Signing up
- Before you start your adventure, you need to create an account.
- You can get approved to drive before you book a car by going to your account page.
- We run all guests through the approval process when they book a car to keep our platform safe for both hosts and guests.
- Expect verification to take at least 24 hours.
- We take the safety and security of our community very seriously. And, we want to make sure that we have the best hosts and guests on our platform. This means, it may take longer for some users to get verified.
- Check your approval status on your account page before your trip starts.
- If you’ve been denied, we may ask for more information.
- After you get approved to drive, you’re ready to find the perfect car.
Choosing a car
- Choose your location and search for a car. You can adjust the trip dates and times to suit your plans. If your trip is flexible, you might have more options if you play with the start time.
- You can filter by type of vehicle, mileage included, delivery, and other options.
- Once you find the perfect car, you’re ready to book.
Turo badges
“Book Instantly”
- If the car is available, you can book it immediately without waiting for the host to accept your trip request.
- Once you book, message the host to arrange pick-up and drop off.
“App Unlock”
- These are Turo Go vehicles, which have a device that allows you to lock and unlock the car from the Turo app. Turo Go is only available in select markets.
- You must have the Turo app downloaded and updated on your mobile device to take a trip in a Turo Go car.
“All-Star Host”
- All-Star Hosts are top-performing, high quality hosts.
- They have the fastest response times and ratings.
Booking a trip
Once you select a car, you’ll see its full listing. Here, you can add the details of your trip and check out. On the listing page, you’ll see:
Trip dates
- Choose your trip’s start and end. Your trip’s cost is based on the trip length and other factors. Changing the start and end time might change the overall cost of your trip.
- You can only book one car at a time. If you have already submitted a request for a set of dates, you can’t book a new trip that overlaps with any of those dates.
- You can always arrange trip changes with your host later.
Pick up & return location
- This is where you pick up and drop off the car.
- If your host offers delivery, you’ll be able to select it from the drop down menu.
Discounts
- We’ll let you know if your trip price has changed due to 3+ day, 7+ day or 30+ day discounts, or due to discounts for non-refundable trips.
- We’ll also show you any travel credit you may have.
Cancellation policy
- We offer free cancellation depending on how far in advance you’ve booked the trip to be considerate of both.
- On the listing page, we’ll note when your free cancellation period ends.
- You’ll see how long you have to cancel your trip for free based on our Cancellation policy.
Distance included
- This tells you how many miles are included in your entire trip.
- We’ll also list how much you have to pay for any excess distance you drive.
Insurance provided by
- You’ll see here whether the protection is provided by us or your host.
- Commercial Hosts offer their own commercial rental insurance to their guests.
Host
- We work to make sure the best hosts and vehicles are available.
- We’ll show you the details about your host, so you can get to know them. You can also select their profile to get even more information.
Extras
- If your host offers Extras, you’ll see them listed here. Hosts can offer a variety of Extras, like snow chains, ski racks, camping gear, or pre-paid refueling.
Parking, guidelines, FAQs, reviews
- If your host has any guidelines, FAQs, or extra instructions, they’ll write them in the listing.
- You can’t message a host before submitting a trip request, but you can check the listing FAQs for answers.
Checkout
- We won’t charge you just yet.
- This page gives you the full breakdown of the trip details and price.
- You’ll be able to add Extras, select a protection plan, and enter promo codes.
- To submit your request, just write a message to the host and select the green button. This is when you’ll be charged for the trip. For some cars, we may charge a security deposit.
Booking status
- Your host will have up to eight hours to approve or decline your request. Once your host responds, your trip is booked. We’ll notify you of a booked trip by text message, email, and/or iOS app notification: your choice. If your vehicle is enabled to Book Instantly, your trip is booked as soon as you submit the request. You can see your booked trips in “Booked” under the Trips tab.
- If your host doesn’t respond or declines your trip request, we’ll help you rebook quickly with a similar car from a trusted host. If we can’t find a replacement you’re happy with or if you decide not to rebook, we’ll issue you a full refund.
Before the trip
- Once you’ve booked your trip, you’ll be able to select your trip to view all of the details and documents. You can also message the host.
- You can add a secondary driver and edit trip details.
- A few days before your trip starts, double check that you and any additional drivers are approved to drive. If not, contact our verification team before your trip starts.
Picking up the car
- Bring your permanent driver’s license when you come to pick up the car. If you have a temporary license and want to verify that it will be valid for your trip, contact us.
- Your host cannot give you the car if you don’t present them with a valid license.
- You might meet with your host for a key exchange, you might have agreed to a remote key handoff, or you might have Turo Go. You’ll complete a check in and document the vehicle’s condition, mileage, and fuel.
- Make sure to take photos, so we can support you in case of a reimbursement dispute.
- You’re responsible for returning the car in the same condition in which you received it. Photos of the car are the only way to document its condition.
Issues at check-in
- If the car seems unsafe, is extremely dirty, or something doesn’t seem right, please report it to Turo and your host before you take possession of the car!
- If you’re running late because of a flight delay or an emergency, let your host know and request a trip change.
- If at any time, your host cancels your trip, we’ll notify you so you can book a new car.
- In all of these cases, if you and your host can’t come to an agreement, Turo can help you cancel your trip and find a new car.
During your trip
- Be proactive about reporting tickets or tolls.
- Be sure to report any damage or accidents.
- You may not smoke, tow, or race in any Turo vehicle. You can read our Prohibited uses policy.
- If you have a roadside issue during your trip, we can send roadside assistance to help you. Guests who’ve booked a trip with a Turo person-to-person host (not a Commercial Host) have 24/7 access to roadside assistance.
Returning the car
- If you need to keep the car for longer than planned, submit a trip modification request.
- Similarly, if you want to return the car early, you must request a trip modification. Hosts must approve any changes to a trip via the Turo system in order for them to be valid. You may be charged for any additional usage if you bring the car back later than the scheduled return time.
- Replace the fuel and clean the car. Cars must be returned with the same level of fuel and in the same condition as when the trip started.
- Check the car for damage and take pictures to document the car’s condition post trip. If you don’t take pictures, you may be held liable for damage reported by your host. Things can happen between trips, so it’s important we have details about how you left the car. If there’s a reimbursement dispute, you’ll need photos as proof.
- Make sure you return the car to the right location. Some hosts might have designated parking spaces; some hosts rely on street parking. If you’re parking the car on the street, make sure you park where it’ll be safe from tickets and tows for 24 hours.
After the trip
- You’ll be able to leave a review about your trip and your host will also be able to review you as a guest.
- If we charged a security deposit, we’ll issue a refund for the deposit 80 hours after the trip ends. You should see the funds back in your account at least 3–5 business days after that.
- You may be asked to reimburse the host for an incidental cost from the trip.
- If you dispute a reimbursement request or a damage claim, we’ll ask you to provide supporting documentation. This most likely includes photos of the car at the end of the trip. We’ll review all documentation to make a determination.
- If you or your host has reported vehicle damage, a member of our Claims team will contact you.
If at any time you’re unsure what to do or simply need help, you can contact us. We’re happy to answer your questions. We recommend you browse through the rest of the Help Center and look over our Terms of Service and Policies before you start your trip.