Avis Car Rentals FAQs

In Canada we do not sell vehicles directly to the public.

Most Avis locations in Canada do not rent trucks. For information on truck rental locations, please call 1-800-879-2847.

Avis does not have a strict pet policy, but please be sure to return your rental vehicle clean (i.e. free of pet hair), and without pet damage to avoid cleaning fees and charges for pet damage.

Certain Avis locations have hybrid vehicles. Please click here or call 1-800-879-2847 for more information.

An airport concession recovery fee reimburses the car rental company for the concession fees it pays to airports. It is required by rental companies and may apply to rentals from airport locations. This fee is added to rental charges collected by Avis.

Canadian vehicles may be driven into the U.S.

Certain U.S. vehicles may be rented in the U.S. and driven into Canada by U.S. residents with advance arrangement and consent from Avis. A Canadian non-resident insurance card may be required and is available at the Avis rental location at the time of vehicle pick up.

Due to Canadian law, a Canadian resident is restricted from driving a U.S. owned vehicle into Canada.

It's always best to ask about any cross-border restrictions. Inquire either at the rental counter or contact us at 1-800-879-2847 for more information.

In Canada, Avis' fleet is equipped with daytime running lights as a standard feature.

Examples of the Avis vehicle fleet in Canada may be viewed through the Vehicle Guide found in the Renter's Guide on avis.ca.

The make/models shown are examples only. Avis is unable to guarantee a specific make/model. All vehicle groups and models may not be available at all Avis locations.

Only vehicles in the Avis Signature Series can be reserved by make/model.

Hours of operation vary by location and day of the week. To check operating hours for a specific Avis location, select "Find a Location".

Most Avis airport locations will remain open to meet customers who have made advance reservations and who have encountered flight delays. If a customer is delayed, it is Avis'policy to honour a reservation up to 16 hours beyond the stated pick-up time.

If you anticipate a delay in picking up your vehicle, Avis would greatly appreciate you notifying us at 1-800-879-2847 as soon as possible.

Most Avis rental rates are based on a 24-hour rental period. For example, a vehicle rented at 10 AM for a one-day rental is due back at 10 AM the next day.

There is a 29-minute grace period. If the vehicle is returned within the 29-minute grace period, there will not be an additional hourly rate. Beyond the 29-minute period, an hourly rate will apply and accumulate until it equals the rate of an additional day.

Charges for optional items such as LDW are charged at the full day rate after the 29-minute grace period. If a vehicle is returned beyond the parameter associated with a specific rate / rate code, the rental may revert to an applicable higher rate.

Please note that any changes in your rental are subject to vehicle availability and will impact your rate. If you realize you need to extend your reservation before picking up your vehicle, please modify online your reservation by calling our Reservation Center. If you wish to extend any rental once you have picked up your vehicle, in the U.S. you must contact a Avis reservation agent at 1-800-230-4898.

To extend a rental in another country, please call the rental location directly. We will be happy to accommodate your request, if possible.

Please note that at U.S. and Canadian corporate-operated locations, a service fee of $15 will apply and your your original per-day rental rate may change. Your reservation agent will provide all details when you call. If you don't call to notify Avis that you will be keeping the vehicle longer then expected within 7 hours of your originally scheduled return time to extend your rental, a $15/day late fee will apply.

Also, if you choose not to return the car on or before your originally scheduled return date, we will place an additional hold on your debit or credit card to cover the additional expected rental charges. Upon your return of the car, the holds will be released, and the actual cost of the rental will be charged. Your bank may take up to two weeks to post the released credit hold to your card. Unfortunately, we cannot be held responsible for any returned checks due to debit card hold processing.

For audible, turn-by-turn directions, you can rent our easy-to-use where2^TM GPS Navigation system available available at airport and other select locations. In addition basic maps will be available at participating locations.

As of October 1, 2009, all vehicles in our Canadian and U.S. fleet are designated as non-smoking cars. A Cleaning Fee of up to $250 may be applied to the cost of a rental, should this policy be violated. See Press Release 

Why are you enacting this new policy? 

• Tobacco smoke leaves a residue on fabrics, fibers and surfaces of vehicles, which emits odours that many people find unpleasant. This new policy is designed to ensure we are enhancing the comfort of our customers, which is a top priority at Avis.
• When a vehicle must be cleaned of tobacco smoke odour and residue, all surfaces must be treated and cleaned. This takes considerable time and requires the vehicle to be removed from the rental fleet until odour-free. This incurs incremental costs for special cleaning and lost revenue from the vehicle being unavailable for rental. This new policy helps us recover some of the costs associated with cleaning tobacco odour and residue from our vehicles.
• Along with the new policy, Avis has initiated a new inspection process. When a vehicle that was smoke-free when provided to a customer is inspected upon its return, and it is determined that the vehicle must be cleaned of tobacco odour and residue, the renter will be assessed a fee of up to $250.

What is the new "inspection process"? How do you determine that a customer smoked in the vehicle?

