Quick Summary:
- A CFC is an airport set fee added to many car hire rentals.
- It helps fund airport rental facilities, transport links, and operations.
- It can appear separately, so compare quotes using the all-in total.
- Ask whether your pickup is on-airport or off-airport to gauge CFC.
When you compare car hire prices in Los Angeles, the headline rate can look great, then the total jumps at checkout. One common reason is a Customer Facility Charge, usually shortened to CFC. This fee is not unique to Los Angeles, but it is especially visible around major airports where rental car facilities and shuttle systems are expensive to build and run.
This guide explains what a CFC is, why airports apply it, and how it changes the true total price you will pay. The goal is not to make car hire feel complicated, but to help you read a quote like a local and avoid surprises.
What is a Customer Facility Charge (CFC)?
A Customer Facility Charge is a fee set by an airport authority (or a body managing an airport rental car programme) and collected from customers who rent vehicles at that airport. It is typically charged per day, often with a maximum cap per rental. The money is generally earmarked for facilities and services that support airport car hire operations.
Important point, the CFC is usually not a fee invented by a single rental company. The airport sets the charge, and car hire companies pass it through as part of the transaction when the pickup location falls under the airport’s rules.
In Los Angeles, the concept matters most for LAX because of the scale of passenger volumes and the infrastructure required to move people between terminals, transport hubs, and the consolidated rental car centre. If you are comparing options at car hire at Los Angeles Airport (LAX), you are likely to see a CFC line in the breakdown.
Why airports levy a CFC
Airports levy a CFC because rental cars rely on airport-owned or airport-managed infrastructure. Unlike a typical high-street car rental office, airport operations require specialised facilities and transport systems that are built to handle very high throughput.
While the exact programme varies by airport, CFC revenue commonly supports:
Consolidated rental car facilities. Many major airports move rental companies into a single rental centre. These sites require land, buildings, security, customer areas, and vehicle handling space.
Shuttles, people movers, and kerbside management. Where customers cannot walk to the rental centre, the airport must run or coordinate transport. Even when a new automated system replaces buses, that system still needs funding and maintenance.
Roadway and traffic improvements. Airport access roads and internal circulation networks are costly. Rental car traffic contributes to wear and congestion, so airports often allocate part of these costs to rental programmes.
Operational compliance and administration. Airports manage permits, reporting, facility allocation, and sometimes environmental requirements. The programme needs staff and systems.
Put simply, airports use the CFC to shift some infrastructure costs onto the users of those facilities, rather than spreading the entire bill across all passengers or general airport revenues.
How the CFC appears on a car hire quote
On a quote, the CFC typically shows up as a separate line item among taxes and fees. It may be described as “Customer Facility Charge”, “CFC”, or “Customer Facility Fee”. The key is that it is distinct from the base daily rate and distinct from sales tax.
Here is how it often affects what you see while shopping:
Low headline price, higher total. Some comparison views highlight the base rate first. If the CFC is added later in the breakdown, the total can rise sharply.
Per-day maths can mislead. Because the CFC is often charged per day, a longer rental can magnify the difference between two locations. A three day trip might show a modest impact, while a ten day rental can make airport pickup materially more expensive than an off-airport branch.
Caps matter. Some airports apply a maximum total CFC per rental. If there is a cap, longer rentals may not keep increasing indefinitely. However, not every airport has the same cap structure, and you should rely on the breakdown shown for your dates rather than assumptions.
It can interact with tax. In some jurisdictions, taxes apply to fees as well as the base rate. That means the CFC may slightly increase tax due, depending on local rules and how the quote is calculated.
If you are comparing within the same airport, for example between a standard vehicle and a larger class, the CFC may be identical because it is tied to the facility, not the car type. Still, the overall total can differ due to other items such as vehicle licensing fees, surcharges, or optional coverages.
Why Los Angeles travellers notice it so often
Los Angeles is a car-first city for most visitors. Even if you plan to use rideshares and public transport some days, many itineraries include coastal drives, theme parks, and day trips where having your own vehicle is simply convenient. That means a lot of visitors start their trip at LAX and naturally look for car hire at the airport.
Airport pickup is convenient, but the trade-off is that airport locations commonly include airport-imposed charges such as the CFC. A downtown or neighbourhood branch may price differently because it is not funding the same airport facility programme.
For travellers planning a wider road trip, it helps to compare your options beyond the terminal area. For example, if you are considering driving beyond Los Angeles into wider Southern California, you might compare pricing across your intended pickup points, including car hire in California via LAX, to understand how location-based fees influence the total.
CFC vs other common airport fees
The CFC is only one of several charges you may see. Knowing the differences helps you avoid assuming everything is negotiable, or assuming everything is the rental company’s margin.
CFC (Customer Facility Charge). Set by the airport, linked to facility funding, commonly charged per day.
