To return a rental car in Dubai without disputes, do four things: bring it back with the fuel level written in your contract, take all your belongings, film the car on all sides including the dashboard, and hand it over at the agreed time. Salik crossings and fines arrive with a delay, so they are settled after the return at actual cost. Here is the full checklist.

The day before you return the car

  • Confirm the time and place. You can return the car to our office in Princess Tower, Dubai Marina, open daily from 10:00 to 19:00, or we can collect it from your address. On rentals from 7 days delivery and return anywhere in Dubai are free; on shorter rentals the AED 210 delivery charge already covers both delivery and return.
  • If you need to return it outside Dubai. Returns in Sharjah, Abu Dhabi or at Sharjah airport are not part of our standard terms, so ask us in advance.
  • If you are running late. Ask us about late-return terms and agree them in writing. If you want to extend, write before the rental ends; extensions are covered in a separate article.
  • Check your kilometres. Most cars include 250 km per day, so 1,750 km over a week. Compare with the odometer reading at handover: anything over the allowance is charged at the car's own per-km rate, shown on its page.

Fuel and charging

The fuel level is recorded in the contract at handover. Return the car the same way: if you got a full tank, fill it up. Refuelling close to the return point avoids arguments about the needle sitting a little low. Keep the receipt and photograph the fuel gauge after filling up.

If you have an electric car, ask in advance what charge level is expected. For a sports or premium car, use the fuel grade recommended for it, which is usually shown inside the fuel flap.

Condition and cleanliness

  • Clear rubbish, bottles and bags out of the cabin and boot.
  • After a desert trip, shake out the mats and get rid of the sand, which collects under the seats and in the boot. Ask us whether a wash is needed and whether heavy dirt is charged.
  • Walk round the car yourself: bumpers, wheels (kerbed rims in car parks are the most common damage), windscreen and mirrors.
  • If something happened during the rental, tell us straight away rather than waiting for it to be spotted at return. We cover what to do after an accident in a separate article; the key point is the police report.

Photos and video at return

This is the same routine as at pick-up, but now it protects you at settlement. Record one continuous video: a lap of the car, close-ups of each side, bumpers and wheels, then the interior and the dashboard with the ignition on so the mileage, fuel level and clock are visible. Take separate photos of the odometer and fuel gauge.

Keep these files until all Salik crossings and fines for the rental period are closed. That data does not arrive at once, and time-stamped photos show exactly when the car was handed back.

Personal items and data

  • Glovebox, door pockets, armrest, under the seats, the spare-wheel well in the boot.
  • Sunglasses, chargers and cables, phone holder, hotel key cards.
  • A child seat if it is yours. If you borrowed one from us, return it with the car.
  • Remove your phone from Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, and clear saved navigation addresses.
  • If you paid for parking through an app using the car's plate, delete that plate from your app after the return so you do not pay for the next renter's parking by accident.

Keys, documents and proof of return

Hand back every key you received. The vehicle registration card stays in the car. Ask for written confirmation of the return showing the date and time, mileage and fuel level. If the car is collected from your address, do the same with our staff member and never leave the keys anywhere without handing them over in person.

What happens after the return

  • Salik. Gates charge the tag in the car, and the data comes through with a delay of several days. The renter pays crossings at actual cost with no markup, and you can ask for a breakdown by date and gate.
  • Fines. Speeding and other fines arrive electronically and are also paid by the renter at actual cost.
  • Settling up. If you paid by card, the rental amount may have been held as a pre-authorisation and is charged at the end. How to close Salik and fines that arrive after you have left, in cash before departure or another way, is something to agree with us at return.
  • Deposit. Every car has a refundable deposit; on supercars it can be higher than AED 1,000, and the exact amount is shown on the car page. Ask at return when and how it will be refunded.

Quick checklist

  • Return time and place confirmed in writing.
  • Fuel at the contract level, receipt kept.
  • Cabin free of rubbish and sand.
  • Video outside and inside, photos of odometer and fuel gauge.
  • Belongings collected, phone unpaired from the car.
  • Keys handed over, proof of return received.
  • Agreed how Salik and fines will be settled.

Any questions about returning the car, write to info@rentalcars-dubai.ae.