What to know before you rent.
The questions we get most often on the phone and at the desk — answered from our rental terms and our price list.
How old do I have to be to rent a car?
18. What counts is your age on the day of pick-up, not the day you book.
From 18 up to and including 20 there is a one-off surcharge of €45.00 per booking — not per day. The deposit is then €2,000.00; it replaces the category deposit and is not added on top.
From 21 onwards the normal price and the normal category deposit apply.
What documents do I need at handover?
A valid driving licence and an official identity document. Both must be in the same name as the rental agreement.
Only a person named as a driver in the rental agreement may drive. If someone who is not named drives, every limitation of liability falls away.
How much is the deposit, and when do I get it back?
Between €150.00 and €600.00, depending on the category. The figure for each individual category is in the price list.
On a credit card the deposit is held as a pre-authorisation and never charged; cash deposits are returned when you bring the car back.
The deposit equals the excess — the most you would pay in case of damage. Return the car undamaged and it is released in full.
Can I get rid of the excess completely?
Yes. With full cover and no excess at €25.00 per day the excess disappears and no deposit at all is held on your card.
Even so, that cover does not apply in cases of gross negligence or intent, if someone not named in the agreement was driving, if the rules of use were breached, for damage to the interior, or for lost documents, keys, tools or accessories.
Glass, rims and tyres are not covered either — there is a separate extra for those.
What is the fuel policy?
Full to full. We hand the car over with a full tank and you return it full. There is no fuel charge.
Missing fuel is billed at the day's pump price plus a service fee. The fuel you use during the rental is yours to pay.
Is there a mileage limit?
No. Unlimited mileage is part of the daily rate, at no extra cost and with nothing billed afterwards.
The daily rate also covers third-party liability, the collision damage waiver and road tax. On top of that comes the statutory tax, once per booking, shown from the first screen.
Can someone else drive?
Yes. An additional driver costs €5.00 per day, up to 2 people.
Every additional driver must be booked before handover and named in the rental agreement. The same age and licence requirements apply to them as to you.
Where do I pick the car up, and where can I return it?
Pick-up is at Aeroporto das Lajes — our only staffed desk, inside the terminal, with no shuttle.
Returning it there costs nothing extra. If you carry on by ferry, you can leave the car at Porto da Praia da Vitória for €25.00 or at Porto de Angra for €35.00 instead — both by prior arrangement, and the car must be left inside the town zone.
Can I take the car on the ferry to another island?
Yes, with our written permission. It costs €25.00 once and covers Graciosa, São Jorge, Pico and Faial.
The vehicle's ferry ticket is paid by you to Atlânticoline.
Without that permission the crossing breaches the rental agreement — which is why we offer it openly as a bookable service rather than leaving it in a grey area.
How and when do I pay?
Booking online, 20 per cent of the total is due as a deposit; the rest is paid at handover.
Online you can pay by: Card, MB WAY, Multibanco, Apple Pay and Google Pay.
After booking, the car stays reserved for you for 15 minutes. If the payment does not arrive within that time, the car is released again.
How long does it take for the car to be ready?
Preparing a car can take up to 90 minutes from the moment the booking arrives. If one is ready sooner, you get it sooner.
After the agreed pick-up time the car stays reserved for another 120 minutes. If you are running late, please call us on +351 295 543 403 — a delay you tell us about is taken into account as far as availability allows.
Question not answered here?
The full terms and the complete price list are on these pages. If something is still open after that, give us a call.