Car Hire
in Ottawa

EASTER  45% OFF   

Hola Car Rentals is a premium partner of the leading car hire companies in Ottawa, giving you exclusive access to our All Inclusive+ rate. This rate includes extra benefits that no other company can match:

• Full vehicle coverage with no excess (applies only to certain rates and itineraries)
• Toll cashback: get back up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls charged during your hire
• Premium travel medical assistance for up to 5 passengers in case of emergency, covering up to CAD 200,000 (pre-existing conditions excluded)
• No Extra Charges© guarantee: if the counter charges you for something not listed on your confirmation and not an optional add-on you accepted, Hola Car Rentals will work to remove or reimburse the charge after verification

All at no additional cost, ensuring a unique hire experience with complete protection and peace of mind during your trip in Ottawa.

No. With Hola Car Rentals, all costs and charges for your booking in Ottawa are clearly shown at the time of reservation and in your confirmation email, so you know exactly what you are paying before you arrive at the counter.

On top of that, every Hola Car Rentals booking includes the No Extra Charges© guarantee. This is a pricing guarantee (not insurance) that protects you if the counter in Ottawa charges you for something that was not listed on your confirmation and was not an optional add-on you accepted. If that happens, Hola Car Rentals will work with the hire partner to remove or reimburse the charge after verification.

The only costs outside this guarantee are:

• Optional add-ons you choose at the counter (GPS, child seats, prepaid fuel)
• Usage-based charges (tolls, fuel shortfall, traffic fines)

At Ottawa International Airport (YOW), all major hire counters are located on-site at 1003 Airport Parkway Private, so there is no shuttle to wait for. After collecting your luggage, proceed directly to the Arrivals level where brands such as Avis, Alamo, and National have their desks. National's counter is positioned directly across from Arrivals for immediate access. Note that ongoing construction at Ottawa Airport may redirect some counters to the International Arrivals area, so follow posted signage as you exit baggage claim.

Counter hours at Ottawa Airport are generally 07:00 to 01:00 daily, though exact times vary by brand. If you arrive outside these hours, most Ottawa Airport locations offer a 24-hour key drop box outside the office for vehicle returns.

• Bring your booking confirmation, valid driver's licence, and a major credit card in the main driver's name
• If your licence uses a non-Latin alphabet (Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Cyrillic), carry an International Driving Permit alongside it
• All documents must be physical originals, not digital copies

With no shuttle involved, the time from landing to driving away at Ottawa Airport is typically 20 to 45 minutes, depending on baggage claim wait times and counter queues.

To pick up a hire car in Ottawa, you must present the following physical documents at the counter:

• A valid, original driver's licence in the main driver's name
• A major credit card with the driver's name printed on the card, for the authorisation hold
• A passport or valid government-issued photo ID
• Your booking confirmation or printed voucher
• Round-trip flight or travel tickets (required for visitors from abroad)

If your driver's licence is not in English and uses a non-Latin alphabet such as Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, or Cyrillic, you must also carry an International Driving Permit (IDP). The IDP is a translation document only and must be presented together with your original licence, never alone.

Visitors from many countries can drive in Ottawa, Ontario on a valid foreign licence. However, if there is any doubt about whether your licence will be accepted at the Ottawa hire desk, obtaining an IDP before you travel is strongly recommended. IDPs must be issued in your home country before departure.

Digital documents are not accepted at any Ottawa hire desk. Bring all originals in physical form.

Yes, a major credit card is required to hire a car in Ottawa. The card must be in the main driver's name with the driver's name physically printed on the card, and it must be presented in person at the counter at pickup.

The hire partner will place a temporary authorisation hold on your card at the time of pickup. For Ottawa and other Canadian locations, this hold is typically between GBP 200 and GBP 300, though some locations may hold up to approximately GBP 500 depending on the vehicle class and hire company. This is an authorisation, not a charge, and it reduces your available credit until your bank releases it after the hire ends.

• Debit cards, prepaid cards, and virtual or digital-only cards are not accepted for the deposit hold in Ottawa
• Even if you prepaid your booking online, you must still present a physical credit card at the Ottawa desk
• Bring a backup credit card in case your primary card is declined

Before travelling to Ottawa, notify your bank of your travel plans to prevent fraud blocks on in-person authorisations. After you return the vehicle, allow up to 15 working days for the hold to be released, as your bank controls the timing.

Ottawa itself does not have toll roads within the city. However, if you plan to drive from Ottawa towards the Greater Toronto Area, you may encounter Highway 407 ETR, a privately operated, fully electronic toll highway spanning 108 km across the GTA. There are no cash booths on the 407 ETR; all billing is done by licence plate photography.

