FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ's
 How can I book inter-island travel?
There are regular ferry crossings from Wellington to Picton and vice versa. The normal ferry crossing takes about three and a half hours and a fast ferry does it in about an hour and a half.
If travelling by rental car, you leave your rental at the ferry terminal and collect another car at the other side.
You must contact the Picton depot within 72 hours of ferry travel so they can organise the Wellington Depot car, or vice versa. You can make this booking by treating it as a single booking- using your desired pick up location for pick up- and the final return drop off point for your return location. (Europcar does not provide this service).
Is your site secure?
Yes, when you go into any of the suppliers booking engines you initiate an Secure Socket layer (SSL) session BUT the https: does not show up or the little paddle lock because the sites are framed. If you right click in the body of the page and check properties you will see that you are in a secure SSL session.
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Is my credit card debited at the time of reservation?
 No. Your credit card is debited at the time of pickup only. The credit card is used to secure your booking.
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Will I be charged to failing to show up?
No, we do not take credit card details in our booking form, so there's no way to charge you for last minute cancellation or not showing up.
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Will my drivers' license work for New Zealand?
If you have held a valid, unrestricted drivers license, for a minimum of 12 months and it is in English you will not require an international permit. If you do not have these prerequisites then you will need an international permit. All documents must be original. No photocopies are recognised. For full details of New Zealand requirements visit www.ltsa.govt.nz and click "Travellers and New Residents"
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How old do I need to be to hire a car?
To rent a car in New Zealand you need to be 21 years old. Some hire companies may restrict vehicle types or require additional insurance. Check details with the company.
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Can I get a complete "quote" without entering any credit card details?
Yes you can for Avis, Budget, Hertz, Thrifty and Europcar.
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Are the quotes comprehensive of all fees and charges?
For the most part the quotes are comprehensive for Airport Recovery fees, Goods and Services taxes, and insurance. Please note that all car insurance has an automatic excess in the order of NZ$2750. This can be reduced significantly by signing on for extra insurance at the time of hire.
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How do I make a change?
The easiest way to modify or cancel your booking is through our sites make changes links. These links will take you directly to the appropriate supplier's web pages to a change or cancellation. The companies all have different logon on procedures and these include a mixture of email address, last name and reservation confirmation number. Please note that you must enter this data "exactly" like you did when making the booking. The data fields are all case sensitive so you must use the same upper and lower case lettering as used for the booking.
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Why is it more expensive when I say I'm a foreign customer?
The differences in price are due to different insurance regulations in each country, eg. some residents have lower quotes as most credit cards carry insurance and so they do not need to be charged extra.
Each different country has a different rate that needs to be charged according to the insurance terms and conditions of each rental supplier. These laws make some rates slightly higher than some others.
Unfortunately this is unavoidable and part of the conditions of renting a car.
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GLOSSARY
Additional Driver
When there is more than one driver associated with a hire, the second and any subsequent drivers are referred to as the additional driver(s). There may be a charge applied for additional drivers.
Check-out/Pick-up
The location and/or time from when a hire starts.
Check-in/Return
The location and/or time, from when a hire ends.
Excess
A fee which is payable by the hirer in the event of an accident regardless of who is at fault. The excess can be reduced by taking additional insurance at the time of hire. Each company has its own policies and details are on the booking forms accessible through this web site.
Insurance
New Zealand Car Hire companies include insurance in their quotes however they all have a substantial excess (see Excess) above.
One-Way
To hire a vehicle at one location and to return it at another is referred to as a one-way hire. One-Way car rentals often incur a One-Way or Relocation fee.
Relocation
Relocation is an industry term for a one-way car rental. Where a vehicle is hired from one location and returned to a different location. Relocations often incur a Relocation or One Way fee.
Refuelling Service
A service provided at check-in which enables a customer to return a vehicle which does not have a full tank of fuel.
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