Car Rental Tips

When you go on a business trip or holiday, we recommend that you pre-order the car in Estonia – you will get a better price and the guarantee that the car will be waiting for you on the day and in the place where you need it.

You can reserve rental cars in the Avis Estonia Reservation Centre, by e-mail rent@avis.ee or on the web. For further information and advice call our Reservation Centre at +372 667 1515.

Reserve early. If you have not made a reservation, you may find upon your arrival that the make or price class you want is not available – or that no cars are available, which can happen in high tourist season. You can order a car rental in the Head Office of Avis Estonia as well as in major travel agencies.

Pay in Estonia. We recommend that you pay for outbound car rentals in Estonia (in cash, by credit card or bank transfer), because it leaves you more free funds on your credit card. However, you have to consider that a certain amount (usually 20% of the rental cost + the price of a full tank of petrol) may be reserved on your card.

Take your credit card with you. Larger rent-a-car companies demand a credit card as a guarantee (two credit cards in the event of more expensive models). Cash may be accepted as the guarantee in smaller companies, but as a rule the contract terms in these cases are stricter and your liability bigger.

Apply for Avis Preferred Profile. The Avis Preferred Profile shows to rent-a-car companies that you are trustworthy and it will spare you the hassle of having to fill in papers: the person taking your order will find your data from the international Avis database. Click here to apply for the card.

Read the contract. Every signed contract is binding – even if you haven’t read it or understood it. In no case should you sign any contracts made in languages you do not understand. It is also always worth asking about insurance terms (for example, damages to the windscreen are covered by insurance in full whereas in Austria they must be paid fully by the client, etc.).

Find out about age limits and additional obligations. Companies rent cars to people who are at least 21 years of age or 25 years of age in the event of expensive models. Delivery and collection of the car may be done free or for a charge. Airport tax may be added to the rental amount if the rental begins or ends at an airport. The car may be driven only by the person who is mentioned in the rental contract. Additional driver(s) may be added for a fee.

Cars can be rented by day. Every 24 hours is considered a rental day. If the car is returned more than an hour after the expiry of the contract (or the end of the day), the fee for another day will be automatically added to the rental fee. If the car has been rented for the weekend or any other special price, returning the car early may make the final rental fee more expensive.

Weekends are cheaper. The best prices for car rentals are offered for weekends (Friday to Monday). The longer the rental period, the lower the price payable for a day.
Inspect the car on receipt.

Inspect the car carefully upon receipt and demand that all damages (including scratches) are entered in the rental contract; otherwise you may be blamed for damages that were caused before you used the car.

Inform the police of all accidents. If you have an accident, make sure you report it to the police and obtain a written certificate from them for insurance. You also have to immediately contact the rent-a-car company (Avis has a 24-hour emergency hotline in every country).

Tell us the number of your bonus card. You can earn frequent flyer miles when you choose Avis (SAS EuroBonus, Lufthansa Miles & More, Finnair Plus, etc.). In order to collect frequent flyer miles, please tell us the number of your airline bonus card when you reserve the car.

Any questions? Call us at +372 667 1515 or e-mail us at rent@avis.ee and we will be pleased to explain everything!