Fuel arrangement when renting a car

If you rent a car, it always comes with what is called a fuel policy. This is also called the fuel policy and car rental companies have different regulations. If you're looking for a rental car, it's important to look at the rules for refueling when you return that rented car. Some arrangements can be very unfavorable. Still, sometimes you can choose a less advantageous option because it is more convenient in your situation. Therefore, we have listed the options and their advantages and disadvantages for you.

1. Cheapest option: full = full

The cheapest fuel policy is - fortunately - also the most common: you get the rental car with a full tank and when you return it, the tank should be full again. Just make sure the tank is really full before you drive away. If it isn't and the tank is only three-quarters or half full? Then have that noted on the contract and also take a picture of the fuel gauge. You can then prove why you are returning the rented car with a tank that is not fully filled. By the way, with the full = full tank rule, most rental companies make sure the tank is really full.

Make sure that you can return the rental car with a full tank. You will not be the first to fail to do so, due to lack of time or other reasons. The car will then be refueled by the rental company, which will charge you not only the (often much higher) fuel price, but also the "service costs". Avoid this: allow enough time for the entire return process. This includes checking in advance the route to the nearest gas station (within 10 kilometers of the return location). Keep the receipt from the last time you filled up and take a picture of the fuel gauge. The latter especially if you return the rental car outside the rental office's business hours or if you've rented a car whose key you get through an automatic and return it.

When full = full, you only pay for the fuel you actually consume. Because this is the most fair and favorable refueling arrangement, all our cars with the Worry-Free label have this fuel policy.

2. Sometimes more convenient: pick up full, return empty

With this fuel policy, you get the rental car with a full tank and return it empty. This seems like a good option at first glance, but it's not. First, you pay for the full tank you get at the car rental company's rate (usually unfavorable), often increased by "service charges. Second, it is difficult to estimate when the tank will be empty and in all cases there will be some gasoline or diesel left when you return the car. This is especially true if you only rent a car for a short period of time and do not empty the first tank.

On the other hand, you don't have to search for a gas station just before returning the car. Therefore, this option can still be convenient if you don't want to lose time when returning the rental car. You can also choose this option if you already know that you will return the rented car outside the opening hours of the office. This is because afterwards there can never be any discussion about the amount of fuel in the tank.

In a very few cases, the full tank is "free" at pickup. It probably won't surprise you that in such cases the rental price of the car is usually higher. In other words, the 'free' tank is included in the price for the rental car.

3. Not so convenient: Pick up empty, return empty

With this arrangement, you get a rental car with an "empty" tank. Not completely empty, of course, or you won't be able to drive away. But you have to look for a gas station right away, and if you rented a car at an airport, that means the gas station at the airport where fuel prices tend to be higher. Depending on how many more miles you are going to drive, you have to pay close attention to how many gallons of gasoline or diesel you fill up at the last refueling. You no longer have to go to the gas station right before you return the rental car, but of course the tank is never completely empty.

4. Awkward: returning with the same tank capacity

With this fuel policy, you can drive quite a distance and refill the tank only after you find a cheap gas station. Still, this is not a convenient option. It is virtually impossible to return the rental car with exactly the same amount of fuel as when you picked it up. Moreover, there can always be a discussion about exactly how full the tank was. If the rental company finds that the tank is not full enough, it will 'top up' the fuel, obviously at a high rate with a 'service' charge on top.

5. How does 'fuel policy' work with electric rental cars?

If you rent an electric car, some things work differently than with a traditional car. For example, a plug-in car does not have a tank, but a battery, and it is almost never 100% charged. In fact, it is strongly discouraged to fully charge an electric car's battery. The 80/20 rule applies here: don't let the battery level go below 20% and not too far above 80%. Usually, you have to return a rental car with the charge level at the time of pickup. Have that level stated in the contract and take a picture of the dashboard showing it. Check in advance where there is a charging station near the return location. Take into account the longer time it takes to recharge the car. The rental company determines which fuel policy belongs to your chosen car and we cannot change it. Think for yourself if the car is worth the unfavorable policy or compare other cars in our offer. In our search system you can check the box 'Favorable fuel policy', which will show you only rental cars with the full = full fuel policy.

In addition to the fuel policy, what are the benefits of Worry-Free?

Only the best cars get the Worry-Free label from us. This means that, among other things, they comply with the full = full fuel policy, but also that the rental company gets a high rating, the deductible is covered and you can drive an unlimited number of miles at no extra cost. We have a separate article with extensive information about Worry-Free .