North Carolina General Statutes 66-202. Rental car advertising
Terms Used In North Carolina General Statutes 66-202
- Damage: means any damage or loss to the rented vehicle, including loss of use and any costs and expenses incident to the damage or loss. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
- Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
- Person: includes an individual, aggregation of individuals, corporation, company, association, or partnership. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
- Rental agreement: means any written agreement setting forth the terms and the conditions governing the use of a vehicle provided by the rental car company. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
- Rental car company: means any person in the business of providing vehicles to the public. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
- Renter: means any person obtaining the use of a vehicle from a rental car company under the terms of a rental agreement. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
- state: when applied to the different parts of the United States, shall be construed to extend to and include the District of Columbia and the several territories, so called; and the words "United States" shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- United States: shall be construed to include the said district and territories and all dependencies. See North Carolina General Statutes 12-3
- Vehicle: means a motor vehicle of the private passenger type including passenger vans and minivans that are primarily intended for transport of persons. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
- Vehicle license and registration fees: means charges that may be imposed upon any rental transaction originating in this State to recoup the costs incurred by a rental car company to license, title, inspect, and register rental vehicles. See North Carolina General Statutes 66-201
(a) Except as set forth in subsections (d) and (e) of this section and N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-204(a), a rental car company shall only advertise and charge a rental rate that includes the entire amount, except taxes and a mileage charge, if any, that a renter must pay to hire or lease a vehicle for the period of time to which the rental rate applies.
(b) If a rental car company states a rental rate in a print advertisement or in an in-person or computer-transmitted quotation contained in the rental car company’s proprietary computer reservation system, the rental car company shall clearly disclose or cause to be disclosed in that advertisement or quotation the terms of any mileage conditions relating to the advertised or quoted rental rate, including, but not limited to: To the extent applicable, the amount of mileage and fuel charges; the number of miles for which no charge will be imposed; and a description of the geographic driving limitations, if any, within the United States and Canada.
(c) A rental car company shall also include in all price advertising the daily rate it charges for collision damage waivers; shall state in such advertising that collision damage waivers are not required; and shall state that prospective renters should examine or inquire about their automobile insurance policies to see whether such policies will cover damage to rental vehicles.
(d) For a rental rate stated in an advertisement, quotation, or reservation for an airport location, a rental car company shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the existence and actual amount of the airport charges or fees, if any. For a rental rate stated in an advertisement, quotation, or reservation involving more than one airport location, a rental car company shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the existence and range of airport charges or fees, if any, or the maximum airport charge or fee. A rental car company, in its discretion, may elect to separate vehicle license and registration fees from its rental rate. For a rental rate stated in an advertisement, quotation, or reservation with a separate vehicle license and registration fee, a rental company shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the existence and range of vehicle license and registration fees or the maximum vehicle license and registration fee. For purposes of this section, advertisements shall include radio, television, other electronic media, and print. For purposes of this section, quotations and reservations shall include in-person or proprietary computer-transmitted reservation systems.
(e) A rental car company shall clearly and conspicuously display the total estimated price, and the amount of the airport charges or fees, if any, and vehicle license and registration fees, if any, in any proprietary computer-assisted reservation system, shown or referenced on the same page on the computer screen viewed by the renter as the displayed rental rate and in a print size not smaller than the print size of the rental rate. When providing a renter a quotation of a rental rate in person or over a voice system, a rental car company shall inform the renter of the total estimated price, inclusive of all taxes, fees, and charges, or shall disclose the amount of airport charges or fees, if any, and vehicle license and registration fees, if any. A rental car company shall separately identify the amount and existence of airport charges or fees and vehicle license and registration fees on the rental agreement. (1989, c. 631, s. 2; c. 770, s. 62; 2001-432, s. 1; 2007-235, s. 2.)