If you drive on the 407 ETR in a hire car, the toll agency photographs the plate, bills the hire company, and the hire company then charges your credit card for the toll amount plus administrative fees. GPS devices may route you onto the 407 ETR by default for speed, so check your navigation settings before leaving Ottawa.

• A typical 25 km peak-period trip on the 407 ETR can cost approximately GBP 20.50 including the trip charge and camera fee
• Hire companies may offer a flat-rate daily toll pass (roughly GBP 8 to GBP 12 per day) or charge per use plus an admin fee
• Some flat-rate programmes activate automatically the moment you drive any toll road, potentially billing you for the full daily rate across your entire hire

Other major Ontario highways such as the 401 and 400 are toll-free. Ottawa has no congestion charges or emissions zones.

All bookings include Tolls Cashback, which lets you recover up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid. See the next FAQ for details on how to claim it.

Yes, every booking includes Tolls Cashback, which reimburses up to 5% of your total booking value for tolls paid during your Ottawa hire. This is especially useful if your trip from Ottawa takes you onto the Highway 407 ETR near Toronto, where toll costs can add up quickly.

To claim your cashback after returning the vehicle in Ottawa or elsewhere:

• Email [email protected] within 30 days of returning the car
• Use the subject line: Tolls Cashback, followed by your reservation number (for example, HOLA1000000)
• Attach your Hola Car Rentals booking confirmation, the signed hire agreement, and a receipt or statement showing the toll charges paid

The refund is calculated as the lesser of the actual tolls paid or 5% of your Ottawa booking total. For example, if your booking total is US$500, the cap is US$25. If you paid US$18 in tolls, you receive US$18 back. If you paid US$40, you receive US$25.

Refunds are issued to the original payment method used for your reservation and typically process within 7 to 10 working days after approval. Submissions received more than 30 days after vehicle return are not eligible.

Yes, one-way hires are available between Ottawa International Airport (YOW) and downtown Ottawa locations. For example, National offers one-way hires between the airport at 1003 Airport Parkway Private and the downtown location at 226 Queen Street, with base rates starting at approximately GBP 7.50 per day and typically no drop-off surcharge for this short intra-city route.

For one-way hires between Ottawa and other Canadian cities, a drop-off fee may apply depending on the route, hire brand, vehicle class, and season. The drop-off fee is always shown during the booking process under the section labelled as the amount due at destination, so you will see it before confirming your reservation.

• Same-city routes such as Ottawa Airport to downtown Ottawa often carry no drop-off fee
• Ottawa to another city such as Toronto or Montreal will typically include a drop-off fee that varies by distance and car class
• Cross-border one-ways between Canada and the United States may be restricted or carry higher fees depending on the partner brand

If you need to change your drop-off location after booking, contact support promptly, as mid-hire route changes must be approved by the partner and may affect pricing.

Hire cars in Ottawa follow a Full-to-Full fuel policy. You receive the vehicle with a full tank and must return it full to avoid additional charges. If the tank is not full at pickup, the agent must record the starting level on the hire agreement, and you return it at that same level.

To avoid fuel charges on your Ottawa hire:

• Check the fuel gauge with the agent at pickup and take a photo of the dashboard showing the gauge and odometer
• Confirm the starting fuel level is written on the hire agreement before you drive away
• Refuel within approximately 15 km of the Ottawa return location so the gauge does not drop before you arrive
• Keep your final fuel receipt showing the date, time, and station address

If you return the vehicle below the recorded level, the hire partner will charge you for the fuel shortfall at their own refuelling rate, which is typically higher than the pump price, plus a service fee. For after-hours returns at Ottawa Airport, leave the fuel receipt in the key drop envelope and keep a photo of the full gauge on your phone.

Ask the counter agent at your Ottawa pickup location to point you toward the nearest fuel stations to the return address.

Yes, Ottawa's downtown core, particularly the Centretown area near Parliament Hill, has an extensive network of one-way streets that can catch first-time visitors off guard. Streets such as MacLaren, Frank, and Florence run in single directions, which means navigation apps may route you on longer, more circuitous paths than you would expect.

A few things to keep in mind when driving in Ottawa:

• One-way signs in Ottawa are small black-and-white rectangular arrows; watch for them carefully at every intersection
• U-turns and left turns into one-way streets are prohibited; violations can result in fines and create dangerous head-on situations
• When exiting a one-way street, check whether the cross street transitions to two-way traffic before turning
• During summer months (roughly mid-June to mid-October), sections of MacLaren, Frank, and Florence Streets near Bank Street may be closed for public spaces, requiring detours through the surrounding Ottawa street grid

If you are relying on GPS navigation in Ottawa, double-check that your route does not take you the wrong way on a one-way street, especially in Centretown. Allowing extra travel time for your first few drives in Ottawa is a practical precaution.

