Vehicle rental agreement.
Free template to download.
A rental agreement template for trailers, cars, vans, campervans and machinery. The full text is below; download it as a PDF to print or a Word file to adapt to your business.
Free, no sign-up · PDF to print, Word to edit
This template is a general aid, not legal advice. Read it in full before use and adapt it to your business.
Template text
The full wording of the document
Lines mark the places you fill in by hand or in Word. The downloaded file contains exactly this text.
VEHICLE RENTAL AGREEMENT
I. PARTIES
Lessor:
__________________________________, company reg. no.: ________________, VAT ID: ________________
registered seat: __________________________________
represented by: __________________________________
bank account: __________________________________
contact: ________________, __________________________________
(the "Lessor")
Renter:
__________________________________
address / registered seat: __________________________________
date of birth: ________________, ID document no.: ________________
driving licence no.: ________________
contact: ________________, __________________________________
(the "Renter")
II. SUBJECT OF THE AGREEMENT
1. The Lessor lets to the Renter, for temporary use, the following vehicle or equipment: __________________________________ (________________), registration plate ________________ (the "Vehicle"), and the Renter agrees to pay the agreed rent for its use.
2. The Renter confirms having inspected the Vehicle before taking it over and having been instructed in its operation. The condition of the Vehicle, its accessories and any existing damage at handover are recorded in the handover protocol, which serves as the basis for assessing the Vehicle on its return.
III. RENTAL PERIOD
1. The rental is agreed for a fixed period from ________________ to ________________.
2. The Renter shall return the Vehicle to the Lessor no later than at the end of the rental period, in the condition in which it was taken over, normal wear and tear excepted.
3. The rental period may be extended only by prior agreement with the Lessor.
IV. RENT AND SECURITY DEPOSIT
1. The rent for the agreed rental period is ________________, including any applicable taxes.
2. On taking over the Vehicle, the Renter pays a refundable security deposit of ________________ (________________). The deposit secures the Lessor's claims arising from this agreement, in particular claims for damage to the Vehicle, missing accessories and other amounts due under this agreement. The deposit is not subject to any automatic forfeiture.
3. The Lessor may set off against the deposit only specific claims due under this agreement. The Lessor shall provide the Renter with a statement of any amounts withheld and shall return the unused part of the deposit without undue delay after the Vehicle has been duly returned.
V. RENTER'S OBLIGATIONS
1. The Renter shall use the Vehicle with due care, for its usual purpose and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions and the Lessor's directions.
2. The Vehicle may be driven or operated only by the Renter or by persons declared to and approved by the Lessor in advance. Every driver must hold a valid driving licence of the required category.
3. The Renter must not sublet the Vehicle, allow its use by third parties, use it for commercial carriage of goods or passengers, take part in races or competitions, or use it for any unlawful purpose.
4. Trips outside the country where the Vehicle was handed over require the Lessor's prior written consent.
5. The Renter shall secure the Vehicle against theft and protect it from damage. Fuel and other running costs during the rental period are borne by the Renter.
6. The Renter shall notify the Lessor without undue delay of any damage, breakdown, accident or theft of the Vehicle, and shall call the police in the event of an accident or theft where the law or the circumstances so require.
VI. LIABILITY FOR DAMAGE
1. The Renter is liable for damage to the Vehicle occurring during the rental period, including damage caused by persons whom the Renter allowed to use the Vehicle.
2. Excess / deductible per damage event: ____________ (if agreed). Where an excess has been agreed, the Renter's liability for a damage event is limited to the agreed excess, unless paragraph 3 applies.
3. The Renter is liable for the damage in full where it was caused intentionally or by gross negligence, while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, by a driver not approved under this agreement, or by use of the Vehicle in breach of this agreement.
4. Fines, tolls and other charges incurred during the rental period as a result of the use of the Vehicle are borne by the Renter.
VII. RETURN OF THE VEHICLE
1. The Renter shall return the Vehicle at the place and time agreed in this agreement or otherwise agreed by the parties. A return protocol is drawn up on return.
2. If the Renter is late in returning the Vehicle, the Lessor is entitled to rent for the period of delay and to compensation for any resulting damage.
3. Differences between the condition of the Vehicle on return and its condition at handover, missing accessories and excessive soiling serve as the basis for drawing on the security deposit under Article IV.
VIII. FINAL PROVISIONS
1. This agreement takes effect upon signature by both parties.
2. This agreement is governed by the law of the country where the Lessor has its registered seat, unless mandatory law provides otherwise.
3. This agreement is made in two identical copies, one for each party.
4. The parties declare that they have read this agreement, understand its content and enter into it freely and seriously.
Signed on ________________
Lessor: __________________________________
Renter: __________________________________
Free, no sign-up · PDF to print, Word to edit
How to use it
What matters when you fill it in
Fill in both parties and the vehicle
Company number and representative for a business; date of birth and ID number for an individual. Record the driving licence number only where the vehicle is actually driven. Do not copy ID documents — the number is enough.
Write the rental period with times
A date alone is not enough. Late returns are the most common dispute, and without a time in the agreement the delay is hard to prove.
State the deposit as an amount and a method
Cash, card or bank transfer. The template assumes you only deduct specific, itemised claims and return the rest without undue delay — a blanket forfeiture rarely survives a challenge from a consumer.
Pair the agreement with a handover form
The agreement says what applies. The condition of the vehicle at handover and return is captured by the form — without it, damage is hard to prove.
Questions
Straight answers.
Does a vehicle rental agreement have to be in writing?
In most places a short-term rental does not legally require writing, but without it you cannot prove what was agreed — the deposit, the rental period or a ban on taking the vehicle abroad. In practice no rental business hands over keys without a signed agreement.
Can I use the template for a trailer or a machine?
Yes. The template speaks about a vehicle in general terms. For trailers and machinery, remove the driving licence details where they make no sense and add what matters for your equipment, such as payload or restrictions on use.
Can I change the wording?
Yes, that is what the Word file is for. Keep in mind that standard terms which put a consumer at an unfair disadvantage are unenforceable in most jurisdictions.
How many copies do I need?
Two signed copies — one for you and one for the renter. The final provisions of the template say exactly that.
From the blog
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An agreement that fills itself in.
In Flotello the customer, vehicle, price and deposit flow into the agreement from the booking. The customer signs with a finger on your phone and the signed PDF stays with the rental.
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