Terms and Conditions

These Terms and Conditions govern your use of the Altura Rental Cars website and the rental of our vehicles in Costa Rica. Together with the rental agreement you sign at the time of pickup, they form a binding contract between you and us.

Please read them carefully. By making a reservation, signing a rental agreement, or driving one of our vehicles, you agree to be bound by them. If you do not agree, please do not use our services.

1. Definitions

• Agreement means these Terms and Conditions together with the rental record and any additional documents you sign or we provide at the time of rental, electronically or otherwise.
• Altura, we, us, and our mean Altura Rental Cars.
• Renter and you mean each person who signs the rental agreement, each Authorized Driver, and every person or organization to whom charges are billed at your direction.
• Authorized Driver means the Renter and any additional driver we have listed on the rental agreement. No one else may drive the vehicle.
• Vehicle means the vehicle identified in the rental agreement and any vehicle we substitute for it, including its tires, tools, accessories, equipment, keys, and the documents provided inside it at the time of rental.
• Physical Damage means damage to or loss of the Vehicle from any cause, including collision, theft, vandalism, acts of nature, flood, fire, hail, riots or civil disturbance.
• Loss of Use means our inability to use the Vehicle for rental or other business purposes while it is being repaired or replaced.
• Charges means all fees, rates, taxes, and other amounts that become payable under this Agreement.
• TPL means the third-party liability coverage that Costa Rican law requires on every rental vehicle.
• CDW means an optional collision damage waiver, under which we limit or waive our right to recover Physical Damage costs from you.

2. Who can rent and who can drive

To rent a vehicle from us, you must:

• Be at least 25 years of age
• Hold a valid, unexpired driver's license that is recognized for use in Costa Rica and is not suspended or restricted
• Present your passport or another valid government-issued identification
• Provide a credit card in your own name for payment and for the security deposit
• Provide the information we reasonably request to verify your identity

Visitors may drive in Costa Rica on a valid license from their home country for as long as their legal entry period allows. If your license is not in Spanish or English, please carry an official translation or an International Driving Permit.

Only Authorized Drivers may drive the Vehicle. Every additional driver must meet the same requirements and be listed on the rental agreement before driving. Letting an unlisted person drive is a Prohibited Use and voids any optional protection you purchased.

We may decline a rental where we reasonably believe these requirements are not met.

3. Reservations

A reservation is a request for a vehicle category on specific dates, not for a specific vehicle. We will provide a vehicle in the category you booked, and if that category is unavailable at pickup we will offer a comparable or better vehicle at no additional cost.

Rates quoted online are for the rental itself. Mandatory TPL, optional protection, and any add-ons you select are shown separately before you confirm, so that the price you see at checkout is the price you pay at the counter.

If we discover a pricing or availability error, we may correct it, contact you, or cancel the affected reservation. If we cancel because of our own error, any amount you paid is refunded in full.

4. Payment, deposits and charges

You authorize us to hold an amount on your credit card at the start of the rental, in addition to the estimated total charges, as a security deposit. The amount of the hold depends on the vehicle category and on how much optional protection you take, and we confirm it to you before pickup. We authorize release of any unused portion when the rental ends; the time it takes to appear back on your account is set by your card issuer, not by us.

You agree to pay, at or before the end of the rental or on demand:

• The time and mileage charges shown on the rental agreement
• Mandatory TPL and any optional protection or equipment you selected
• Applicable Costa Rican taxes and any airport or location surcharges
• Fuel plus a refueling service fee, if the Vehicle is returned with less fuel than at pickup
• A reasonable cleaning fee if the Vehicle is returned substantially less clean than at pickup, or with evidence of smoking or vaping inside
• Amounts owed for damage, loss, or theft of the Vehicle under Section 6
• Tolls, fines, and penalties under Section 12, plus a reasonable administrative fee
• Costs we incur locating, recovering, or towing the Vehicle if it is not returned as agreed
• A charge for each day or partial day the Vehicle is kept beyond the agreed return time
• Replacement cost of lost or damaged keys, documents, tools, or accessories
• Reasonable costs, including legal fees, we incur collecting unpaid amounts

All charges are subject to a final review. If we find an error in either direction, you authorize us to correct it with your card issuer, and we will tell you when we do.

5. Cancellations and refunds

The cancellation terms that apply to your booking, including any deadline for a full refund of prepaid amounts and any cancellation fee, are shown with your reservation and confirmed in writing when you book. If you do not arrive for pickup and do not contact us, the reservation is treated as a no-show and is generally non-refundable.

