Elliott Confidential

Elliott Confidential

CONSUMER ALERT: California bans deceptive car rental pricing

A new law targets junk fees that frustrate motorists. Will this spread to other states?

Christopher Elliott's avatar
Christopher Elliott
Oct 13, 2025
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Have you ever rented a car only to find the final price was far higher than what you saw online? Maybe it was an airport surcharge, a “concession recovery” fee, or a mysterious “energy cost” added just before checkout that jacked up the price of your rental.

California lawmakers say those days are over — and the rest of the country may not be far behind.

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