How to return your hire car outside of regular business hours

What happens if you need to drop off your hire car before sunrise or after closing time? While after-hours returns of rental cars are common right across Australia, too often drivers find themselves wondering just what the rules are, and this is totally understandable as not only can after-hour returns policies vary between rental car providers, they can also vary depending on the location of the rental car depot. Read on to learn the rules for after-hours returns at suburban, on-airport, and off-airport depots.

Why do after-hours returns matter?

When you return your rental car during business hours, you hand over the keys, a staff member might inspect the vehicle, you may need to settle any outstanding charges, and then you’re good to go. When you return a vehicle outside of business hours however, there’s no staff member to inspect the vehicle, to collect your keys, nor to look after any paperwork or supplementary charges. Instead this is all done the next business day, and as such you’re expected to follow specific instructions carefully in returning the vehicle without a staff member present.

As each rental car provider has their own procedures — which can vary even between depots belonging to the same provider — if you’re planning on an after-hours return, it’s important that you read your Rental Agreement and the provider’s Terms and Conditions for their specific instructions.

Before you book

If you know you’re going to need an after-hours return — for example if you have a very early departing flight — it’s essential that you check the after-hours policy of the provider you’re considering before you book your car. Likewise, if you’re considering an off-airport provider (see below), check the hours that their shuttle service runs, as if it isn’t running you’ll need to make your own way to the airport.

10-step after-hours return process

While there are some differences depending on if you’re returning your hire car to a suburban or CBD depot— or an on- or off-airport depot — there are ten general steps you’ll need to follow:

After-hours return to a suburban or CBD depot

Some Suburban and CBD depots may accept after-hours returns, but you shouldn’t rely on all doing so for a couple of reasons.

Firstly, these depots are usually located downtown or in neighbourhood shopping areas, which means they tend to follow regular business hours with perhaps an extra hour or so at the end of the day. While some providers may be open longer hours, many keep hours like 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays with slightly shorter hours on weekends.

Secondly, while some depots might face onto public car parking areas, others sit behind gates that close after hours. If the gates are locked, the rental provider will need to provide instructions to you — either details on an alternative location to park your car, or a means to access the secure parking area.

The above are two of the main reasons why you should confirm beforehand that your rental car provider permits an after-hours return.

After-hours returns to an airport depot

After-hours returns to airport rental car depots vary depending on whether the depot is on-airport or off-airport, with the key differences being location and how you get to the terminal after you return the car. We’ll go through each of these separately.

On-airport depots

On-airport depots operate within the airport precinct, and their return areas are usually clearly marked by “Car Rental Return” signs. On-airport depots usually follow the business hours of the airport — or at least the hours over which scheduled flights are arriving and departing, which are typically longer than the hours kept by a suburban depot. Better still, if your flight is delayed — and the rental car provider knows your flight details — they may well stay open to wait for you. Airport car parks are usually accessible 24 hours a day, making early-morning and late-night returns relatively straightforward.

On-airport depot hours of business

Off-airport depots

Unlike on-airport depots, off-airport depots are located outside the airport boundary, often in industrial parks a short drive from the airport, with access to the depot often by shuttle bus between their depot and the airport terminal. Shuttle transfer are often — though not always — free.

After-hours returns to off-airport depots can require more planning for a few reasons. Firstly, they may not remain open as long as on-airport providers, and secondly the shuttle bus (if there is one) may have even more restrictive hours — meaning after returning your car you may need to make your own way to the airport if the shuttle bus has finished for the day.

Some off-airport providers do allow after-hours returns but generally they require prior approval, while others only accept returns during business hours — this is why it is so important you contact the depot beforehand.

Off-airport depot hours of business

After-hours hire car returns need some planning

As long as your rental provider accepts vehicle returns after-hours, returning your hire car is usually a straightforward process — as long as you understand the provider’s rules and follow their instructions carefully.

The most important step is to confirm with your rental provider before you book the car that an after-hours return is possible. Once this is confirmed, you need to establish if there are any special access requirements or an alternative place to leave your car, and lastly you need to find out where you need to leave your car keys.

Once you have the above information, you’re all set for an after-hours return.