Zipcar's Community Rules

When you share a Zipcar, you share responsibility, and being part of our car-sharing community means looking out for each other, too.

Every member must follow Zipcar’s Community Rules each trip they take.

    1. Keep it Clean

      Take your personal belongings with you, and recycle or dispose of any rubbish. Remember, someone’s going to drive the car once you’re done so it’s important you keep the vehicle in good condition during and at the end of your reservation. You can now report on the cleanliness of the vehicle at the start of your trip via the app.

      Every Zipcar is a non-smoking vehicle - not even with all the windows down or all the doors open. Members found smoking will be charged a fee for the cost of cleaning (from £35).

      Pets can only travel in a Zipcar if they are kept in a locked carrier (no matter how cute Buster and Fluffy are). Service and assistance animals used by disabled members or passengers are an exception, and are allowed in the vehicle without a pet carrier. Do be aware of others with pet allergies and ensure you clean up any stray pet hair at the end of your reservation.

    2. Refueling

      You must always leave at least 1/4 tank of fuel (it’s on us!). Please visit our Fuel Card help centre article if you need help locating it otherwise you could be fined from £35.

      Remember that topping up is free! If you’re running low during your reservation, use the fuel card at almost all UK petrol stations – the card and instructions can be found on the driver’s side of the dashboard. We also take care of charging our Electric Vehicles – just be sure to stay in London to avoid running low on battery!

    3. Return It Right

      For Roundtrip cars and vans, late members can end up impacting others who have the vehicle reserved right after. To avoid returning late, always make sure to book the Zipcar for the time you need. Need more time? Just extend your booking via the app. Zipcar does take late returns seriously and we will charge a £35 fee if you return late for each hour, up to 3 hours.

      If you’re in a Flex reservation, you don’t need to worry about this rule. Make sure you’re in our Zipzone and you check for approved parking in the app when you’re ending your trip to avoid parking fines.

    4. Don’t Forget to Report Damage (and Other Issues)

      Before you drive away, inspect your Zipcar inside and out. While we expect the previous member to leave the vehicle in a good condition, it is important to report any issues at the beginning of your reservation so we know it wasn’t you. Cleanliness can be reported on the app, but always check the damage log book (in the glove box) to see if any damage has already been reported. If damage or any issues other than cleanliness haven’t been reported in the log book, follow the instructions there to report it to us.

      To report any un-logged damage, a dirty vehicle or low fuel, call 0333 240 9000.

      Click here to see how you can report damage.

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