Quick Summary:
- Match driver name, licence state, and address to your documents.
- Confirm insurance lines, deductibles, and any roadside assistance you want.
- Check fuel policy wording, return level, and refuelling charges.
- Recalculate the total price, taxes, add-ons, and deposit hold.
At a busy US airport counter, it is easy to sign a car hire agreement quickly and only notice surprises after you drive away. In Los Angeles, the pace at LAX can be fast, and the paperwork is often full of abbreviations. The good news is you can protect yourself with a short, repeatable checklist that focuses on the lines that most commonly change the total price or your liability.
This guide is written for pick-up in Los Angeles, but the same checks work across the US. It focuses on what to verify on the actual agreement, not just what you remember selecting online. If you want to compare what is typical for the airport setting, the Hola Car Rentals landing page for Los Angeles LAX car rental is a useful reference point for the kind of suppliers and options you may see at the counter.
1) Start with the top section: renter, drivers, and vehicle
Before you look at money, confirm the agreement is for the correct person and car. Many disputes start with small data errors.
Renter details: Check your full name, date of birth, address, and email. If your driving licence or passport has a middle name, make sure it does not create a mismatch. In the US, the renter is financially responsible, so the agreement must reflect the person who will present the credit card.
Driving licence and eligibility: Verify the licence number and issuing state or country are correct. If you are visiting from the UK, also confirm the agent has recorded any required additional documentation correctly, such as an international driving permit if applicable to your situation.
Additional authorised drivers: If a second driver is meant to be included, ensure their name is listed on the agreement, not merely mentioned verbally. Check the daily fee line, if any, and whether the spouse or domestic partner exemption applies where offered. If someone will drive and is not listed, you may have no coverage for that driver.
Vehicle details: Confirm the class, model group, and transmission match what you expect. Then check the VIN or plate number on the paperwork matches the car you are handed. Finally, review the odometer and fuel level at pick-up, because those numbers can become the baseline for later charges.
If you are weighing different pick-up points around Southern California, it can help to see how airport pickups are positioned on Hola Car Rentals pages like car hire California LAX, as terms and counter processes can feel more standardised at major airports.
2) Insurance lines: decode the abbreviations and check the limits
Insurance is the most important area to read carefully because it changes both your liability and the total. US agreements often list separate products that sound similar but cover different risks.
Collision coverage: Look for terms such as CDW, LDW, or Damage Waiver. Check whether it is accepted, declined, or included, and confirm the deductible or excess amount. If the agreement shows a high deductible you did not expect, ask for clarification before signing. Also check if the waiver excludes specific situations, like tyres, glass, underbody, or roof damage, which can be common carve-outs.
Liability protection: You may see SLI, LIS, or Liability Protection. This is separate from collision cover. Confirm the limit shown on the agreement and whether it is primary or supplemental. In California, liability requirements exist, but the base included amount can be low, so this line matters.
Personal accident and effects: PAI and PEC may cover medical payments or belongings. Decide deliberately, rather than accepting by default. If you already have travel insurance, you may not need these.
Roadside assistance: RSA can cover towing, lockouts, jump starts, and flat tyre service, but the exact terms vary. Check the daily cost and whether it overlaps with benefits from your credit card or motor club membership. If you decline it, ask what a standard call-out costs, so you know your exposure.
Credit card coverage conflicts: Some renters assume their credit card covers everything. The agreement might require you to decline certain waivers to use card coverage, and it can exclude larger vehicles. If you are hiring a bigger vehicle, check the vehicle category and whether your coverage extends to it. The Hola Car Rentals page for van hire Los Angeles LAX can be a reminder that vans and people carriers are often treated differently for insurance purposes.
3) Fuel policy: find the exact wording that triggers charges
Fuel is one of the most common sources of unexpected charges because the language can be subtle. Do not rely on what you think you selected online, read what is printed.
Full to full: If the agreement says you must return the tank full, confirm the pick-up fuel level is recorded as full, or note the actual fraction. If the car leaves the lot at 7/8, photograph the gauge and make sure the paperwork reflects it.
Prepaid fuel: If you see a prepaid fuel line, check whether it is optional or has been added without your consent. Prepaid can be convenient, but it is rarely cost-effective if you do not return near empty. Ensure you understand whether unused fuel is refunded, which often it is not.
Refuelling service charge: Look for a separate service fee plus a per-gallon price. The per-gallon price can be higher than local stations, and the service fee can apply even if only a small amount is missing.
Electric vehicles: If you receive an EV, check how the return charge is calculated. Some suppliers charge per percentage point missing, plus an administration fee. Confirm whether a charging cable is included, and whether fast-charging receipts are required.
4) Toll plans: know what you are opting into in Los Angeles
Southern California has toll roads and express lanes, and the toll handling option you choose can affect your final bill weeks later. Your agreement may show one of several approaches.
All-inclusive toll product: This allows unlimited tolls for a daily fee. Confirm the daily rate and the maximum number of days charged. If you plan minimal toll use, it may be poor value.
Pay-per-use toll programme: Often labelled with a brand name or “convenience fee”. You pay tolls plus an admin fee per day you use a toll facility, sometimes with additional per-toll fees. Check the fee structure in writing.
