Before making the reservation: The vehicle you are going to rent must meet the appropriate conditions to provide the service. There is no national regulation that specifies exactly what these requirements are, neither for the car nor for the driver, although some autonomous communities require something more. For example, in the Canary Islands you cannot rent a car if you do not have at least two years of driving license.
Before signing the contract, make sure that the car is in good condition, without bumps or damage that could endanger your safety. If you make the reservation through the Internet, read the conditions that they indicate carefully and download them in order to have proof of what you have contracted.
On the other hand, when you rent a car in advance, you should keep in mind that you reserve a vehicle of a certain category, but not a specific car. That is, if you request a Renault Mégane, you may be given a Citroën C4, since both belong to the C segment (passenger cars). The vehicle that will finally be delivered to you will depend on the availability of cars at the time of collection.
During the delivery: The rented car must be supplied with everything required to circulate with any vehicle. Thus, the company must provide you with all the documentation in order –registration permit, ITV card, insurance policy, etc.-. The most normal thing is that they give you certified photocopies of these papers. The car must also include the breakdown triangles (which from 2026 will be replaced by the new light devices) and the mandatory reflective vest.
It is important to make sure that you receive all the documentation indicated, since if any paper is later missing when you deliver the car, you will have to assume the payment for its replacement. The cost of this refund is usually indicated in the general conditions of the rental contract.
Rental insurance: The rented car must be supplied with everything required to circulate with any vehicle. Thus, the company must provide you with all the documentation in order -registration permit, ITV card, insurance policy, etc.-. The most normal thing is that they give you certified photocopies of these papers. The car must also include the breakdown triangles (which from 2026 will be replaced by the new light devices) and the mandatory reflective vest.
It is important to make sure that you receive all the documentation indicated, since if any paper is later missing when you deliver the car, you will have to assume the payment for its replacement. The cost of this refund is usually indicated in the general conditions of the rental contract. When renting a car, you must bear in mind that the insurance will only respond if you make good use of the car. For example, you will have problems if you use the car outside paved roads -forest tracks, beaches…- and you suffer a mishap.
On the other hand, these insurances do not usually cover certain specific damages or breakdowns, such as damage to rims or tires – punctures or blowouts -, battery discharge or damage to the clutch.
Guarantee deposit: All companies require a deposit as a guarantee of payment and delivery of the vehicle in perfect condition. This deposit is usually proportional to the value of the rented car and additional equipment. There is no express regulation about the amount, so, normally, the figure is left to the discretion of each company.
The deposit can be made by credit or debit card or, in some cases, in cash. In the case of high-end vehicles, it is common that the deposit can only be made by credit card. In fact, some companies only accept this form of payment.
If there is any damage to the rental car -as long as it is not covered by insurance-, you will be charged for its repair from the card you have provided. In addition, if you commit an infraction, the company will provide your data to the sanctioning entity, to which you will have to pay the fine. To this can be added a charge for the management of the fine.
Previous review: When you rent a car, before using it for the first time, check its condition well. You should not only check the bodywork, but all the equipment and features that the vehicle has, such as lights, tires, that it has the correct fluid levels, etc. In order to make a claim against the company, any problem detected must be reported as soon as possible.
If the detected problem does not affect an essential service -for example, if it fails it is the air conditioning-, you can negotiate a price reduction. But if it is essential, you can ask for the cancellation of the contract.
How to return it: Companies usually deliver the car clean and with a full tank of fuel, and you must return it that way. You do not need to wash it before taking it, but if you return it full of mud or with stains on the upholstery, it is normal to be billed for the cost of cleaning it.
If you do not return the deposit with the amount of fuel that it was delivered with, you will be billed for the missing fuel, as well as an additional charge for the refueling service. You also have to be careful with the return schedule. If you go over the delivery time you will be charged an extra day, so it is convenient to return it in time.
On the other hand, you should pay attention to the conditions for returning the vehicle. There are offers that allow you to enjoy very low prices, but that include an additional charge for delivering the car to an office other than the one where we pick it up.
Additional elements: In addition to the optional insurance, many companies offer the rental of accessory equipment, such as child seats, roof racks, chains, GPS, etc.
These elements are also rented for days, although a maximum cost is usually established. In other words, if the rental of a chair is 10 euros per day, a cap of 100 euros will surely be imposed, even if you use it for more than 10 days. If this equipment is damaged or stolen, you will have to pay the replacement cost.
On the other hand, some companies include a mileage usage limitation in their contracts. You should see if there is such a limitation and what is the amount billed for each additional kilometer traveled.
Which driver appears on the insurance policy: The person who rents a car must be the driver of the car. If you want to share this task with another person, you will have to pay an additional driver fee. Obviously, no one is going to monitor who is driving the car at all times, but it is important that everything is in order, since if the person driving the car is not picked up as an additional driver in the event of an incident, they will be excluded from insurance compensation.
On the other hand, many companies do not allow young drivers to rent a car. It is common for the company to require the driver to be at least 21 years old and have a license for one year (22 and 2 years, respectively, in the Canary Islands). For some categories of vehicles, the driver is even required to be over 30 years of age.