Can You Smoke in a Rental Car?

Why does Avis have a smoke-free fleet policy?

Tobacco smoke leaves a residue on fabrics, fibers, and surfaces of vehicles and emits odors that many people find unpleasant. This policy is designed to ensure we are enhancing the comfort of our customers, a top priority at Avis.

When a vehicle must be cleaned of tobacco smoke odor and residue, all surfaces must be treated and cleaned. This takes considerable time and requires the vehicle to be removed from the rental fleet until odor-free. The cleaning fee of up to $450 for vehicles with evidence of smoking is intended to help cover the cleaning costs and the lost revenue from a vehicle being temporarily unavailable for rental. 

What is the non-smoking inspection process? 

We are committed to providing our customers with vehicles that are 100 percent smoke-free, so all vehicles undergo an inspection after they are returned to the Avis fleet. 

In most cases, the Return Agent will inspect the vehicle at the time of vehicle return in the vehicle return area. If the Return Agent finds evidence that the car has been smoked in and/or it smells of smoke, photos will be taken and the customer will be informed of this finding and that they may be assessed a cleaning fee of up to $450. The customer will then be given their receipt as per standard procedure.

Later on, a location manager will inspect the vehicle to validate the findings of the Return Agent to determine if a cleaning fee is to be assessed. If so, the customer is notified in writing that the fee has been charged to the credit card we have on file.

Under certain circumstances, the Return Agent may be unable to notify the customer of the possible assessment of the fee at the time of vehicle return. Examples include:

• The customer leaves the return area before a Return Agent is able to inspect their vehicle.

• A Return Agent is unable or unavailable to inspect the car thoroughly at time of vehicle return; the inspection is then conducted by trained staff at our service island at a later point in time.

• The vehicle is returned after hours when no Return Agent is available to inspect the vehicle.

When the vehicle can only be inspected after the customer has left our facility and is found to require smoke-related cleaning, the customer is notified via mail that the fee has been charged to their credit card.

What can customers do to ensure that they will not be charged a cleaning fee?

To avoid a cleaning fee, do not smoke or vape inside your Avis rental car. 

Rental vehicles should be thoroughly inspected by the customer prior to leaving the rental location. Customers should check the car for body or interior damage, soil or dirt, and to ensure that it is smoke-free.

If at the time of vehicle checkout, the vehicle is not to the customer's satisfaction, we recommend that the customer go to the rental counter and speak with an agent before leaving our facility. The customer will be provided with another vehicle, if one is available, and no fees of any kind will be assessed.

What if my car does not have a no-smoking policy sticker on it?

Smoking is not allowed in any Avis car rental. To avoid paying the fee, customers should refrain from smoking in or near the vehicle at all times.

Benefits of a Smoke-Free Rental Car Fleet

You get many advantages by choosing a rental car where smoking is not allowed. And with an entire fleet of smoke-free vehicles, Avis ensures that all our customers enjoy the following benefits: 

1. Fast service

It takes longer to clean a car with smoke smells and residue. We can serve you better when we spend less time cleaning up cars that have been smoked in.

2. More cars available

Any cars that have to be cleaned because of smoking are temporarily unavailable to renters. A smoke-free fleet means more vehicles for you to choose from when you arrive to pick up your rental. 

3. No secondhand smoke smell

Odors from cigarettes and vape pens can linger because they seep into fabrics. Avis has committed to a smoke-free fleet to ensure that none of our customers spend time in a rental car with an unpleasant smoke smell.

4. Comfortable cars 

You want your rental car to be a pleasure to drive. Any evidence of smoking can take away from that experience. Avis keeps our cars smoke-free to ensure that you always enjoy your time in our rental cars. 

5. No need to request a non-smoking vehicle

If you are a non-smoker, you don’t have to worry about getting a rental car that smells like cigarette smoke. A smoke-free Avis fleet means you’ll always be driving a clean, odor-free car when you rent from us.

6. Less cleaning before drop-off

If you’ve ever tried to remove smoke smells or residue, you know it’s a tedious process. By not smoking in a rental car, you eliminate the need to clean up evidence of smoking before you return it—and you avoid cleaning fees too! Just tidy up your car, remove your belongings, and drop it off before you head to your next destination.