Bring your own transponder: If you use your own device, check the agreement allows it and that the car’s transponder, if fitted, can be disabled. If both are active, you could be double-billed.
Violation administration fees: Even if you pay tolls yourself, missed tolls can trigger a large admin charge. Confirm the fee amounts and how notices are handled. If anything is unclear, ask for the toll policy sheet and keep it with your rental documents.
5) Add-ons: verify what is accepted, declined, and charged
The add-ons section is where “small” daily charges can quietly inflate the total. Read each line item and ensure it matches your needs.
Child seats and boosters: Check the daily cost and maximum cap, if any. Confirm the seat type. If you need more than one, make sure the quantity is correct.
GPS or Wi-Fi: Many travellers can use a phone instead. If you accept a device, confirm the daily rate and whether there is a replacement fee.
Upgrades: If you are offered an upgrade, ask for the total difference for the full hire period, not only the daily rate. Ensure the agreement reflects the upgrade clearly, so you are not charged again later.
One-way fees: If you are returning the car somewhere else, confirm the drop-off location and the one-way charge. A mismatch between the verbal plan and the printed location can cause a large fee.
Extra equipment: Ski racks, toll tags, and even “winterisation” can appear depending on region and season. In Los Angeles it is less common, but always scan for unexpected items you did not request.
6) Total price and payment: do the counter-math before you sign
This is your final chance to stop a misunderstanding. The agreement often shows both an estimated total and a breakdown that includes taxes and airport fees.
Line-by-line total: Check the base rate, number of days, and any weekly conversions. Then add insurance products, add-ons, concessions, airport facility charges, local taxes, and surcharges. If a discount or prepaid amount should apply, verify it is shown as a credit.
Deposit and authorisation hold: Many US suppliers place a security hold on your credit card that is separate from the rental charges. The amount can be higher if you decline certain coverages. Confirm the hold amount, the card type accepted, and how long release typically takes. Make sure the cardholder name matches the renter name on the agreement.
Currency and conversion: Some counters can offer “dynamic currency conversion” if your card is non-US. If the agreement or terminal offers to charge you in GBP, consider whether you prefer to pay in USD to avoid poor exchange rates. Ensure the currency on the agreement matches what you intend.
Receipt method: Confirm where the final receipt will be sent and how disputes are handled. Keep a copy of the signed agreement and any addendum sheets.
If you are arriving or departing via nearby airports, reviewing the terms on pages such as car rental at Santa Ana SNA can help you notice which fees and add-ons are standard across locations and which are counter-specific.
7) Before you walk away: document condition and key policies
Even with a perfect agreement, condition disputes can arise. Take two minutes to create your own record.
Photos and video: Walk around the car and film slowly. Capture bumpers, wheels, windshield, roofline, and the interior. Photograph any existing damage and the fuel gauge. If the agreement has a damage diagram, ensure marks match reality.
Check the essentials: Confirm you have registration and insurance cards if provided, and that warning triangles or spare tyre access is clear where applicable. Test lights, wipers, and the fuel door, especially at night pick-ups.
Return rules: Note return hours, grace periods, and after-hours procedure. Ask how fuel is assessed on return, because some locations rely on the gauge, others on a fuel receipt requirement.
Different suppliers can present the same concepts with different labels. If you want to familiarise yourself with supplier variations before you arrive, you can compare how brands are presented on Hola pages such as National Car Rental California LAX.
Counter checklist: the exact lines to point at
If you feel rushed at the desk, use this “point and confirm” approach. Ask the agent to show you each line and state your choice aloud, then watch the accepted or declined box.
Insurance: Damage waiver accepted or declined, deductible amount, liability limit, roadside assistance accepted or declined, and any personal cover products.
Drivers: Additional driver names listed, fees shown, and any age-related surcharges correctly applied.
Fuel: Policy stated as full to full, prepaid fuel optional and declined if not wanted, and refuelling service fee explained.
Tolls: Toll product type, daily fee, admin fees, and transponder rules confirmed.
Add-ons: Child seat, GPS, Wi-Fi, upgrades, and any one-way fees correct.
Total: Estimated total, taxes and airport fees, deposit hold amount, and payment currency confirmed.
FAQ
Do I have to accept extra insurance at the counter in Los Angeles? No. You can decline optional products, but you should confirm what protection is included and what your remaining liability is before signing.
What is the difference between CDW or LDW and liability cover? CDW or LDW usually relates to damage or theft of the hire vehicle. Liability cover relates to injuries or damage you cause to others, and it is often listed separately.
Why does my agreement show a higher total than the online quote? Common reasons are added waivers, roadside assistance, toll plans, upgrades, additional driver fees, or the deposit hold being confused with the rental total. Recheck each line item.
What should I do if the fuel level is not full at pick-up? Ensure the agreement records the correct fuel level, take a photo of the gauge, and ask what level you must return to avoid refuelling charges.
Can I avoid toll plan fees by paying tolls myself? Sometimes. Confirm the agreement allows you to use your own payment method without triggering admin fees, and make sure the car’s toll device will not bill you automatically.
