Your guide to changing your rental car reservation easily

While you may not receive a refund for the unused time, there are many ways you can change a reservation without costing you additional money or stress.

Whether you’re about to embark on your dream road trip or you just need to complete a short journey, your plans can change. An unexpected event may mean that you need to start your trip later or drop your rental car off earlier than expected. The good news is you’re almost always allowed to shorten your rental if you need to. While you may not receive a refund for the unused time, there are ways you can change a reservation without costing you additional money or stress.

If your plans change before or during your trip, here’s how to cut your rental short while minimizing fuss and expense.

Shortening your rental car booking before your trip starts

If you booked your rental car online, there’s a good chance you can change your booking online, too. But if you’re trying to change your reservation close to your planned pickup time – such as on the same day – it’s better to call the company you booked with. This way, you can speak with someone who can provide more immediate assistance.

Unfortunately, picking your car up later than originally planned might mean you end up paying more money for less time with the car. This is because making a change to the booking can effectively mean you’re starting from scratch.

If you need to drop your rental car off earlier than planned, research online first to see if the price for your new dates is now cheaper. If so, you can make the change and save some money.

If you’re making this change close to your planned pickup time (on the same day, for example), it’s probably easier to leave your original booking as-is and let the rental company know you’ll be returning the car early when you arrive at the counter to pick it up. While you shouldn’t expect to receive a refund for the unused time, there probably won’t be any charge for returning the car early.

Changing your rental car booking after your trip has started

If you’ve started your trip and realize that you need to drop your car off earlier than expected, contact the rental company as soon as possible using the contact details provided in the rental agreement. It’s also helpful to let the company know if you need to return the car outside regular business hours or at a different location.

Although you typically won’t receive a refund for the unused days on your original reservation, you may avoid getting charged an early return fee if you give the company a heads-up so they can make any necessary adjustments. Just be sure to check your rental agreement and fine print, as every rental company’s return policies are different.