Concession recovery fee or airport concession fee. Some airports charge rental companies a percentage of revenue for the right to operate on airport property, and the rental company may pass this through to customers. This can be a percentage-based line item rather than a per-day flat amount.
Tourism or transportation assessments. Certain local or state assessments may apply to car hire, sometimes presented as separate fees.
Sales tax. Applied to taxable items, which may include some fees. The tax rate can vary by location within the Los Angeles area.
Vehicle licence or registration recovery fees. Often set by the rental company to recover government licensing and registration costs for its fleet.
These are not interchangeable. A CFC is specifically tied to the airport facility programme. If you remove the airport, you often remove the CFC, but you may still have taxes and other standard charges.
How CFC changes the true total price, and how to compare quotes
The practical issue is not whether a CFC is “fair”, it is how to compare like-for-like when shopping. To get to the true total price, focus on the final all-in amount for your exact dates and times, not just the daily rate.
Use these checks when comparing car hire quotes in Los Angeles:
1) Compare totals for identical pickup and drop-off details. Changing the pickup terminal area, time of day, or drop-off location can change which fees apply. A quote that looks cheaper might not include the same location-based charges.
2) Read the fee labels, not just the numbers. Look for “Customer Facility Charge” or “CFC”. If it is present in one quote and absent in another, confirm whether the pickup locations differ.
3) Evaluate convenience versus cost. Airport pickup can save time, particularly after a long flight. If you are paying a CFC, you are effectively paying for that airport-based convenience and infrastructure. Decide if that trade-off suits your itinerary.
4) Watch the per-day effect on longer trips. A fee charged per day can make a big difference on a two-week holiday. If you are hiring a vehicle for family travel, the choice of class matters too. For larger groups, compare totals carefully when looking at SUV hire at Los Angeles LAX, since the base rate may be higher even if the CFC stays the same.
5) Check what is included before you judge value. A slightly higher total may include better cancellation terms, clearer fuel policy, or more suitable mileage terms. The CFC itself does not indicate quality, it just indicates location-based airport charges.
Can you avoid paying a CFC in Los Angeles?
Sometimes, but not always. In general, you are more likely to pay a CFC when your car hire pickup is at an airport facility covered by a CFC programme. If you pick up from a non-airport branch, a CFC may not apply, although other local fees can still apply.
However, “off-airport” can mean different things in practice. Some locations are physically near the airport but still tied to airport concession agreements. Others are truly separate neighbourhood branches. The only reliable method is to check the quote breakdown for your specific pickup location and to confirm the pickup address and conditions.
If you are comparing providers, you can review how different brands present totals and fee line items for LAX pickup, such as Hertz car hire at Los Angeles LAX and Enterprise car hire at Los Angeles LAX. The CFC amount is typically driven by the airport programme, but the way it is displayed can differ, which affects how easy it is to spot.
Does the CFC go to the rental company?
In most cases, the CFC is collected by the rental company on behalf of the airport authority or the entity administering the programme. It is designed as a facility funding mechanism rather than a discretionary add-on set by the rental brand. That said, the way fees are aggregated and presented can vary, so you should focus on the final payable total and the itemisation shown.
Also note that optional items you choose, such as additional drivers or added protection products, are separate from the CFC. Those choices can change the total dramatically, while the CFC remains constant for the same airport location and rental duration.
Practical checklist for spotting CFC before you arrive
Before you finalise any car hire plan in Los Angeles, scan the pricing section for these practical signals:
Look for an “Estimated total” that includes taxes and fees. If you only see a base rate, keep reading until you find the full breakdown.
Confirm the pickup location type. “Airport” and “LAX” in the location name is a clue that airport fees such as CFC may apply.
Check whether fees are per day or per rental. This helps you estimate how changes to trip length alter the total.
Save a copy of the quote breakdown. Having the itemised view is useful if you need to reconcile the amount charged later.
With these steps, the CFC becomes predictable rather than surprising, and you can compare airport convenience against the cost with confidence.
FAQ
Is a CFC the same as sales tax on car hire in Los Angeles?
No. Sales tax is a government tax applied to taxable charges. A CFC is an airport facility fee, usually charged per day, tied to airport rental infrastructure.
Will I always pay a CFC when renting at LAX?
Most airport-based car hire pickups at LAX fall under airport fee programmes, so a CFC commonly applies. The safest approach is to check the itemised quote for your exact pickup location and dates.
Does the CFC depend on the type of car I hire?
Typically it does not. The CFC is linked to the airport facility and is often the same across vehicle categories, although your total price will still vary because the base rate and other fees differ.
Why does the CFC sometimes appear only at checkout?
Some displays emphasise the base daily rate first, then add taxes and mandatory fees in the final breakdown. Always compare quotes using the all-in total that includes the CFC.
Can I reduce the impact of CFC on my trip cost?
You may be able to by comparing airport pickup with a non-airport branch, or by reviewing whether a longer rental triggers any CFC cap. The exact effect depends on location rules and your rental length.
