Am I required to return my rental car with a full tank?

Your rental car will be provided to you with a full tank of fuel, and this is how you are expected to return it. You will need to find a gas station close to your rental depot, to make sure you return it with a completely full tank and avoid any additional charges. Customers who have not made any prior arrangements, and do not return the car with a full tank, with be charged an additional fee. You will be charged at a rate for the fuel that is generally higher than the local gas stations.

If you want to avoid searching for a gas station, you can choose to pre-purchase the full tank of gas directly from the car rental company. You will be charged at a competitive rate, similar to the cost of other local gas stations. Generally, you are able to purchase the full tank only, so this may not be your preferred option if you are only planning to travel a short distance.

Read more about returning your rental car. 

 For example:

Jack pre-purchased a tank of fuel

Jack heads back to the car rental depot to return his vehicle to San Francisco Airport. He is coming straight from an appointment in the city, and knew that he would not have time to stop at a gas station on the way to the depot. Therefore, he arranged with the car rental company to purchase a full tank when he picked up the car. The car only has half a tank of fuel when he drops it off. However, because he has pre-purchased the fuel he will not need to pay any additional charges. He will also not receive any refunds for the unused fuel.