Terms & Conditions

What is included in my rate?

Your rate is inclusive of Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Theft Waiver (TW), airport/location surcharge, vehicle licence fee, road tax, unlimited mileage, and government tax.  An excess will apply to CDW and TW. If you enter a different return location to the pickup location, the one-way rental fee will be included in the price displayed to you.  If during the quotation process you have stated “I live in United States of America” or “I live in Canada”, the rates you will receive are exclusive of Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Waiver (TW).  Your credit card may provide this coverage for you. Please see CDW Exclusive Rates for further information.

Age:

At the commencement of rental, drivers must meet the requirement for licence eligibility.  If the number of years is 8, this does not mean that the driver must have held their licence for 8 years - it means they must have been eligible to hold their licence for 8 years.

Driving Licence:

Drivers (and additional drivers) must be in possession of a full, unendorsed driving licence which they have held for at least 2 YEARS prior to the commencement of the rental. Licences must be produced in person at the Europcar location at the time of collection. Drivers must be in possession of their licence at all times when driving the vehicle. If a driver has any endorsements on their license, they must contact our Reservations Department prior to booking as there may be restrictions on renting. Failure to inform us of endorsements will result in the driver being refused the vehicle and forfeiting any deposit taken. Licences must be from the country of permanent residence. NON-EU/EEA driving licences cannot be accepted if the holder has been resident in Ireland for more than 12 months. Holders of UK, US, Canadian, Australian and all EU member states are NOT required to supply an International Driving Permit (IDP).  International Driving Permits where required, MUST BE accompanied by the original domestic licence of the driver. This is clearly stated on the international permit. An International permit presented without the domestic licence, will not be accepted.

**Attention: UK Driving Licence Holders**

From June 8th 2015, the UK paper part of your driving licence will no longer be valid. We will require all UK licence holders to present evidence of your driving record (entitlements/endorsements) before the vehicle can be released. This can be obtained by printing it out from the DVLA’s ‘Share Driving Licence’ section - click here  - before you collect your vehicle. We reserve the right to ask prequalifying questions on your insurance history. You may be refused a vehicle based on the answers you provide.

GoCar by Europcar:

If your booking is for a GoCar by Europcar vehicle, then you must have a smartphone to download the GoCar app and complete the sign-up process. This is to enable access to the vehicle. After booking you will receive an email with full instructions.

Credit Cards Accepted:

Europcar accepts the following cards: MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Diners Club and Discover Cards.  All cards MUST be in the name of the main driver.  We do not accept prepaid cards, third party cards or cash.  Holders of a 'Chip and Pin' card must know their PIN number.

For all 'pre-pay online' bookings, the person in whose name the vehicle is booked MUST be the person whose credit/debit card is used.  This card must be presented at collection.  

Europcar will only accept debit cards at collection if either (i) a credit card is also provided to cover the excess; or (ii) the customer pays the premium for our Super Collision Damage Waiver product, which reduces the excess to €250.  

At the time of rental there must be sufficient credit on your credit/debit card to cover all charges including the excess amount.  The excess applies per incident, not per rental.  [Regardless of the level of coverage purchased, ALL renters will be subject to a minimum deposit preauthorisation/charge on their credit/debit card of the vehicle excess amount plus €50.] This is in the event of traffic fines, toll charges etc. 

Excess Amounts and Coverages:

Vehicles are subject to the following vehicle excesses/deductibles which must be available on your credit card on collection of the vehicle:

The premium for Super Damage Waiver Cover (SCDW) costs EUR21.00 to EUR28.00 per day depending on vehicle size (excluding commercial vans).  Payment of the SCDW premium reduces the excess/deductible to zero for damage and theft and the deposit amount to 50 euros.

CDW Exclusive Rates:

Declining Europcar CDW and TW: To decline our Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) and Theft Waiver (TW), the driver must have a US issued World MasterCard or Canadian issued Gold/Platinum Visa/MasterCard AND PROVIDE WRITTEN PROOF that the card has relevant coverage for the Republic of Ireland. The letter must be dated within 21 days of the pickup date and contain the credit card number (partly masked is acceptable). When both a relevant card and letter of proof are provided, for security reasons 5,000Euro will be pre-authorised on your card in case there is damage to the rental vehicle. If there is a damage charge, this amount can be claimed back through your credit card company. This process is between the driver and the credit card company. We cannot be held responsible for any exchange rate charges.

If a letter confirming CDW coverage is not provided on collection of the vehicle or if your card does not provide the relevant coverage or if you do not have 5,000Euro available on your card, you will be required to purchase our CDW and Theft Waiver at the local daily rate (Eur24-33).

