Hire Car in Alicante: Excess, Deposit and What Gets Added at the Desk

The cheapest daily price is not the cheapest rental. Before you book, find five items in the conditions: the excess, the deposit, what CDW excludes, the fuel policy and the extra-driver charge. If one is unclear, pick another offer or ask in writing.

Compare hire cars in Alicante and their conditions

Excess is not the deposit

The excess is the amount you can still owe after covered damage. CDW limits liability for certain damage; it is not a promise that every tyre, window, key or underside is covered, so read the exclusions.

The deposit is money the supplier blocks on a card as security. Its size, how long it stays blocked and which cards are accepted differ by supplier and car class. We give no figure, because none is binding across suppliers: the number in your booking conditions is the only one that counts. Do not arrive assuming a debit card, or somebody else’s card, will be accepted.

What gets added at the desk

Expect an offer for extra cover that reduces the excess. Whether it is worth it depends on what your booking already includes — ask what exactly it adds, get the answer on the agreement, and do not decide under pressure from the queue. Other possible extras: a second driver, a child seat, one-way or late-arrival charges, and a young-driver fee. Minimum age and its surcharge are set by the supplier, so look them up in the booking conditions rather than guessing a rule for all of Spain.

Fuel and the handover

“Full to full” means you return the tank at the level you received it; other policies may carry a service charge for the fuel. Before driving off, photograph every side, the wheels, the glass, the fuel gauge and the mileage, and make sure each existing mark is on the handover sheet. Keep the assistance number and return time written down.

The decision

Choose the offer whose deposit you can actually have blocked and whose excess you can afford to lose. Then compare the final conditions for Alicante, not just the first price. If you only need a car for one day trip, consider whether a tour covers it: see our guide to whether you need a car at all.