One-way car hire in Australia
One-way hire, picking up in one city and returning in another, is normal in Australia, and the terms of Hertz, Avis and Europcar each say a one-way fee may apply. Hertz says you are told at booking whether a different return is allowed and what it costs; the amounts are not in the terms. The thing people get wrong is assuming any car can cross any border: for example, Avis's terms require written authority to drive into or out of the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Tasmania.
Updated
Key facts
- Fee wording (Hertz)
- A One Way Fee may apply if you return the car to a different location; you are advised at reservation whether it is permitted and any fee
- Fee wording (Avis)
- Cars may be returned to other Avis locations in Australia, and a one-way fee may apply
- Fee wording (Europcar)
- If you return the vehicle to a rental station other than the one on the agreement, a one-way fee may apply
- Territory and state limits (Avis)
- Not to drive into or out of the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Tasmania unless authorised in writing by Avis
- Interstate notice (Europcar)
- You must tell Europcar if you will be using the vehicle to drive interstate
- Kilometres (Hertz)
- You may have limited kilometres depending on pick-up location; a daily allowance shows on the rental agreement and a charge may apply above it
- Wrong or closed return branch (Europcar)
- Returning to a different station, or when the station is closed, means a one-way fee may apply and you stay liable for damage and rental charges until the post-rental inspection
- After hours (Hertz)
- An After Hours Fee may apply if you ask for the vehicle to be available for collection outside a location's opening hours
How much is a one-way car hire in Australia?
There is no standard price. The rental terms of Hertz, Avis and Europcar all say only that a one-way fee may apply. Hertz's terms say you are advised at reservation whether a different return location is permitted and, if so, the fee. Avis says cars may be returned to other Avis locations in Australia and a one-way fee may apply. Europcar's terms say the same for a return to a different rental station.
So the honest answer is to search your exact pick-up, drop-off and dates and read the total. The fee is quoted per booking. Compare the two directions if you are flexible, and compare a one-way hire against two separate hires or a flight.
Can you drop off a rental car in another state?
Yes, in general. Avis's terms say cars may be returned to other Avis locations in Australia, and Hertz's terms allow a return to a different location subject to the one-way fee and its approval at booking. Europcar asks only that you tell it if you will be driving interstate.
Interstate driving and interstate returns are separate questions. The company decides whether it will accept the car at the far end, and the agreement decides where you may drive it on the way. Both are settled at booking and in the agreement.
One-way car hire in Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Tasmania
These are where terms get stricter. For example, Avis's terms say the renter must not, unless authorised in writing by Avis, drive the vehicle into or out of the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Tasmania, or to any island off the coast. The same terms list further limits, such as no driving north of Carnarvon in Western Australia and no driving on beaches or through flood water.
Hertz handles this with a list of prohibited roads. For example, its terms bar some Northern Territory roads during a wet season from November to April, or whenever Road Report NT shows them closed, and bar Arnhem Land, the Canning Stock Route and the Gunbarrel Highway at any time. So a one-way from Adelaide to Darwin or from Perth to Broome depends on the company and on the exact roads you plan to use. The route guides for those trips cover the distances.
Does a one-way hire have a kilometre limit?
It can. Hertz's terms say you may have limited kilometres depending on your pick-up location, that the daily allowance shows on your rental agreement, and that a charge may apply above it. Europcar's terms likewise charge extra kilometres if you exceed the free kilometres applicable to your rental period and vehicle model.
One-way trips are the ones most likely to hit a cap, because they are long. Multiply the daily allowance by the number of days before you book, and compare it with the distance in our route guides, for example Sydney to Melbourne or Adelaide to Darwin.
What should you check before booking a one-way car hire?
Start with the return desk hours. Europcar's terms say that returning to a different station, or when the station is closed, means a one-way fee may apply and you remain liable for damage and rental charges until the post-rental inspection. Hertz's terms list an After Hours Fee that may apply if you ask for the vehicle to be available for collection outside a location's opening hours.
Then check tolls. Hertz, for example, charges tolls plus a processing fee unless you buy its toll service, and Avis says its cars have no e-tags, the plate is read, and Linkt charges your card the toll plus a daily admin fee for each day you use a toll road. On a route that starts on Sydney or Melbourne motorways, those charges arrive after you have returned the car.
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Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
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Questions people ask
Is there a fee for one-way car hire in Australia?
A one-way fee may apply. Hertz, Avis and Europcar each say so in their terms, and the amount is shown when you search for your dates.
What is the cheapest one-way car hire in Australia?
It depends on the route, direction and dates. Search your exact trip and compare the total, and compare a one-way hire against two separate hires or a flight.
Can you drop off a rental car in another state?
Generally yes. Avis's terms say cars may be returned to other Avis locations in Australia, and a one-way fee may apply. Check the agreement for state limits.
Can you take a hire car interstate in Australia?
Usually, but read the agreement. For example, Europcar asks you to tell it if you will drive interstate, and Avis needs written authority to drive into or out of the Northern Territory, Western Australia or Tasmania.
Is one-way car hire available in Western Australia?
It can be, but the company must allow the return and the agreement must allow the roads. For example, Avis's terms restrict driving into or out of Western Australia without written authority and north of Carnarvon.
What happens if I return a one-way hire car when the branch is closed?
Europcar's terms say a one-way fee may apply, and you stay liable for damage and rental charges until the post-rental inspection. Check the return desk hours before you book.