Only relevant US or Canadian issued credit cards can be used to waive our CDW and THW cover – we do not accept European credit cards for coverage. If you pay for the full rental with your eligible US World MasterCard or Canadian Visa Card/MasterCard, you may be covered for up to 50,000US Dollars auto rental insurance for your rental without excess. This coverage is a service provided by US MasterCard OR Visa/MasterCard Canada to the cardholder and therefore it is the cardholder's responsibility to ensure that they are adequately covered for the entire duration of the rental period. We reserve the right to refuse third party insurance.

Relevant cards will only be accepted for coverage for a maximum of 28 days in any one calendar year. Please note that you must pay for your full rental with the eligible credit card for your card company to provide CDW and THW coverage.

Please be advised that for security reasons, 5,000EURO will be pre-authorised on your card in case there is any damage.  If there is any damage, this amount can be claimed back through your credit card company. We will NOT be held responsible for any exchange rate charges as a result.

**We DO NOT accept any form of CDW/PDW purchased through a third party OR Fully Comprehensive Irish Insurance Policies.**

To establish if your US MasterCard or Canadian Visa Card/MasterCard includes Auto Rental Cover in the Republic of Ireland please call your credit card issuer and/or US MasterCard/Canadian Visa Card/MasterCard before making your reservation. It is important to confirm to your credit card issuer that the Republic of Ireland as your place of rental.

Contact details for MasterCard 1-800-MC-ASSIST (1-800-622-7747).

Contact details for Visa Canada 416.367.8472.

Please note that we do not accept cover from Travel Guard or any other independent coverage provider.

Fuel Policy:

We offer two fuel options:
1. PREPAID FUEL Customers can choose our prepaid fuel option at the beginning of their rental at our special discounted rates.  For the driver's convenience, there is no need to refill the car. With this option, no refunds will be given for unused fuel. Prices for this option are set locally.

2.  STANDARD REFUELLING Customers can return the car as they wish. Should the car return less than full, the customer will be charged a local refuelling fee plus the standard price per litre. No compensation will be given for fuel charges if an upgrade to a larger car is given.

Flight Information:

For all rentals commencing at an airport location we ask you provide us with the correct flight number and arrival time when booking your vehicle. Flights should be scheduled to land within our opening hours. This is to ensure that if your flight is delayed, your car will be held and staff will be in place to greet you when you arrive. If this information is not available to you at the time of booking, we ask you provide us with it at least 5 days before your arrival date. Where flight information is not provided in time, or incorrect information is provided, we cannot be held responsible for a failed rental and no refund will be due.

Meet Late Arrival:

Where a flight is delayed (and we have been advised of the flight number at the time of original reservation) and the customer arrives at our desk 30 minutes or less after our closing time, no additional fee to the customer applies. If the customer arrives at our desk 30 minutes or more after our closing time, out of hours charges of €40 will apply. Please contact the branch directly for further information.

Vehicle Hold:

Vehicles will only be held for 1 hour after the booked pickup time/landing time within our opening hours if no payment information is provided at the time of reservation. Vehicles will be held until the location closes once credit card details and Driver ID are provided at the time of reservation.  After this time, the vehicle may not be available.
 

Modifications, Cancellations and No-Show Policy:

Payment at the rental location (pay later bookings):

• Modifications to your booking are free of charge before the start of the rental day (though new rental prices may apply)

• Cancellation is free of charge up to the time of pick-up and helps us allocate the vehicle to another customer

• If you supplied your credit card details to guarantee your booking then you agree that we may charge a fee of EUR 95 against that credit card if you have not cancelled your booking and fail to collect the vehicle on the day of pick-up

• For business rentals (where you have a business rental contract with Europcar), if you do not cancel your booking and fail to collect the vehicle at the time of pickup, a fee of EUR 50 or equivalent in local currency may be charged to your business account

• If you return the vehicle to us before the end of the agreed rental period then you will not be entitled to a refund for any unused days

Online pre-payment (pay now bookings):

• Modifications to your booking are free of charge before the start of the rental day (though new rental prices may apply)

• Cancellation is free of charge up to 48 hours before the start of the rental day

• For cancellations made within 48 hours of the start of the rental day, the pre-paid amount shall be refunded less a cancellation fee of EUR 50 or equivalent in local currency

• If you supplied your credit card details to guarantee your booking then you agree that we may charge a fee of EUR 95 against that credit card if you have not cancelled your booking and fail to collect the vehicle on the day of pick-up

• If you return the vehicle to us before the end of the agreed rental period then you will not be entitled to a refund for any unused days

Maximum Length of Rental:

The maximum length of rental allowed on one booking is 35 days. For rentals of a longer duration, please make 2 reservations.  Customers, who rent from us for more than 35 days in a 12-month rolling period, will be subject to the higher rate of vat at 23%. This will be recalculated locally.

