What should I do before picking up a rental car?

Before pickup: compare prices across companies, check your existing insurance coverage for rental cars, pack essentials like a phone charger and dashcam, and read through the rental agreement carefully for hidden fees and mileage limits.

What should I check when picking up a rental car?

At pickup: walk around the vehicle and photograph every existing scratch, dent, and ding. Check the fuel level matches the agreement. Note the odometer reading. Test that all lights, wipers, and signals work. Document everything with timestamped photos.

How do I return a rental car without extra charges?

To avoid extra charges: fill the gas tank to the required level at a station away from the airport, return the car on time, do a final walkaround to check for new damage, remove all personal items, and keep your gas receipt as proof of refueling.

Rental Car Trip Wizard — Step-by-Step Rental Guide

Before Booking

Compare Prices

Don't book the first price you see. Compare rates across Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Avis, and others to find the best deal for your dates, location, and car class.

Pro tip: Off-airport locations are often 20-40% cheaper than airport counters, even for the same company. Check both.

Compare Prices

Before Booking

Check Your Insurance

Before you agree to the rental company's insurance (CDW/LDW), check whether your personal auto insurance or credit card already covers rental cars. Most do — and it can save you $15-30/day.

Pro tip: Chase Sapphire, Amex Platinum, and most Visa Signature cards include primary or secondary rental car coverage. Check your card benefits first.

Check Coverage

Before Pickup

Pack Smart

A tailored packing checklist based on your trip type — business, family road trip, beach vacation, or weekend getaway. Includes rental-specific items most people forget (like a phone mount and charger cable).

Pro tip: Bring a small flashlight for the parking garage walkaround — rental lots are often poorly lit.

Build Packing List

At Pickup

Scan the Agreement

Upload or photograph your rental agreement and get an instant AI-powered breakdown. Spot hidden fees, mileage limits, fuel policies, and insurance charges before you sign.

Pro tip: Pay attention to the fuel policy, mileage cap, and late return fee. These three clauses cause 80% of surprise charges.

Scan Agreement

At Pickup

Inspect the Vehicle

Walk around the car and document every scratch, dent, and ding on an interactive diagram. Take timestamped photos. This is your proof if they try to charge you for pre-existing damage.

Pro tip: Check the roof, wheel rims, and underside of bumpers — these are the spots most renters miss and companies love to charge for.

Inspect Vehicle

Before Return

Calculate Fuel

Calculate exactly how many gallons (or litres) to add so you return the car full — without overfilling and wasting money on gas that sits in the tank.

Pro tip: Fill up 3-5 miles from the return lot, not at the gas station right next to it — airport-adjacent stations charge 20-50 cents more per gallon.

Calculate Fuel

Return Day

Return with Confidence

Run through the final return checklist: personal items removed, fuel level confirmed, final photos taken, rental company walkthrough documented. Hand the keys back knowing you're covered.

Pro tip: Take a photo of the odometer and fuel gauge at drop-off, and get a receipt or email confirmation before leaving the lot.

Return Checklist

Common questions

Do I need to use every tool?

No. The Trip Wizard shows all available tools in order, but you can skip any step. If you've already booked and have insurance figured out, jump straight to "Inspect the Vehicle." Each tool works independently.

Can I use this for RV or boat rentals?

Yes. Use the toggle at the top to switch between Rental Car, RV, and Boat. The inspection tool will switch to the matching vehicle type (CheckItRight RV or CheckItRight Boat).

Does any data leave my device?

Calculations and checklists run entirely in your browser. No data is uploaded to any server. The only tools that optionally use a server are TrackItRight and Receipt Checker, which send your document to an AI for analysis — and even then, nothing is stored.

Can I save my progress?

The wizard automatically tracks which tools you've visited and shows your progress. It's saved in your browser's local storage, so it persists across visits — no account needed.

Your Rental Trip, Step by Step

Common questions