NEWS

Renting a car in Europe? Here's who's responsible for the vignette

Feb 9, 20264 min read

Picking up a rental car adds a layer of uncertainty to vignette planning: is the permit already included, or is it on you to buy one? The answer depends on the rental company, the country, and sometimes the specific branch you're renting from.

What rental companies typically cover

Some rental companies include a vignette for the pickup country as part of the rental price, especially in well-known vignette countries like Austria and Switzerland. Others leave it entirely to the renter, particularly for cross-border trips where the destination wasn't part of the original booking.

Read the fine print

Rental agreements often specify vignette coverage in a separate clause, sometimes buried under "additional fees" or "cross-border driving." It's worth asking directly at pickup rather than assuming.

If it's on you

When the vignette isn't included, you'll need to buy one yourself and match it to the rental car's license plate and vehicle category exactly as they appear on the registration documents. A mismatch, even a single character, can mean the vignette doesn't register correctly.

Before you drive off the lot

Ask the rental agent directly whether a vignette is included for your route.
Get the exact license plate and vehicle category before buying your own vignette.
Confirm whether coverage extends to every country on your itinerary, not just the pickup country.
Keep your rental agreement and vignette confirmation together during the trip.

A two-minute conversation at the rental counter can save you from either a duplicate purchase or an unexpected fine.