Car Rental Glossary

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ABG ↑ Airbag
ABS ↑ Anti-lock Braking System
ACRISS Association of Car Rental Industry Systems and Standards
Additional Driver You may wish other members of your party drive the vehicle you have hired while on holiday. For insurance reasons the local hire company must be aware of these people. There is often an extra charge payable locally for additional drivers.
Additional Equipment Based on location availability, you can select options including infant and child booster and safety seats, as well as ski racks, for a nominal fee. No-smoking vehicles are available at many locations at no additional charge. While Budget makes every effort to honor your requests for additional accessories with your car rental, except for infant and child safety seats reserved 24 hours prior to pick-up, we cannot guarantee them at the time of reservation. Hand controls for the physically challenged are also available, but require special set-up. They must be requested at least 24 hours prior to pick-up.
Airbag defi
Airport
Airport Code The unique three-letter codes that identify each airport around the globe. For example, Newark is EWR and Los Angeles is LAX. Airport codes are used on airline tickets and baggage claim checks, and also may be used for making car rental reservations with Budget. To find airport and other Budget location codes, search for a Budget car rental location.
Airport Concession Recovery and Facility Fee ↑ Airport Surcharge
Airport Service Charge ↑ Airport Surcharge
Airport Surcharge A fee that is paid for picking up at the airport. This can be a flat fee or a percentage of the total rental charge depending on country and supplier. Make sure to ask your reservation agent about the airport surcharge and there may be a way to avoid it by picking up at a convenient location in town. Also note that if you avoid the fee by picking up in town you can still drop at the airport for no additional cost.
Anti-lock Braking System
APO ↑ Airport
ASC ↑ Airport Surcharge
Baby stroller
Basic Rate/ Inclusive Rate The two types of rates are Basic (meaning that you are opting to use your credit card for insurance coverage) and Inclusive (the insurance is being supplied by the rental company). In some countries it is mandatory to take the inclusive rate due to the lack of support by credit cards or high risk locations.
Battery & Tire Surcharge In Florida only, a car rental tax is imposed to cover the state's cost to dispose of worn car batteries and tires. Rental car companies operating in Florida generally pass on this surcharge to their customers either directly or indirectly.
BBS ↑ Baby stroller
Bicycle rack
BYC ↑ Bicycle rack
Cancellation Waiver Protection Some of our partners levy a charge for cancellation of bookings prior to the collection date. By taking out cancellation waiver protection at the time of booking, this charge is not payable should you choose to cancel your booking prior to the collection date.
Car Class Across the entire car rental industry, rental car classes include small (compact and economy), medium (intermediate and full-size), large (premium and luxury), SUV (intermediate, standard and full-size), specialty (convertibles, mini vans and 12-passenger vans) and Driver's Choice (other assorted car types). As you upgrade your car rental in class and price, you'll tend to find more extras like expanded passenger and leg room and better features.
Car telephone
CCL ↑ Cruise Control
CDD ↑ Computerised Driving Directions
CDW ↑ Collision Damage Waiver
Central Locking System
Child Seat Most countries in Europe require that children under a certain age be secured in a child seat. These can be reserved in advance from the rental agency. Depending upon age and/or weight, a particular front or rear facing seat will be appropriated. Please note that as child seats are additional equipment they are considered on request until confirmed by the supplier. To find out the requirements for child seats, please visit our car rental guides as it varies according to the country you pick up in.
Child seat baby Seats determined by weight/age of child
Child seat infant Seats determined by weight/age of child
Child seat toddler Seats determined by weight/age of child
Collision Damage Waiver Collision damage waiver is an optional service that relieves the customer of responsibility for any damage to the vehicle. If declined, the customer will be responsible for any costs incurred.
Computerised Driving Directions
Covered Hatch In lieu of an enclosed trunk, some smaller vehicles have a hatchback luggage compartment with a shade or board that can be pulled over the luggage in order to shield it from view. You will usually find these in economy and compact vehicles, and sometimes in the intermediate class as well.
Cruise Control
CSB ↑ Child seat baby Seats determined by weight/age of child
CSI ↑ Child seat infant Seats determined by weight/age of child
CSL ↑ Central Locking System
CST/BST ↑ Child seat toddler Seats determined by weight/age of child
CWP ↑ Cancellation Waiver Protection
D/T ↑ Downtown location
Damage Excess Waiver In the case of damage occuring to your car during your rental period you will be required to pay the ammount up to your collision damage waiver. Optional damage excess waiver allows you claim back this excess direct from the booking partner after your rental period is over.
Delivery Some rental companies will, for an extra fee, deliver or collect a vehicle from a port office or hotel. This fee is usually calculated based on the distance from the rental location. All deliveries and collections are considered on request.
DEW ↑ Damage Excess Waiver
Diesel fuel
DL ↑ Driver's Licence
Downtown location
Driver's Licence National driver's licence
Drop Box Most metropolitan rental locations have an after hours drop box, which will allow a renter to return their vehicle when an office is closed, after parking it in a spot designated by the rental company. If you should need to use a drop box at the end of your rental, please notify your reservations agent or the rental counter before you pick up your rental car, so they can properly inform you of the process.
