Guide to returning a campervan rental

You’ve reached the end of your New Zealand campervan trip, and now it’s time to return the vehicle to the branch. Campervan returns in New Zealand can involve a few extra steps and take a little longer than you might expect, especially if your vehicle has a toilet, shower, kitchen, wastewater tank, or diesel engine. VroomVroomVroom has put together this campervan return guide to help you prepare before you hand back the keys.

Don’t be late!

You must return your campervan at the time and date listed on your rental agreement, and if you return your rental late, the campervan rental company may charge you for extra time — or even an additional day of rental. To avoid being late, try to plan your route on your final rental day carefully as New Zealand roads can be slower than they look on a map, especially in mountainous areas, during bad weather, or when travelling between popular holiday towns.

Returning a campervan can take longer than the rental car return process as the branch may need to inspect the living area, check equipment, look over the exterior, and confirm that the wastewater tank and toilet cassette have been emptied as requried. Due to these additional processes it’s a good idea to allow additional time, especially if you’re returning your campervan in high season to a popular campervan rental destination like Auckland, Christchurch, or Queenstown.

Don’t forget any of your belongings

As campervans have more storage spaces than standard rental cars, there’s more than just the glovebox to check, so be sure to carefully lookover the entire vehicle interior before you hand back the keys. Look inside cupboards, drawers, under beds and seats, in the fridge, in exterior lockers, and around the driver’s cabin. In the event that you do leave something behind, the rental company may charge you postage or other handling costs to return the items to you.

Return the campervan clean

You don’t need to return your rental campervan in brand new condition, but you should return it in a clean state. Be sure to remove all of your rubbish, empty the fridge of any leftover food or drinks, wash the dishes and any cutlery, wipe down any benches, and sweep out loose dirt or sand. If you had pets with you, brush down any seating for animal hair.

If the campervan is returned in a dirty state, the supplier may charge a cleaning fee. This can apply to the living area, bathroom, kitchen space or driver’s cabin. If you’re travelling with pets, the cleaning fee due to animals can be substantial.

Empty the toilet cassette and wastewater tank

Before returning your campervan in New Zealand, you will need to empty the toilet cassette and grey water tank at an authorised dump station. Grey water usually comes from the sink and shower, while the toilet cassette contains toilet waste.

Never empty campervan waste into stormwater drains, public toilets, roadside areas, or campsites, and always use a proper and legal dump point. Many holiday parks, caravan parks, and public rest areas have dump points, but in order to save time it’s best to check ahead on your last travel day so that you know exactly where you need to go to empty the grey and black water tanks.

Refill the fuel tank

Most campervan rentals in New Zealand use a full-to-full fuel policy. This means you collect the campervan with a full tank of fuel and you’re expected to return it with a full tank as well. Try to use a petrol station close to the return branch so the tank is still full to the brim when you arrive at the campervan branch. Keep the fuel receipt until the return has been finalised, as it may be of help if there’s a dispute about refuelling.

The main exception to the above is if you selected a prepaid fuel option when you collected the campervan. In this case, you can usually return the vehicle without refilling the tank, but you should check your motorhome Terms and Conditions carefully regarding this. A further point is you generally won’t receive a refund for unused fuel, so prepaid fuel may only be worthwhile if you expect to return the campervan close to empty.

If you don’t have time to refuel, the campervan rental company may refuel it for you and charge your card. This option can be considerably more expensive than filling the campervan up yourself at a local service station.

Check for road user charges

New Zealand has road user charges for some rental vehicles, including diesel vehicles. As many larger campervans and motorhomes run on diesel, your supplier may calculate a road user charge recovery fee when you return the vehicle.

This fee is usually based on the kilometres travelled during your hire, and it’s a good idea to check your rental agreement so you know whether road user charges are included upfront or charged at the end of your trip.

Check the gas bottle and fresh water policy

Many campervans in New Zealand use LPG for cooking, heating, or hot water, and your rental agreement should explain whether you need to return the gas bottle full, exchange it before the vehicle return, or simply hand it back as supplied.

Fresh water return rules also vary between campervan rental companies. Some suppliers may ask you to refill the fresh water tank before return, while others may not. Check this before your final day so you don’t have to rush around before drop-off.

Returning the campervan out of hours

Campervan branches typically have stricter return rules than car rental branches, and most suppliers — even those in popular campervan return destinations like Wellington or Picton Ferry Terminal — require their vehicles to be returned during business hours so staff can inspect the vehicle, check the equipment, and complete the return process with you.

If you need to return the campervan after hours, you’ll first need to confirm this is possible with the branch in advance. If after-hours return is allowed, ask where to park as parking rules vary per council. You may also ask where to leave the keys and whether you need to leave any paperwork inside the vehicle. Make sure you follow all the instructions the branch provides and when you’re done, lock the campervan before placing the keys at the location specified — often in a key box. You may remain responsible for the campervan until the branch checks it during business hours.

Returning the campervan early

Returning your campervan early does not always mean you’ll receive a refund. Some campervan bookings are priced around a minimum hire period, and in cases where your motorhome rental was based on a special rate, a one-way route, or a relocation deal, an early return is unlikely to mean a refund for unused time. In the event a refund is possible, the rental company may recalculate the booking or apply an early return fee — always check your Terms and Conditions regarding this.

Check for damage to the campervan

Before you return the campervan, check the exterior, windscreen, tyres, mirrors, roof, underbody, awning, and interior fittings. Campervans are taller and larger than standard hire cars, so roof and awning damage are not as uncommon as you may think.

New Zealand roads can include narrow bridges, gravel sections, steep driveways and tight holiday park spaces, so it’s worth spending some time to check the vehicle thoroughly. Take photos at the branch, including of the odometer, fuel gauge, exterior and interior.

Return all hired equipment

If your campervan came with extras, make sure everything is returned. This may include camping chairs, outdoor tables, bedding and other linen, towels, kitchen equipment, power leads, hoses, child seats, and any keys for external lockers. Missing or damaged equipment may be charged to your card after return.

Prepare for additional charges

Some charges may not be finalised until you return the campervan. For example, toll notices, any damage repair costs, cleaning fees, or costs related to any missing equipment may be processed when you return the campervan. Additional charges you may need to pay when returning a campervan can include:

If there are no outstanding charges, your bond will be released or refunded by the campervan rental company. This can take several business days to appear back in your account.