• Similar to how we assess cleaning fees for excess dirt and soilage in vehicles, when a vehicle is returned the Return Agent will inspect the vehicle for physical evidence that the car was smoked in (ash/butts in the vehicle/cigarette burns, etc.) and photos will be taken to substantiate the assessment of the cleaning fee.
• Our focus is not on being able to prove whether or not someone did or did not smoke in our vehicle. We are committed to providing our customers with vehicles that are 100% smoke-free, which means that we are inspecting the vehicles for smoke odour in addition to ash, butts, etc. Even if there is no visible evidence of smoking activity, if a vehicle that was smoke-free when provided is returned with tobacco odour, it will undergo special cleaning and the fee will be assessed.

When do you do this inspection? When is the customer notified?

• In most cases, the inspection and customer notification will occur at the time of vehicle return by our Return Agent in the vehicle return area. If the Return Agent finds evidence that the car has been smoked in and/or it smells of smoke, the customer will be informed of this finding, and that they may be assessed a cleaning fee of up to $250. The customer will then be given their receipt as per standard procedure.
• Later on, a location manager will inspect the vehicle to validate the findings of the Return Agent to determine if a cleaning fee is to be assessed. If so, the customer is notified in writing that the fee has been charged to the credit card we have on file.
• Under certain circumstances, the Return Agent may be unable to notify the customer of the possible assessment of the fee at the time of vehicle return. Examples include:

  o The customer leaves the return area before a Return Agent is able to inspect their vehicle.

  o A Return Agent is unable or unavailable to inspect the car thoroughly at time of vehicle return; the inspection is then conducted by trained staff at our service island at a later point in time.

  o The vehicle is returned after hours when no Return Agent is available to inspect the vehicle.

• When the vehicle can only be inspected after the customer has left our facility, and is found to require smoke-related cleaning, the customer is notified via mail that the fee has been charged to their credit card.

What can customers do to ensure that they will not be charged a cleaning fee?

• To avoid paying the fee, customers should refrain from smoking in or near the vehicle at all times.
• Rental vehicles should be thoroughly inspected by the customer prior to leaving the rental location. Customers should check the car for body or interior damage, soil or dirt, and to ensure that it is smoke-free.
• If at the time of vehicle check-out the vehicle is not to the customer's satisfaction, we recommend that the customer go into the rental counter and speak with an agent before leaving our facility. The customer will be provided with another vehicle, if one is available, and no fees of any kind will be assessed.

What if my car does not have a no-smoking policy sticker on it?

• By October 1, 2009, 100% of the vehicles in the Avis fleet will be 100% smoke-free. As new vehicles enter the fleet, or existing vehicles are inspected and found to be smoke-free, a sticker is placed on the rear side window informing the customer that the vehicle is smoke-free, that smoking in the vehicle is prohibited, and that if cleaning of tobacco residue and odorus is required, the $250 fee will be assessed.
• Starting October 1, 2009, the fleet will be 100% smoke-free, and the policy will be in effect for 100% of our fleet, not just those that have stickers. The stickers are primarily to help notify customers as we transition to a 100% smoke-free fleet.

If you are a smoker, TravelPost maintains a list of smoking policies at US airports. Click here to view. For smoking policies at Canadian airports, click here.

Off-roading is prohibited. Avis vehicles may be operated only on paved and regularly maintained roads.

Avis offers convenient one-way rentals at attractive rates. You can pick up a vehicle at one location and return it to another. Vehicle type and availability vary by participating locations, and a one-way service fee may apply on certain rates.

No. Avis is unable to provide parking for personal vehicles while renting with Avis.

Vehicles are due back on the date/time and to the location specified on the rental agreement. If you need to extend your rental, you must call the rental location directly. The location's phone number appears on your rental agreement. If you return to a different location without authorization, you may be charged a substantial fee and your rate may change as well.

Yes. Besides operating in airports and downtown locations, Avis serves many suburban communities. We offer vehicles for business and leisure use, insurance replacement vehicles, and replacements for personal cars that are at dealerships being serviced or repaired.

Removal of seats in a rental van is permitted only for a medical need at the time of rental. Sometimes disabled renters travel with a "stowaway", which is a customer-supplied device used to exit/enter the van.

Customers may request an authorized van seat removal to accommodate this device or to allow enough space for a non-collapsible wheelchair like a scooter. Otherwise, removal of seats is not permitted.

Avis vehicles are equipped with windshield washer de-icer fluid and snow brushes. Ski racks are also available at select locations. Vehicles equipped with snow tires are available at select locations. Snow chains are not permitted.

If you plan to return your vehicle prior to or after business hours, please make specific arrangements by calling the location where you are to pick up or drop off your vehicle. Remember you are responsible for the vehicle until we actually take physical possession of it.

We provide free local pick-up and delivery from some of our neighborhood locations. Please contact the location that you would like to rent from in advance to check if this service is available and if arrangments can be made for a pick up or delivery.