DSL ↑ Diesel fuel
Emergency Sickness Plan Emergency Sickness Plan (ESP) provides international car renters visiting the U.S. with medical expense coverage that protects against unexpected illness.
ERF ↑ Excess Reduction Fee
ESP ↑ Emergency Sickness Plan
Excess Reduction Fee In Australia and New Zealand only, ERF is a coverage plan that helps reduce the cost of excess damage to the car during your car rental. Terms depend on the vehicle category and the age of the driver. Similar to Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) in the U.S.
Extra Equipment ↑ Additional Equipment
FFP ↑ Frequent flyer programme
Frequent flyer programme Airline programme allowing the accumulation of air mileage awards for a car booking
Full Prepay Some suppliers require that a payment be made in full regarding your rental rate in order to confirm the vehicle. As with all our rates it is fully refundable in the event that you need to cancel. Any local taxes or surcharges are still paid directly to the supplier at time of pick up.
GDS ↑ Global Distribution System
Global Distribution System
Global Positioning System A system that uses satellites to beam signals to a receiver, and then calculates the time it takes to receive that signal, thereby determining latitude and longitude coordinates, and overlaying that point of reference onto a mapping program, which displays on the screen. Auto Europe offers handheld versions of the GPS, which can be taken wherever you go while in Europe.
GPS ↑ Global Positioning System
Grace Period The amount of time after the 24-hour period that you are allowed to bring your car rental back to the rental agency without being charged for an extra day. Most car rental companies will allow at least 30 minutes. Check with your supplier once you reach the rental counter as it varies by company.
Hand Controls on left
Hand controls on right
HCL ↑ Hand Controls on left
HCR ↑ Hand controls on right
IDL ↑ International Driving License
IDP ↑ International Driving License
International Driving License A reprinting of your US or Canadian license into several different languages, intended to expedite the process of dealing with authorities in the event that you are pulled over. You are required in some countries at the rental counter to have one, including but not limited to Austria, Greece and Poland. In some countries such as Spain and Italy you can be fined up to 200 Euro on the spot if you are pulled over and do not have one. They cost between 15 and 20 US dollars and can be purchased through your local AAA or CAA or online from the National Automobile Club.
International Driving Permit ↑ International Driving License
LDW ↑ Loss Damage Waiver
Liability A type of insurance that covers the renter of a vehicle in the event that damage or bodily harm is inflicted to persons or property outside of the rental vehicle. Most liability insurances are rendered void in the case of driver negligence, such as operating under the influence.
Licensee A location that is subcontracted to another business that is allowed to use the supplier franchise name. They are typically smaller locations with only a single agent available at times.
Loss Damage Waiver US version of the Collision Damage Waiver.
LUG ↑ Luggage rack
Luggage rack
Mileage Allowance Depending on your reservation/rental agreement, you have a mileage allowance that entitles you to drive your rental car a specified distance at no charge before a mileage surcharge takes effect. Some rate plans include unlimited mileage
Mileage Charge Unless your car rental reservation/rental contract mentions unlimited mileage, your total fee will include any additional miles you use beyond the terms of your agreement. This fee is noted in the rate section of your reservation and rental agreement.
Mobil phone
Navigational system
No Show Fee Some higher end vehicles and vans have a no show fee if they are not cancelled within 24 hours of pick up and nobody arrives to collect them. Essentially, while the price of the rental can be refunded, the no show fee can range from 20 to 200 dollars. Make sure to read your terms and conditions on your voucher to find out if your rental car has a no show fee.
NVS ↑ Navigational system
O/W ↑ One Way Rental
On Request Some special services and last minute reservations are considered "on request" meaning that they have to be confirmed manually by an operations agent. While a credit card is necessary to request these types of vehicles, the client is not charged until the rental is confirmed. You will be notified if the vehicle you have chosen is on request. All vehicles reserved within 48 hours of pick up are considered on request.
One Way Rental When a rental car is dropped of at a location that differs from its origin, this is called a one way. The two types of one ways include domestic (within a country) and international (outside of country). While many domestic one ways are free of charge, there is almost always a fee for doing an international one way. Some rental cars are not allowed on one ways. If you are taking your car rental on a one way, you will be notified if there is an incurred fee.
Out of Hours Fee In most locations flights will be met and cars supplied outside of normal working hours. However, at some locations there may be an additional charge for this service which is payable locally. Please note that in the event that a flight is delayed, causing the car pick-up to fall outside normal working hours, the additional charge will be made.
PAI ↑ Personal Accident Insurance
Partial Prepay Some suppliers require that only a deposit be put down instead of the full amount in order to confirm your vehicle. This deposit is fully refundable in the event that you need to cancel. The balance is then paid directly to the supplier at the delivery of the vehicle along with any local taxes or surcharges.
