Before renting your car, make sure to know which fuel policy you’re booking with and how it could affect your rental experience.
Quick Links
Full-full | Return with the same amount | Free tank | Prepaid Full-empty | Full-full with an admin charge | EV fuel policies | What happens if I fail to comply? | Only with Zest…
What is a fuel policy?
A fuel policy summarises the amount of fuel that is expected to be in the tank upon collection and return of a rental car. The policies available will depend on the broker who you choose to book with. Unreputable brokers are likely to offer additional fuel policies besides from the standard fair fuel policies that ensure you only pay for the fuel you use.
What fuel policies will be available when renting a car?
When renting a car, you will commonly find the polices below. Keep in mind that policy names can vary per company, but their terms and conditions will usually be the same.
Full-full (fair fuel policy)
When renting with full-to-full, you will collect the car with a full tank and will need to return the car with a full tank. For this fair fuel policy, we recommend researching local petrol stations close to your drop off area, this ensures you aren’t caught out with returning the car with too little fuel.
Return with the same amount (fair fuel policy)
Also known as like-for-like or same-to-same, return with the same amount implies what it says on the tin! Vehicles under this policy must be returned with the same amount of fuel as provided upon collection. For this fair fuel policy, we recommend taking a photo of your fuel gauge for reference on return and for disputes on fuel disparities.
Free tank (fair fuel policy)
Providers in select locations can include a free tank of fuel at the start of your rental. You will be able return the car with any amount of fuel you may see fit!
Prepaid Full-empty
With Full-empty, you collect the car with a full tank of fuel, paying upfront for it, and must then return it with an empty tank. Upon return, you won’t get a refund for returning the car with unused fuel. Other brokers may offer a similar policy where you receive a refund for what you don’t use, minus a surcharge.
Full-full with an admin charge
When renting with this policy, you will collect the car full and must return it full. You then get a full refund for the tank, minus an admin surcharge which is payable locally before the collection of the car.
EV fuel policies
When renting an electric vehicle, you will either have:
Free 80%(+) charge (fair fuel policy)
Vehicles will be provided with a minimum 80% charge at no additional cost. The vehicle will NOT need to be recharged before returning but expected to have at least 10% charge.
Return with the same amount (fair fuel policy)
For this policy you will be provided with a certain amount of charge. You should return the vehicle with the same amount. As aforementioned, we recommend taking a photo of the battery level during collection as failure to return the vehicle with the correct amount of charge will result in an additional local fee.
What happens if I fail to comply with car rental fuel policy?
Failing to comply with your policy can lead to an extra fee post-rental so check your rental conditions before travelling! If returning a specific amount of fuel, make sure to take photos of the fuel gauge for reference on return.
Unreputable brokers tend to offer some of the ‘unfair’ fuel policies that can increase the actual cost of a rental car, a cheap deal is likely to drawbacks! Instead, try to find a fair price with a ‘full-full’ or ‘return with same amount’ fuel policy without admin charges as these are the ones least likely to bump up the rental cost. Read up on how to protect yourself against car hire fuel policies if you’re concerned about additional fees.
Only fair fuel policies when you book with Zest
At Zest, we only work with companies that are trustworthy and share our same ambition in providing a hassle-free experience! Therefore, you will only find a Fair Fuel policy (Return with the same amount / Full-full / Free tank) when booking with us.
Search for fair fuel policy car rental deals below:
