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Important recommendations before renting a vehicle

When you are renting a car from any rental company or through a booking portal where multiple car rental offers are collected like Rentalport, keep in mind that you will be required to provide the documents you need to rent the vehicle. Requirements vary if you book a car through the booking platform and then you pick it up at the car rental branch or if you will just visit the car rental branch. The car rental company has to follor agreed conditions, but you also need to have everything you need with you. In this article we will discuss the most important things to remember when booking a car through a search-and-comparison portal such as Rentalport or when taking a car directly at a car rental branch. Let's go!


1. Passport, ID card, and driver's license 

Of course, primarily to identify you and at the same time as proof that you are the owner of a driving license. In the case of a reservation platform, passport, identity card, and driving license data may be required before a reservation can be made and paid. At a car rental branch, verification of identification documents or driving license is matters which you can’t avoid. If you are a foreigner, you should definitely have a passport with you. So, if you are not a resident of the country where you want to rent a vehicle, we recommend that you bring your passport with you. 

There can also be set some certain criteria about the driving license. Many car rental companies have a minimum number of years you need to own a driving license to rent a car. Usually you need to have your license at least from one to two years. The driver's license must also be valid in the country where you rent the vehicle. A specific example is driving license from foreign countries that are in Chinese, Arabic or other languages in the Latin alphabet. If your driving license does not have bilingual information - for example in Chinese and English, an international driving license or an official translation of such a license is also required.

Many booking platforms or car rentals also check your documents for another important reason. Car rental companies set a minimum age for renting a car or a specific category of car. The minimum rental age for each car is set individually by each car rental company. A driver younger than 26 is sometimes referred to as a younger driver. Younger drivers may have to pay additional charges. Therefore, check these conditions first. If you are a younger driver with a license, you will most likely be able to rent a car, but you will have to pay the younger driver fee.

2. Security deposit 

Even if you have booked your vehicle through the Rentalport platform, you will not avoid paying the security deposit. The deposit works as collateral in case of an accident caused by the renter or if there are any other problems with the renter. If you return an undamaged vehicle, the deposit is fully returned to you. There are usually two ways to make a deposit - cash or credit card. If you decide to make a deposit with a credit card, it must be valid for at least the next 6 months. Some car rental companies even require two credit cards. Usually the deposit is temporarily blocking funds on the payment card. Remember that there can be some car rental companies, where they do not accept checks, debit cards or cash. You need to be careful about all of this.

3. Booking confirmation 

You will need a booking confirmation if you rent a car through the rental portal. Normally, on a Rentalport platform, a customer chooses a car rental offer that he likes the most and pays in advance for the rental. Then he will receive a booking confirmation on the mail address provided. The reservation confirmation is extremely important when taking the car at the car rental branch. The reservation confirmation can be prepared by the customer in an electronic or printed form.

4. Arrival / Departure information 

If you rent a car from or to the airport, also provide your arrival and departure information to the car rental company. As a result, the car rental company can monitor your flight, they can see possible delays, so they can prepare for your arrival. You will make it easier for the car rental, so they can prepare documents for you and the process will probably be faster as well. The process is much faster if you booked your car through a car booking portal, such as Rentalport. Simply said, it’s because your information was provided to the car rental company before your arrival. So your rental contract is ready before you arrive, and it's saving your and your car rental staff time.

5. In the case of companies 

There are a few other terms and conditions for business customers. But in the case when you used a booking platform, it’s not such a big deal. Due to billing and tax obligations, you can book as a business client. All you need to do is to fill in your company details when making your reservation. However, be careful when picking up the vehicle at a branch. You may be required to provide additional confirmation, which is determined individually by the car rental company. These are usually the extract from the Commercial Register or authorization that you are able to represent the company etc.

In conclusion, there are several obligations you have accomplish. The most important thing is to have valid documents and to count on advance payment. If you are young, don’t forget that you have to own a driving license long enough and make sure that you reached the age criteria. These are the most important conditions to be realized. However, always check the information before on the comparison platform like Rentalport, or directly on the car rental website or by e-mail, telephone. This is the only way to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

6.4.2020