Budget Car Rental Refund Policy
Last verified: 2026-03-20
www.budget.com/en/customer-care/faqs/global/reservations
Video Guides
How to Get a Refund — Step by Step
- 1To cancel a reservation made on budget.com, go to the 'View, Change or Cancel an Existing Reservation' page.
- 2Enter the renter’s last name and confirmation number for the reservation.
- 3Select the option to cancel the reservation.
- 4For prepaid reservations requiring a refund request, provide your email address, accept any associated fees, and select 'Request a refund'.
- 5If the reservation was made through a travel agent or online booking service, contact that original entity to revise or cancel.
- 6If the required information is not readily accessible, contact Budget Customer Care for assistance.
When You Can Get a Refund
- Cancellation policies vary depending on the type of reservation made.
- For prepaid reservations, a $50 processing fee is incurred if canceled 24 hours prior to the rental pick-up time.
- For prepaid reservations, a $150 USD processing fee applies if canceled during the 24-hour period prior to the scheduled pick-up time.
- No refund will be issued if a prepaid reservation is not canceled prior to the pick-up time and the rental vehicle is not picked up on the rental date.
- If you return the vehicle before the original return date on a prepaid reservation, no portion of the payment will be refunded for unused rental days.
- For non-prepaid reservations, a $75 U.S. fee will be assessed if canceled less than 48 hours before the pick-up time.
- If the prepaid amount is equal to or less than the applicable cancellation fee, no refund will be issued.
- Reservations booked through a travel agent or an online booking service are subject to the cancellation processes and policies of that original entity.
- Changes to a prepaid reservation's rental location may result in a $50 cancellation fee if the new location does not accept prepaid reservations, leading to cancellation and rebooking at prevailing rates.
All Refund Methods
- Credits will be applied to the same credit card used for prepayment.
- Overpayments resulting from changes to a prepaid rental's total rate are refunded after the rental agreement is closed.
Partial Refunds
- Refunds for prepaid cancellations will be the full prepaid amount less applicable processing fees ($50 or $150 USD).
- Overpayments due to changes affecting the total rate of a prepaid rental will be refunded after the rental agreement is closed.
- No refund for unused car rental days if the vehicle is returned before the original return date on a prepaid reservation.
- No refund will be provided if the prepaid amount is equal to or less than the cancellation fee.
Additional Notes
- Budget's cancellation policies vary depending on the type of reservation made.
- While most things on a prepaid reservation can be changed on budget.com or at the counter multiple times with no fee, changes affecting the total rental rate will not alter the prepayment amount upfront. Underpayments are handled at return, and overpayments are refunded after the rental agreement is closed.
- If you book a Budget car through a travel agent or an online booking service, budget.com cannot access or amend that reservation; you must contact the original entity.
What Redditors Are Saying
Budget car rental block refund
HELLO, have any of you had a bad experience with Budget car rental? I came back from vacation and got a message that the car I rented in Italy is damaged, scratches on the bumper. they blocked my refund of 660 euros. I don't know how to go about the topic now. There are no scratches in my photos, as
Budget Car Rental Won’t Refund “Loss of Use” Charges Despite Insurance Paying in Full—$1050 Withheld for Months!
I’m looking for advice on how to get Budget Car Rental to refund me $1050 that they wrongfully charged me for “loss of use,” even though my insurance fully settled the claim. Timeline & Issue: • Sept 22 – I was in an accident with a Budget rental. • Oct 17 – Budget charged me $1050 on my persona
Budget Car Rental admitted having wrongly charged me but won't refund full amount
I'm at a loss and welcoming any advice. I (live in TX) rented (prepaid online $697) a car through Budget in July, for 10 days (Denver to Oakland), returning it on the 17th of August. When I returned it at 4AM, at the airport, no staff was present but a sign said to leave keys in car in this situatio
Budget car rental block refund.
HELLO, have any of you had a bad experience with Budget car rental? I came back from vacation and got a mail that the car I rented in Italy is damaged, scratches on the bumper. they blocked my refund of 660 euros. I don't know how to go about the topic now. There are no scratches in my photos, as I