Car Types:

Europcar Car Rental operates a fleet with many different makes and models of cars. Whilst every effort will be made to supply the reserved model, we reserve the right to supply a suitable alternative. Please note that we cannot guarantee a particular make or model.

Electric Vehicles

If you are hiring an electric vehicle then the following terms will apply, in addition to terms contained within the Rental Terms/Agreement. These terms do not apply to Hybrid vehicles.

Electricity costs are included in your rental rate. We will provide a key fob which will enable you to use the charging stations of our designated charging partners only. Usage of other charging networks will be at customer’s own cost.

It is the responsibility of the driver to ensure that the vehicle has sufficient charge to complete your journey. Any charges associated with a breakdown caused by allowing the vehicle to run out of battery will be the driver’s responsibility – this will include a Call Out fee and Tow charge to nearest charging station.

EV Charging

You are not required to return the vehicle fully charged; however, we request that you return it with a minimum of 10% battery. It is recommended that you do not allow the battery charge to fall below 10% as this may damage the battery/battery life.

Charging stations must be used in accordance with the rules and instructions provided by the charging locations. Misuse or damage may result in a fine or damage claim. In this event, we will pass the fine or damages fee to the driver, along with an administration fee of €30.

If you use a public charging station and do not move the vehicle when your charging session has ended, you may be liable for a parking/idle fee. Any fines received are the driver’s responsibility and will be passed to the driver along with an administration fee of €30.

Please note that parking fees are separate to charging fees – please ensure you check parking rules onsite.

EV Equipment 

Charging cables – charging cables are provided in the vehicle. If the cable is lost or damaged (outside of fair wear and tear) a replacement cost of €600 will apply. Charging cables are EXCLUDED from all our direct Damage Excess reduction policies.

Key Fob – we will provide a key fob which will enable you to use Network Charging stations associated with ESB and Ionity only. The key fob must be always kept on the car key ring. Missing Key fobs will be charged at €30.

Toll Information:

Drivers are responsible for the payment of their tolls (on both barriered and barrier-free toll roads) directly with the Toll Operator. Further information regarding toll rates and payment methods will be given on collection of your vehicle.

Additional Drivers:

Additional drivers can be added for a daily fee of €10.22. Additional drivers can be added on collection of the vehicle only.  Please note unauthorised drivers are not covered by us and are prohibited from driving the rental car. The additional driver must be present at time of pickup and must fulfil the same age/licence criteria as the principal driver.

Baby Seats:

Baby seats are available at a cost of €8 per day to maximum cost of €50 per rental. Max €80 per rental where more than 1 seat is required.

Booster Cushions:

Booster cushions are available at a cost of €8 per day to maximum cost of €50 per rental. Max €80 per rental where more than 1 seat is required.

The law in Ireland states that an appropriate child restraint MUST be used.

New EU Child Safety Protection Laws have come into force making it compulsory for all children to travel in the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion. Where safety belts have been fitted, they must be worn.  Children under 3 years of age must not travel in a car unless restrained in the correct child seat. Children aged 3 years or over who are under 150cms in height and weighing less than 36 kilograms (i.e. generally children up to 11/12 years old) must use the correct child seat, booster seat or booster cushion when travelling in cars. Child car seats must be in accordance with EU or United Nations- Economic Commission for Europe (UN-ECE) standards. Drivers have a legal responsibility to ensure passengers aged under 17 use the correct seat, booster seat, booster cushion or seatbelt.

Please note baby seats are not permitted in commercial vehicles.

GPS Units:

GPS units are available to rent at a cost of €14.76 per day to a maximum of €147.60 per rental. The non-return or loss of a GPS unit will be charged to the renter at a cost of €246.

Personal Benefits Membership:

PBM covers the driver for personal injuries or fatalities up to €31,750 in the event of an accident whilst in the vehicle and costs €6.81 per day. Not available on commercial vans.

Roadside Assistance:

RSA is available at a cost of €4-€6 per day and covers the driver against potential breakdown recovery costs such as use of incorrect fuel in the vehicle, assistance with the retrieval of keys locked inside a vehicle, delivery of replacement for lost keys etc. Further information will be available on collection of the vehicle. Not available on commercial vans.

Carbon Offset:

At the time of booking, you can donate €3.00 which covers the cost of planting 2 trees in the Burkina Faso Desert.

