should be a 'key return' box where you can safely leave them.

There's usually no need to do any paperwork or get a receipt for the key return.

Fuel

Unless you have agreed to a different arrangement, you'll need to fill the car's petrol tank before you return it. Any petrol station within about 10 kilometres will be close enough to still be showing a full tank at drop off.

If you don't refuel the car when you're supposed to, the car hire company may charge you a higher rate per litre to fill it up.

Many companies will offer you the option to prepay for either a full tank or a half tank of petrol. This means you can return the car empty or half empty. While this is normally a bit more expensive than getting the fuel yourself, it does save time when you're returning the hire car.

Cleaning

You are not required to completely clean the car before returning it, but you are expected to leave it in a tidy condition.

That means removing all your belongings and all rubbish from the interior of the vehicle. It's always a good idea to double check the boot and under all the seats.

You can be charged if you don't return the car in an acceptable condition, such as leaving pet hair or excess sand inside the vehicle. But any dirt from standard use should not be a problem.

Damage

If there is any damage to the car, it's advisable to report it now rather than later. Depending on where you're returning the car, you might need to speak to a staff member in the office rather than at the drop-off point (this is usually the case when returning a hire car at an airport, for instance).

Be sure to take your own photos or video of the vehicle, including areas that aren't damaged. These may be useful if there are any disputes about the extent of the damage.

There is usually no issue with returning a hire car early in Australia, whether that's earlier in the day or even days earlier.

You may not get a refund for any unused time. That is for the hire car company to decide, so the sooner the better to get in contact and discuss the change.

In fact, some companies might even charge you a small fee for returning a car more than 24 hours early if you don't give advance notice.

When it comes to how to return a hire car early, it is normally the same process as if you were returning it on time, which includes filling the tank with petrol and leaving the interior clean.

The most important thing to check is whether the location will be open at the time you want to drop off the vehicle, because many places will not allow out-of-hours returns and may close at different times on different days.

Most car hire contracts are for 24-hour periods from the pick-up time. So if you get the vehicle at 10:00 on the first day, you'll need to return it by 10:00 on the last day.

Most companies in Australia have a small grace period of up to an hour for returning a hire car late. But after that point, you will normally be charged.

Some companies will charge an extra hourly rate until you return the car, while others will automatically add a full day's charge.

If you know you are going to return a car late, you should get in touch with the company as soon as possible to see what your options are.

Regardless of how late you return the car, you'll still need to make sure it's clean and the petrol tank has been filled, or you may have to pay even more fees.

If you need to return a hire car after hours, it's very important to check in advance that this will be possible.

Many car hire locations in Australia only allow vehicles to be returned during office hours, and it's possible they may close even earlier on weekends than weekdays. When you are booking or picking up the car, take careful note of the opening hours.

If the office doesn't allow for after-hours returns, you'll need to make arrangements to bring the car back when the office is open.

If the office does allow you to return a car after hours, you'll likely have to put the keys into a drop box. It can be a good idea to take a time-stamped photo of the keys together with the drop box just in case there are any disputes.

Returning a hire car to an airport can be confusing because there are a lot of roads heading into the precinct and you'll need to find the correct turn-off.

At the biggest airports in Australia, it's even more confusing because some car hire companies have drop off locations in separate areas outside the main precinct. So make sure you check the specific instructions for your vehicle.

If you have been instructed to return the hire car to an area near the terminal, head towards the arrivals level of the airport and look carefully for 'car hire return' signs. Follow those signs and then look for the logo of your car hire company.

For airport car hire returns where the instructions are for an off-site location, be sure to leave yourself extra time because you'll have to get a transfer (or other type of transport) from the drop-off location to the terminal. The normal recommendation is to arrive an extra 30 minutes early.

There are also a few more checks if you're arranging one-way car hire, because that means returning the car to a different location than the one you picked it up from.

If you want one-way car hire, you should already have arranged this when you booked or picked up the car. If you change your mind later, contact the company as soon as possible, as you may not be able to return the car to an unplanned location.

Extra fee

Most car hire companies will charge an extra fee for one-way car hire, which can sometimes be hundreds of dollars.

This should have been included in the original contract and payment, but it is worth double-checking that you have already paid it so there are no unexpected costs.

If you have changed your mind during the booking and are now dropping off at a different location, you may need to pay this fee when you return the car.

Check location

Double check the address of the drop-off location, because it will be different to where you picked up the car.

The drop-off point may not be exactly where the new location's office is. It could be at a nearby car park, for instance. You should have received these details when you picked up the car, but if not, call the office the day before to check.

If you're planning an airport hire car return, sometimes the drop-off locations are not in the airport precinct. So make sure you know where you're going in advance and leave extra time (normally 30 minutes) for a transfer to the terminal if necessary.

Check opening hours

It's also important to check the opening hours of the location where you are planning to drop off a one-way hire car.

Many car hire locations in Australia do not allow you to drop off the vehicle after-hours. Have a look at the opening hours of your new location and, if you're planning to return the car outside of those hours, whether that's allowed.

If you have any concerns or questions about returning the car, the first thing to do is get in touch with the car hire office.