All about fines with your rental car

Driving long distances on holiday, what’s not to like? From one mountain village to another coastal town, explore the most beautiful spots of your holiday destination in a rental car! However, at your destination you will have to deal with unfamiliar traffic rules. The chance of getting a fine with your rental car is therefore present. We made you a compilation of all the information you need to know about traffic fines with your rental car!

What happens if you get fined in a rental car?

Once it is known that a fine has been imposed, it is sent to the owner of the car by the local authorities. Since the local fleet operator is the owner of the rental car, they are the one who gets informed about the fine. They will then search for the car renter who is responsible for the fine and the renter will be charged an administration fee.

Administration costs for a fine abroad

The local fleet operator receives long lists from the authorities containing all the fines incurred. It takes quite some time to find out which fine applies to which renter. For this work, they charge administration costs per fine. So did you have wild time with the rental car during your holiday and did you get 3 fines? Then the administration costs will also be charged 3 times. The amount of the administration fee varies per local car rental company. You will find this information in the rental conditions!

What should you do if you are fined in your rental car?

If you have been fined, you should receive a letter or email from the local car rental company with a copy of the fine and notification that you will be charged an administration fee. Often these charges are directly debited from the credit card you used to pay the deposit.

The fine is then not yet in your name, but in the name of the owner of the rental car: the local car rental company. Later on, you will receive the fine stating when the fine was incurred, with which license plate and the reason why. In the meantime you do not have to do anything yourself.

How long does it take to receive a fine from abroad?

The fine can sometimes take a while to arrive. This is because it is quite a job for the local fleet operator to pass on the data to the authorities correctly. Legally speaking, a fine can still arrive at your doorstep one year after it has been issued in your name.

How to pay a traffic fine from abroad

The administrative costs will be charged to your credit card by the rental company. If you rent a car without a credit card, you will receive an invoice. The fine itself will be sent later by the local authorities. So you pay the administration fee first and the fine itself only later! It is a matter of waiting until you receive the fine. In the enclosed letter, you will receive information on how to pay the fine.

Traffic fine in Italy

In Italian cities, you will find signs with 'zona traffico limitato'. These are zones where you are not allowed to drive on certain days and/or at certain times, unless you have a permit. And as a tourist, you don't have one. Do you drive in such a zone? Then the license plate of your rental car will be registered and you can count on a hefty fine from the Italian government.