PAS ↑ Power Assisted Steering
PC ↑ Promotion code
PEC ↑ Personal Effects Coverage
Personal Accident Insurance Covers the driver and sometimes passengers in the event of bodily harm to themselves while inside the vehicle, up to a predetermined amount. This can be purchased, based upon the supplier, at time of pick up.
Personal Effects Coverage Covers the belongings in a persons vehicle in the event that they are stolen or destroyed, up to a predetermined amount. This can also be purchased, based on the supplier, at time of pick up, although in most cases PAI must be purchased first.
PHN ↑ Mobil phone
Power Assisted Steering
Promotion code
RA ↑ Rental Agreement
Radio Cassette
Railway station
RCT ↑ Radio Cassette
Rental Agreement The contract that is signed by the renter once the rental counter is reached. Typically this contract is in both English and the native language of the country and deals with requisites such as insurance coverage, dates, car size and type, etc. Please note that your voucher is not a rental agreement.
Rental Period The time frame for which you are responsible for the rental car. These periods are designated in 24 hour increments and Auto Europe has a 3 day minimum rental period in most cases. Often times there is no difference in price between 5, 6 and 7 day rental periods.
RFL ↑ Vehicle License Fee
Road fund license ↑ Vehicle License Fee
Roadside Assistance Rental companies almost always include a 24-hour breakdown and towing service in case your car becomes undrivable during a rental. The phone number for roadside assistance is usually either in the glovebox or on your keychain.
RRS ↑ Railway station
Security Deposit The amount of money blocked on a credit card during a rental in regards to the deductible on insurance as well as a full tank of gas and car keys. This block is released provided the car is returned in the same condition it was rented in, with the same amount of gas and the keys intact.
SIPP ↑ Standard Interline Passenger Procedures
Ski rack
SKR ↑ Ski rack
SNO ↑ Snow chain
Snow chain
Standard Interline Passenger Procedures Travel industry standard for how we identify and describe various types of rental vehicles, their features and functions.
STR ↑ Winter tyres
Sunroof
Supplier The company that a consolidator places you with to initiate your car rental. Auto Europe is one such consolidator and uses many of the major European car rental companies to get you the best price based on factors such as time frame, car type and location.
SUR ↑ Sunroof
T/A ↑ Travel Agent
TEL ↑ Car telephone
Theft Protection Insurance that covers the renter in the event that the vehicle is stolen. In most cases in order for a policy to become active a police report must be filed within 24 hours of theft and the rental company notified. This type of coverage does not cover belongings inside the vehicle. Many US and Canadian credit cards will also provide this type of coverage for overseas rentals along with CDW.
THP ↑ Theft Protection
TP ↑ Theft Protection
Trailer hitch
Transfer The act of a chauffeur transporting passengers from one place to another. This is another service that Auto Europe provides to its customers and more can be learned about it by visiting our transfer and chauffeur pages.
Travel Agent
TRH ↑ Trailer hitch
Unlimited Mileage When your car rental contract includes unlimited mileage, you can drive anywhere, as far as you like, without incurring mileage surcharges.
Upgrade Auto Europe may sometimes have a promotion running where you are eligible for a guaranteed one car class upgrade for the normal price. For example, in the case where you reserve a compact size vehicle, you may be eligible for an intermediate class instead. To learn more about upgrades, check out our specials page. There may be an upgrade in your country of travel running right now!
Value Added Tax Ranging anywhere from 7.6% to 25% depending on the country you are picking up the rental car in, value added tax is much like sales tax here in the United States. While it is a common misconception that you can get refunded for value added tax after returning from Europe, this does not apply to car rentals since it is a service and not goods.
VAT ↑ Value Added Tax
Vehicle License Fee In Europe, cars are taxed when registered in an effort to raise money to restore and maintain the roads in the country in question. They are also taxed a fee to license the vehicle to others. The rental companies therefore pass these taxes to the renter in small portions to eventually recoup the fees they pay on the vehicles.
Vehicle Licensing Cost Recovery Fee Industry wide, at select locations, this car rental fee is sometimes charged to renters for vehicle registration and licensing fees.
VLCRF ↑ Vehicle Licensing Cost Recovery Fee
Voucher A voucher is essentially a faxed or e-mailed description of your rental details. Your voucher acts as an indication that payment has been made in order to confirm your vehicle. Note that there are two different types of vouchers: Quotation (not paid or confirmed) and Confirmation (paid and confirmed). Please be advised that your voucher is not a rental agreement which still needs to be signed at the counter upon arrival, and is subject to local laws. Make sure to check your voucher in order to determine whether it is confirmed for picking up your rental car. You can check on the status of your voucher by going to our Voucher Lookup form page.
Walk-In A term used mostly at airport and rail station locations meaning that you are not arriving by plane or train, so there is no need to meet you at a corresponding gate.
Winter tyres
YDS ↑ Young driver surcharge
Young driver surcharge A surcharge payable by young drivers under a specified age.
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