Most bookings include travel assistance coverage provided by Terrawind Global Protection. This benefit is designed to support you if an unexpected situation arises during your Ottawa trip, such as a medical emergency, a vehicle breakdown on an Ottawa highway, or a flight disruption on your way to or from the city.

Core benefits typically included are:

• Travel and medical coverage for up to 5 passengers
• Legal assistance in the event of a road accident in or around Ottawa
• Compensation for luggage lost by the airline
• Flight cancellation insurance

To reach assistance 24 hours a day, call +1 888 980 9992 (toll-free) or contact Terrawind via WhatsApp at +1 208 910 1001. Have your Hola Car Rentals confirmation number ready when you call.

Important: this travel assistance benefit applies only to customers who are not residents of Canada or the United States. If you are a Canadian or American resident hiring in Ottawa, this specific benefit does not apply to your booking. Check your booking confirmation for the exact terms and coverage limits applicable to your reservation.

This coverage does not replace CDW/LDW for hire vehicle damage or third-party liability insurance.

Yes, you can add an additional driver to your Ottawa hire, either at no cost if your rate includes it or for a daily fee paid at the counter if it does not. Check your booking confirmation for the line that reads additional driver free of charge to know which applies to your reservation.

If a fee applies, typical daily rates at Ottawa counters are:

• Avis, Budget, Payless: GBP 10 per day, capped at GBP 50 per hire
• Hertz, Thrifty, Dollar: GBP 11 per day, capped at GBP 154 per hire
• Alamo, National, Enterprise: GBP 13 per day

The additional driver must be present at the Ottawa pickup counter with their own valid driver's licence. If their licence uses a non-Latin alphabet, they will also need an International Driving Permit. Both the main driver and the additional driver must sign the hire agreement before leaving the Ottawa location.

Only drivers listed on the hire agreement are covered by the vehicle's protections such as CDW/LDW and liability coverage. If someone drives the Ottawa hire who is not named on the contract, those protections may be void and additional charges could apply.

Hire bookings in Ottawa typically include Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), which reduces your financial liability for damage to the hire vehicle from a collision, theft, or vandalism. A deductible may apply unless your confirmation explicitly states zero deductible.

In Canada, including Ottawa, provincial law requires every vehicle on the road to carry third-party liability insurance. This statutory liability cover is included by default when you hire in Canada, meaning you are covered for bodily injury and property damage you may cause to others. You can purchase higher supplementary liability limits at the Ottawa counter if you want additional protection.

What CDW/LDW does not cover in Ottawa:

• Damage to other vehicles or property (covered by third-party liability)
• Your own personal injuries (covered by Personal Accident Insurance if purchased)
• Tires, undercarriage, roof, or keys unless specifically included
• Incidents involving prohibited use such as off-road driving or driving under the influence

Review your booking confirmation carefully to confirm which coverages are included in your Ottawa rate and whether any deductible applies. At the Ottawa counter, verify all coverages on the hire agreement before signing.

Yes, after-hours vehicle returns are available at Ottawa International Airport (YOW) and at most downtown Ottawa locations. At the airport, a 24-hour key drop box is located outside the hire office at 1003 Airport Parkway Private, allowing you to return the vehicle even when the counter is closed.

To complete an after-hours return at an Ottawa location smoothly:

• Refuel the vehicle before returning it, keeping your receipt as proof of a full tank
• Take photos of the dashboard showing the fuel gauge and odometer, and photograph the exterior of the car for your records
• Place the keys and any required paperwork in the designated key drop envelope and deposit it in the drop box
• Keep a copy of all photos and receipts in case any post-hire charges are disputed

Downtown Ottawa locations such as 226 Queen Street and Constitution Square also offer 24-hour drop-off, but confirm the specific instructions for your location on your booking confirmation before your return date.

Note that liability for the vehicle may continue until the hire company formally checks it in the next working day, so documenting the car's condition at the time of return is important for any Ottawa after-hours drop.

It depends on the hire partner and the specific terms of your agreement. Some brands operating in Ottawa permit cross-border travel into the United States, while others restrict or prohibit it. You must obtain explicit written authorisation from the hire company before driving an Ottawa hire across the border.

Key points to confirm before attempting a cross-border trip from Ottawa:

• Ask the counter agent at your Ottawa pickup location whether cross-border travel to the US is permitted for your vehicle class and rate
• If permitted, ensure the authorisation is noted on your hire agreement, as border agents and the hire company may require it
• CDW/LDW and liability cover may not extend beyond Canada; confirm with the Ottawa counter whether your protections remain valid in the US
• One-way cross-border hires (picking up in Ottawa and dropping off in a US city) are often restricted or carry significantly higher fees

If you plan to drive from Ottawa to the US, clarify all restrictions and fees at the time of pickup. Driving across the border without authorisation can void your cover and result in additional charges from the hire partner.