Travel to Northern Ireland:

If you wish to drive in Northern Ireland, you must inform us on collection of your vehicle. There is a nominal €34.05 fee when taking a car into Northern Ireland. Cars cannot be taken off the island of Ireland at any stage and must be returned in the Republic. Failure to purchase the required cover will result in the renter accepting full responsibility for any recovery fees, should the car breakdown.

One Way Rentals:

One-way rentals are permitted between branches at a cost of between €34.05 and €147.55. If you enter a different return location to the pickup location, the one-way rental fee will be included in the price displayed to you. Not available on commercial vans.

Grace Period:

Drivers are allowed a one-hour period of grace provided that the vehicle is returned within our hours of operation. Drivers exceeding this will pay any extra charges directly at the local rate.

Early Returns:

We do not issue refunds for unused days nor for charges paid directly on arrival in the event of the vehicle returning earlier than booked.

Car Returns:

Cars may be returned outside our location hours by prior arrangement only. Cars that are returned outside the above location opening times will be charged for any damage or any loss incurred until the car is returned to the car rental company.

Traffic Fines:

Speeding, parking, and other endorsements/fines are the responsibility of the hirer in full. Europcar Car Rental accepts no responsibility for any fine or payment. The renter is obliged to inform Europcar Car Rental of any fines or parking tickets issued whilst the vehicle is being used by the renter. Where Europcar receive a fine that was not settled when issued, the total cost of the fine, plus an administration fee of €30.00, will be charged to the main driver’s credit card.

Upgrades:

If on arrival the client feels that the car they have booked is not suitable for their requirements, we will be happy to provide a larger vehicle if available. Upgrade charges are payable on arrival at the local daily rate. If a customer is given a free upgrade on arrival, we cannot accept any customer service queries regarding fuel or coverage costs.

Breakdown assistance:

Our rates include 24-hour breakdown cover. We reserve the right to add a callout charge to the hirer's rental agreement in the event that the callout does not arise from a mechanical fault with our vehicle. Callout charges resulting from incorrect fuel being added to the fuel tank, keys being locked into the vehicle or mislaid, off road recovery and wheel changes due to punctured tyres will be added to the rental costs. The current callout charge is Euro 125 plus tax.

Fair Wear & Tear Policy: 

Please note that Europcar operate a Fair Wear & Tear policy. Any Damage below the Fair Wear & Tear policy does not need to be reported. 

Vehicle Condition:

Please check the condition of your rental vehicle to ensure that it agrees with the condition report on your rental agreement. If you disagree with the inspection report or if you have received your vehicle outside of business hours and you need to report undocumented damage, please take photos of the damage, and contact the rental station with whom you made the booking. Failure to do this will result in your acceptance of the inspection report.   

Damage Management Policy:

Our damage policy is changing to provide more clarity and fairness to our customers, as well as improve our efficiency and service quality.   

Damage claims will now be classified into two categories:

1. light damage (scratches, dents, including windscreen repair and tyres repair/replacement)
2. serious damage

What does it mean to you as customer?

Light Damage Matrix – no wait time for cost or documentation, immediate return of difference in deposit, no delay in processing time.

Light Damage: This shows the pre-agreed fixed sum(s) as set out in the Light Damage Charges Schedule. As explained in our T&Cs, Light Damage is minor damage to the Vehicle (but which is not classed as wear and tear) and therefore does not necessarily require immediate repair for safety, mechanical or cosmetic reasons before it can be rented to another customer. If the costs of repair cannot be determined via the Light Damage Charges Schedule, we may calculate them by requesting a desktop assessment. Any desktop assessment used to estimate damage costs is carried out by Europcar's independent third-party engineering partner. All engineers are Audatex Vehicle Damage Assessor qualified.

Serious Damage: This shows the sums Europcar has become liable to pay in recovering and/or repairing the Vehicle. As set out in our T&Cs, you will indemnify us for this amount as a debt.

Total Loss: This shows the pre-accident value of the Vehicle and any Vehicle recovery charges, less any sums that we recover in respect of the Vehicle when it is sold for salvage. As set out in our T&Cs, you will indemnify us for this amount as a debt.

Loss of Use: This is a charge to take account of our loss of revenue while the Vehicle is being repaired. We calculate the Loss of Use charge on the basis of the daily rental rate set out in the Rental Agreement, adjusted to reflect the estimated percentage utilisation of our fleet, which is calculated quarterly. For Serious Damage, other than Serious Damage to tyres and windscreens, the number of days charged by us for Loss of Use of the Vehicle will comprise:

1. one day for the Vehicle to be taken in for repair;
2. one day for each period of four hours (or part thereof) of labour required by the relevant supplier to affect the repair; and
3. one day for the Vehicle to be returned to us and checked in following the repair.

