Avis Budget Group (Avis and Budget): billing error

Collect

• e-Receipt
• rental agreement
• fuel gauge and odometer photos at return
• toll records
• the fee notice

Steps

1. Download the e-Receipt (available up to 7 days after return, kept online for six months).

   OnlineGet an Avis e-Receipt (confirmation or rental agreement number)

2. Call customer service or email custserv@avis.com with the receipt and the correct amount.

   EmailAvis customer service email custserv@avis.com

3. For a smoking or cleaning fee, ask for the inspection photos and the written notice of the fee.

4. If not corrected, dispute the charge with your card issuer.

More contacts for this issue

Facts you can cite

• Fee

  Avis says a cleaning fee of up to $450 may be applied if the non-smoking policy is violated; a manager reviews the return agent's photos and you are notified in writing.

  Source: avis.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Deadline

  Avis rental receipts are available up to 7 days after vehicle return and kept online for up to six months from return.

  Source: avis.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Fee

  Renters are responsible for tolls, parking and moving traffic violations; an Avis designated agent may process them and add a reasonable administrative fee.

  Source: avis.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Policy

  Avis website Terms of Use require written notice of a claim 30 days before a proceeding, then AAA arbitration under commercial rules with a class action waiver; small claims court is allowed.

  Source: avis.com, verified 2026-10-12

• Policy

  Avis says it will never ask you to pay for your rental with a gift card; such a request is a common fraudulent practice and does not come from an Avis representative.

  Source: avis.com, verified 2026-10-12

Rules in force

• Restore Online Shoppers' Confidence Act (ROSCA) negative option requirements
  15 U.S.C. 8401-8405

  A seller that charges consumers online through a negative option feature (for example an automatic renewal or a free trial that converts to paid) must clearly disclose all material terms before taking billing information, get the consumer's express informed consent before charging, and provide simple mechanisms to stop recurring charges. The FTC enforces ROSCA.

  Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

  1 citable point

  • Policy

    The seller must obtain "a consumer's express informed consent before charging the consumer's credit card, debit card, bank account, or other financial account".

    Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-12

If that fails, escalate

Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.

1. Customer service

   PhoneAvis customer service (United States) +1-800-352-7900

   Budget renters use budget-customer-service-phone.

2. Written complaint

   EmailAvis customer service email custserv@avis.com

   For damage claims, ask the claim administrator for photos, repair invoices and the fleet utilization log.

3. Card or bank dispute

   Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)

   Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)

4. State agency

   Your state’s attorney general. Find it in the list of state agencies (also as JSON: states/<code>.json, for example states/ny.json).

5. Arbitration

   MailAvis Rent A Car System, LLC (customer contact and notice of dispute address) Avis Rent A Car System, LLC, 379 Interpace Parkway, Parsippany, NJ 07054

   Website Terms of Use: 30-day written notice, then AAA arbitration or small claims court.

6. Small claims court

Watch out

Related

• Billing error at other companies
• Car rentals — how complaints work
• Avis Budget Group (Avis and Budget): damage charge after a rental or stay