Terms and Conditions

What is included in my rate?

Your rate is inclusive of Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)*, Theft Waiver (TW), airport/location surcharge, road tax, unlimited mileage (unless otherwise stated) 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.

For driving licences issued in USA and Canada

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 car hire 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 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.

If your booking is for ‘GoCar by Europcar’ you will scan your licence in the app that you will be instructed to download.

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.

Payment Cards Accepted:

CARHIRE.ie accept MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover Cards. 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.

Debit cards will only be accepted if either (1) a credit card is also provided to cover the excess; or (2) the customer purchases our Super Collision Damage Waiver product, which reduces the excess to €250.

At the time of rental there must be sufficient credit on your card to cover all charges including the excess/deductible amount. The excess applies per incident, not per rental.

Payment must be made with a credit/debit card in the principal drivers name as we do not accept cash or the credit card from a third party. Holders of a 'Chip and Pin' card must know their PIN number.

Regardless of the level of coverage purchased, ALL renters will be subject to a minimum preauthorisation on their credit 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 from EUR23.00 to EUR30.00 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 CARHIRE.ie 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/TW 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.

Commercial Van Group coverage:

We can provide cover on commercial vehicles for a maximum of 7 days only (max of 14 days in any 12-month period). This is subject to certain criteria and a deductible of €2000. Drivers must possess a full, unendorsed driving licence for at least 2 years prior to the collection of the commercial vehicle. Please see age requirements listed above.

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 2 hours 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.

Booking Deposit:

Once availability has been confirmed, if your booking is for 35 days or less 60% is charged, and if your booking is for more than 35 days 30% is charged.

Modifications, Cancellations and No-Show Policy:

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

Where Cancellation Cover has not been purchased the following rules apply when cancelling your reservation:

• If the cancellation is made more than 48 hours prior to pick up, cancellation is free with a full deposit refund.

• If the cancellation is made between 24 - 48 hours prior to pick up there is a cancellation fee of 15% of the booking deposit.

• If the cancellation is made less than 24 hours prior to pick up, no refund is available. This results in the loss of the full booking deposit.

Cancellation Cover can be purchased for €5.00 per booked week. If Cancellation Cover has been purchased, the following rules apply when cancelling your reservation:

• If the cancellation is made more than 48 hours prior to pick up, cancellation is free with a full deposit refund.

• If the cancellation is made between 2 - 48 hours prior to pick up there is a refund of the booking deposit less the cost of the Cancellation Cover (€5 per booked week).

• If the cancellation is made less than 2 hours prior to pick up, no refund is available. This results in the loss of the full booking deposit.

Failure to collect your vehicle without notifying us results in the loss of the full booking deposit. 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 84 days. For rentals of a longer duration, please contact our reservations department. 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:

CARHIRE.ie 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.

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.

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.

Additional Drivers:

Additional drivers can be added for a daily fee of €10.22. Additional drivers can be added at the time of reservation or 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.

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. CARHIRE.ie accepts no responsibility for any fine or payment. The renter is obliged to inform CARHIRE.ie of any fines or parking tickets issued whilst the vehicle is being used by the renter. Where CARHIRE.ie 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.

Fair Wear & Tear Policy

Please note that we 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.

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 the 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.

Tax:

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

Customer Service:

Our Customer Service Department can deal with any issues you may have. Please send an email to customerservices@europcar.ie within 28 days of the termination of your rental. CARHIRE.ie accepts no responsibility for delays which may occur at the start of hire due to circumstances beyond our control.