For Damage to the tyres and/or windscreen a Loss of Use is capped at €20.

Tyres: For minor repairs to tyres or tyre replacements, this charge is the sum Europcar has become liable to pay in repairing or replacing the tyres. As set out in our T&Cs, you will indemnify us for this amount as a debt.

Windscreens: For minor repairs to windscreens, this charge is the pre-agreed fixed sum(s) as set out in the Light Damage Charges Schedule. Please see the description of Light Damage above for more information. For other damage to windscreens, this charge shows the sums Europcar has become liable to pay in repairing or replacing the windscreen. As set out in our T&Cs, you will indemnify us for this amount as a debt.

Damage Administration Charge: This shows either the Light Damage Administration Charge or Serious Damage Administration Charge (whichever applies). Each of these Charges pays for the back-office resource required to process paperwork associated with the relevant Damage to and/or the Total Loss of a Vehicle, including calculation of the applicable Loss of Use charge and liaison with an engineer where applicable. Light damage administration fee will be €50 / Serious damage administration fee will be €90

Engineers Charge: This applies if the Vehicle has suffered Serious Damage or is a Total Loss. It pays for an engineer to assess whether a damaged Vehicle is worth repairing and, where appropriate, to:

1. liaise with the repairers to determine how it will be repaired and what it will cost; or
2. determine the pre-accident value of the Vehicle and to arrange for the Vehicle to be sold for salvage.

Deduction – application of the excess: To reflect the fact that you have agreed an Excess amount, a deduction has been applied to reduce the amount of the charge to the level of the Excess amount plus the relevant Damage Administration Charge or/and Loss of Use Charge (i.e. Light, Serious Administration Charge, Tyre or Windscreen Loss of Use Charge)

No VAT You will note that the invoice is not subject to VAT. Please disregard the references to VAT in the documentation enclosed with this letter.

Light Damage Matrix

Link to Light Damage Matrix -  please note that an administration fee of €50 applies to all Light Damage.

Damage identified upon the return of the Vehicle and in your presence:

If Light Damage is identified upon the return of the Vehicle when the inspection is made in your presence and in the presence of our agent or its representative and if you acknowledge the damage by signing the statement of return of the Vehicle, we will EITHER:

1. provide you with an invoice immediately detailing the applicable charges and, to the extent that the charges can be determined at the check-in, will charge the debit or credit card you supplied to us at the time of pick-up, with EITHER:
2. the charges detailed; or
3. the Excess amount under our Protection packages, whichever is lower

OR

refer the matter to our head office team who will assess the Light Damage identified and will determine the appropriate charge. This will be done in one of two ways: a) by reference to the Light Damage Charges Schedule; or b) by carrying out a desktop assessment using industry standard software to estimate damage costs. We will then send you an invoice for:

1. the charges detailed
2. the Excess amount under our Protection packages, whichever is the lower amount

If you contest either the damage and/or the invoice; or if you refuse to sign the statement of return for the Vehicle; or for whatever reason, the charge cannot be determined at the time of check-in (for example, where there is no price for the specific damage in the Light Damage Charges Schedule) then we will send you the documents outlined below and you have the option to follow the procedure in set out in ‘Querying the Damage Charges’

1. the statement of return for the Vehicle detailing all the damage we identified;
2. pictures of the damage;
3. an invoice detailing the applicable charges

Damage identified upon the return of the Vehicle and in your absence:

If damage is identified during the inspection of the Vehicle by us in your absence we will send to you the following documents by email or by post:

1. the statement of return for the Vehicle detailing all the damage we identified;
2. pictures of the damage;
3. an invoice detailing the applicable charges

Querying the Damage Charges

You have fourteen (14) days from the date on which the email or the letter is sent to you to challenge your liability for the damage identified and/or the charges levied by us. If you do not challenge within this period of fourteen (14) days, we will charge the debit or credit card you supplied to us at the time of pick-up with either:

1. The Charges detailed: or
2. The Excess amount under our Protection packages, whichever is the lower amount

Claims

If you wish to contest your damage invoice, you may reply to the email from the damage team or you can send a claim to our customer service department at customerservicesie@europcar.ie

You may also file a claim with the European Car Rental Conciliation Service (ECRCS) (http://www.ecrcs.eu/) if the matter is not brought to a satisfactory conclusion.

Customer Service:

Chauffeur Drive Service:

Not available in Republic of Ireland.

Delivery/Collection:

Not available in Republic of Ireland.

Tax:

All the above charges are inclusive of Government Tax (VAT) at the relevant rate which is subject to change (0% / 13.5% / 23%)