Get a great deal on Budget rental vehicles

Budget has a selection of depots in New Zealand. Please see below for the number of depots on each island. North Island (20), South Island (12)

Budget has one of the broadest ranges of family-friendly vehicles in New Zealand, offering everything from compact cars and sedans through to pickups and commercial vehicles. Economy Car, Premium Elite Commercial Van/Truck, Oversize Passenger Van, Fullsize Passenger Van, Fullsize Pick up (single/extended cab), Fullsize Car, Intermediate SUV, Mini Pick up (double cab), Compact SUV, Special, Intermediate Car, Premium SUV, Standard Car, Compact Car, Standard Pick up (double cab), Fullsize Elite Car, Mini Pick up (single/extended cab), Premium Pick up (single/extended cab), Mini Commercial Van/Truck, Fullsize SUV, Intermediate Pick up (double cab), Intermediate Passenger Van, Intermediate Commercial Van/Truck, Fullsize Commercial Van/Truck, Intermediate Pick up (single/extended cab), Mini Crossover, Luxury Limousine

The per-day rates of some rental cars may fall if you book for a longer rental period. Prices often change around daily, three-day, five-day and seven-day periods. Also, note that the selection of rental cars available in Budget may be more limited if you are looking for a long-term car rental, so it’s best to compare a few different booking durations first.

You will need a credit or debit card to rent a hire car from Budget. Visa, MasterCard, and AMEX credit cards and Visa and MasterCard debit cards are accepted as payment for a rental car. Budget does not accept prepaid or reloadable stored value cards, travel money cards, or EFTPOS cards, nor does Budget accept cards presented on smart phones or watches, or contactless forms of payment such as pay-wave. In all cases the physical card must be presented and credit cards will attract a small credit card surcharge. For further information on credit cards fees, please see the “Important Information” section for details specific to your rental vehicle, or contact our customer care team.

When renting a hire car with Budget, a security deposit, also known as a bond, will be levied as a pre-authorisation on your card. The amount depends on both your means of payment, and the time of payment. Once you have returned your rental car to Budget, subject to any additional charges, the deposit refund will occur. The deposit return usually takes seven to ten days, but this amount of time will depend on your bank. You can find the Security Deposit/Bond amount in the Important Information box throughout the booking process.

The age to rent a car from Budget New Zealand is 21, although drivers under the age of 25 may incur a young driver fee. This under 25 fee is a daily surcharge charged for the full period of the rental. To learn more, including the amount of the charge for drivers under the age of 25, please see the “Important Information” section for details specific to your rental vehicle, or contact our customer care team for assistance.

A full driver licence that has been valid for at least twelve months and is printed in English meets the licence requirements to hire a rental car from Budget. Learner, provisional, probationary or restricted licences are not accepted. If your driving licence isn’t in English, you will need to present an International Driving Permit (IDP) along with your valid domestic driving licence. Budget New Zealand does not accept digital driver licences.

Yes, although only those whose name is recorded on the Rental Agreement are permitted to drive a rental car hired from Budget, which means they need to be added as an additional driver. For a fee, Budget New Zealand allows additional drivers to be added to the Rental Agreement provided each additional driver meets the same conditions as the main driver. Budget levies an extra driver charge for each additional driver, although for the primary driver’s spouse or partner who lives at the same address, this cost may be waived. Budget’s additional driver fee is levied per-day and per-additional driver. When arranging additional drivers for a Budget rental car, the total number of drivers cannot exceed the number of people the vehicle is legally licensed to carry. For further information, please see the “Important Information” section for details specific to your rental vehicle, or contact our customer care team.

Yes. Basic cover in the form of a Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) is included in the rental quote, but should the rental car be stolen or damaged in an accident, or a third-party loss occurs, you’ll be liable to pay up to the Rental Vehicle Excess amount for damage charges as per your Budget rental agreement — this can include even minor issues such as scratches to the car. The excess refers to the amount renters are liable for before the basic cover applies and the amount of this excess can vary depending on the type of vehicle, the age of the renter, and a number of other variables. Budget offers a range of additional excess reduction products, also known as excess waivers, including a Loss Damage Waiver, Excess Reduction and Zero Excess, and these can reduce — or remove — the rental excess you are liable for. Prosura excess insurance is another option for renters wanting to reduce their excess liability. When booking a hire car through VroomVroomVroom, once you select a vehicle you are interested in, you can click on the prominent “Important Information” button to read more details regarding excess and excess costs related to the specific vehicle you are considering.

Yes. Budget includes roadside assistance for all mechanical defects not resulting from human error or misuse of the rental vehicle. In the instance of non-mechanical issues, such as lost keys, keys locked in the vehicle, or a flat battery due to lights being left on, Budget may charge you a call-out fee. Budget offers additional roadside assistance cover for an extra fee.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Budget rental vehicles come with unlimited kilometres. If you do book a hire car with a kilometre limit, you will be advised of the kilometre allowance and what the cost per kilometre is if you exceed this limit.

Budget expects the rental vehicle to be returned with a full tank of fuel and where this is not possible a refuelling charge will be applicable.

If your hire car rental period is yet to commence, you can modify your booking within the VroomVroomVroom app or by contacting our customer care team to make the required changes. If you have already collected your Budget hire car, you’ll need to contact the depot you collected the vehicle from to request an extra day — or whatever extension period is desired. Bear in mind that any change to the rental period — regardless of if it is before you have collected the car or after — may alter the total cost of your hire car. If you need to cancel your booking, if you paid a deposit at the time of your booking with Budget through VroomVroomVroom, then you need to give at least 48 hours notice of your cancellation in order to receive a refund.

The Terms and Conditions of renting a vehicle supplied by Budget can vary depending on the exact vehicle hired, the age of the driver, the length of the hire period, and a number of other conditions. As such, the exact policy Terms and Conditions in the Rental Agreement related to an individual vehicle rental can vary from one customer to another and one type of vehicle to another. Once you select a vehicle you are interested in on VroomVroomVroom, you can click on the prominent “Important Information” button to read our guideline to rental terms related to the vehicle which you should be aware of. Later in the booking flow are the detailed Terms and Conditions which you will need to read and accept before finalising your booking. Upon arrival you will also be required to sign a Rental Agreement that outlines the specific Terms and Conditions for your rental.