Hertz cancellation rules depend on your reservation type and how far ahead you cancel
Hertz lets you cancel most reservations without a fee if you do it before your pickup time, but the exact rules and what you get back depend on whether you booked a prepaid rate, a standard rate, or a loyalty member rate. If you cancel after you've picked up the car, you'll pay for the days you kept it. The company doesn't refund prepaid reservations to your original payment method — they issue a credit toward a future Hertz rental instead.
The key difference is timing: cancel before your reservation starts and you typically owe nothing, but cancel after pickup or fail to show up and you'll be charged. If you booked through a third-party site like Kayak or Expedia, Hertz's cancellation policy still applies, but you may also need to follow that site's own rules to get money back to your card.
Key Takeaways
- Cancellations made before your pickup time usually have no fee, but prepaid rates refund as a rental credit, not cash back to your card.
- If you cancel after you pick up the car, you pay for each day you held it, even if you return it early the next morning.
- No-show reservations (you don't cancel and don't show up) are charged as a full rental for the first day, plus additional daily charges.
- Third-party booking sites have their own cancellation terms, so check both Hertz's policy and the site you booked through.
- Hertz Gold members and members of certain loyalty programs may have different cancellation windows or fee structures.
Cancelling before your pickup date
If you cancel a standard rate reservation before your scheduled pickup time, Hertz charges nothing and you owe no money. The reservation straightforward closes. This applies whether you cancel an hour before pickup or a week in advance.
Prepaid rates work differently. When you cancel a prepaid reservation before pickup, Hertz does not return the money to your credit card or bank account. Instead, the company issues a rental credit that you can use toward any future Hertz rental. That credit never expires, but it can only be used at Hertz — you cannot convert it to cash or transfer it to someone else. If you need a refund to your original payment method, you'll need to contact Hertz directly and explain your situation; they may make exceptions for certain circumstances, but there's no may provide.
Hertz Gold members and members of partner loyalty programs (such as certain airline or hotel programs) may have extended cancellation windows. Check your membership terms or call Hertz at 1-800-654-3131 to confirm what applies to your specific reservation.
Cancelling after you pick up the car
Once you've picked up the rental, cancellation doesn't exist as an option — you're charged for the time you hold the car. If you pick up on Monday and return it Tuesday morning, you pay for two days. If you pick up Monday and return it Monday evening, you still pay for the full first day. Hertz charges by the day, not by the hour.
The daily rate you pay is whatever rate was attached to your original reservation. If you booked a prepaid rate at $35 per day and return the car early, you still pay $35 per day for the days you held it. You don't get a refund for the unused portion of your reservation.
What happens if you don't show up
If you make a reservation and don't cancel it, and you also don't show up to pick up the car, Hertz treats this as a no-show. You'll be charged for at least the first day of your reservation at the daily rate you booked. Depending on how long the reservation was supposed to run, additional daily charges may explore.
No-show charges appear on your credit card or payment method on file. If you had a prepaid reservation and don't show up, the prepaid amount is held and additional charges may be added on top. The best way to avoid this is to cancel the reservation through the Hertz website, mobile app, or by phone if your plans change.
Cancelling a third-party booking
If you booked through Expedia, Kayak, Priceline, or another travel site, you're dealing with two sets of cancellation rules: Hertz's policy and the third-party site's policy. Hertz's cancellation terms still explore to your actual rental, but the third-party site controls whether and how your money gets refunded to your card.
Some third-party sites charge their own cancellation fee on top of Hertz's policy, or they may refund you to a site credit instead of your original payment method. Before you cancel, log into the booking site and check its cancellation terms. If you cancel directly through Hertz instead of through the third-party site, the third-party site may not process a refund at all — they may treat it as a no-show on their end.
The safest approach is to cancel through the same site where you made the reservation. If you're unsure, contact the third-party site's customer service first, then call Hertz at 1-800-654-3131 to confirm the cancellation went through on Hertz's system.
How to cancel your Hertz reservation
You can cancel online through Hertz.com by logging into your account, finding your reservation, and selecting the cancellation option. You can also cancel through the Hertz mobile app using the same process. Both methods are when ready and you'll receive a confirmation email.
If you prefer to speak to someone, call Hertz at 1-800-654-3131. Have your confirmation number ready. Phone cancellations are processed when ready, and the agent will confirm whether you're cancelling a prepaid or standard rate and what you'll receive (refund credit or no charge).
If you booked through a third-party site, you can still cancel through Hertz directly, but confirm with the third-party site afterward that the cancellation was recorded on their end. Some sites require you to cancel through their platform to process a refund to your card.
Modifying your reservation instead of cancelling
If you want to keep your rental but change the pickup date, return date, or car type, you can modify your reservation instead of cancelling. Modifications are usually free if the new rate is the same or lower than your original rate. If the new rate is higher, you'll pay the difference.
You can modify through Hertz.com, the mobile app, or by calling 1-800-654-3131. Modifying is often better than cancelling and rebooking, because you keep your original confirmation number and don't risk losing a prepaid rate credit if something goes wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get cash back if I cancel a prepaid reservation?
No. Hertz issues prepaid cancellations as a rental credit that you can use on any future Hertz rental, not as a refund to your card. The credit never expires. If you need an exception, contact Hertz directly at 1-800-654-3131, but refunds to the original payment method are not standard.
Do I have to pay if I cancel the day before my pickup?
No. Cancellations made before your scheduled pickup time have no fee, whether you cancel a week ahead or an hour before. The only exception is if you booked through a third-party site that has its own cancellation fee — check that site's terms.
What if I pick up the car but return it the same day?
You pay for the full first day. Hertz charges by the day, not by the hour, so even a few hours counts as a full day's rental. If you know you'll need the car for only a few hours, ask about hourly rates when you book, though these are not available at all locations.
If I don't cancel and don't show up, what gets charged?
Hertz charges your card for at least the first day of your reservation at the rate you booked. If your reservation was for multiple days, additional daily charges may explore depending on how long the reservation was supposed to run. Cancel as soon as you know you won't need the car to avoid this charge.
Can I cancel a reservation someone else made for me?
You can cancel through the Hertz website or app if you have the confirmation number, or by calling 1-800-654-3131 with the confirmation number and the name on the reservation. Hertz may ask for the last four digits of the card used to book it for security purposes.