Refunds are returned to the original payment method. Travel plans change, so if something comes up, message us on WhatsApp as early as you can and we will do what we reasonably can to help.

6. Your responsibility for damage, loss or theft

Subject to Costa Rican law and to any optional protection you purchased, you are responsible for damage to, loss of, or theft of the Vehicle during the rental period, regardless of fault. Your responsibility may include:

• Physical Damage from collision, weather, road conditions, vandalism, acts of nature, or any other cause
• Where the Vehicle is a total loss, its fair market value at the time of the loss, less salvage value
• Where the Vehicle is repairable, the reasonable cost of repair based on a third-party estimate obtained by us or on our behalf
• Loss of Use, calculated using the daily rate on the rental agreement for the number of days the Vehicle is out of service, which both parties accept as a reasonable estimate rather than a penalty
• A reasonable administrative fee for handling the claim
• Towing, storage, and recovery costs connected to the incident

We will provide the repair estimate or valuation on which any charge is based, and we will not charge for pre-existing damage recorded on the vehicle inspection sheet at pickup. Please review that inspection sheet with our staff and make sure any existing marks are noted before you drive away, as it is the reference we use at return.

7. Condition and return of the vehicle

The Vehicle must be returned to the location, on the date, and at the time stated on the rental agreement, in the same condition as received apart from ordinary wear.

Our assessment of the Vehicle's condition is subject to a final inspection, which may take place after you drop the Vehicle off. If you return the Vehicle outside our working hours, your responsibility under this Agreement continues until that inspection is completed.

You must check and maintain fluid levels during the rental. Any service, repair, or replacement of parts during the rental needs our prior approval; if you arrange work without it, we may decline to reimburse the cost.

8. Fuel and cleaning

Please return the Vehicle with at least the same amount of fuel it had at pickup. If it comes back with less, we charge for the missing fuel plus a reasonable service fee.

Please also return the Vehicle reasonably clean. Sand, mud, spills, stains, pet hair, or smoke odour that require more than standard cleaning may result in a cleaning fee based on the actual cost of restoring the Vehicle.

9. Extensions and late returns

If you need the Vehicle for longer, contact us before the return date on the rental agreement. Extensions are subject to availability and to additional charges. Extending the rental without our agreement is a breach of this Agreement.

If the Vehicle is not returned as agreed and we cannot reach you, charges continue to accrue, and we may treat the Vehicle as overdue and take reasonable steps to recover it.

10. Prohibited uses

The following are Prohibited Uses of the Vehicle. They breach this Agreement, may terminate your rental immediately, and void any optional protection you purchased to the extent permitted by law.

Driving the Vehicle:

• By anyone who is not an Authorized Driver, or whose license is suspended or invalid in any jurisdiction
• While under the influence of alcohol, drugs, controlled substances, or any medication that impairs driving
• While using a hand-held phone or similar device other than in hands-free mode
• In a reckless manner, or with willful disregard for the Vehicle, other people, or their property
• In any race, speed test, or contest
• Through river crossings or flooded roads, along beaches, or on any surface or trail not designated for public vehicle traffic
• Outside Costa Rica, including into Nicaragua or Panama, without our prior written authorization
• Through any structure or underpass with insufficient height or width clearance
• When fluid levels are low, a warning light is showing, or it is otherwise reasonable to expect that continuing to drive would damage the Vehicle
• After an accident, unless and until the authorities have been called to the scene as required

Using the Vehicle:

• For any illegal purpose, or in any way that would constitute a criminal offence beyond a minor traffic violation
• To carry passengers or property for hire, including rideshare or delivery services, without our written agreement
• To push or tow anything, to teach anyone to drive, or to carry objects on the roof unless the Vehicle is fitted with a rack by us
• To carry dangerous, hazardous, or illegal materials
• Loaded beyond the capacity set by the manufacturer, or with inadequately secured cargo
• To carry more people than there are seat belts, or to carry anyone outside the passenger compartment
• To carry children without the child restraints required by Costa Rican law
• To transport animals other than service animals, without our prior authorization
• With the odometer disconnected or tampered with

The following are also Prohibited Uses:

• Smoking or vaping any substance inside the Vehicle
• Failing to notify us and the authorities of an accident, theft, or vandalism involving the Vehicle
• Giving us false or misleading information, or withholding information that would have led us not to rent to you
• Subletting, lending, or transferring the rental to anyone else

11. Accidents and incidents

If you are involved in an accident, or the Vehicle is damaged, stolen, or vandalized:

• Make sure everyone is safe and call emergency services on 911 if anyone is injured
• Do not move the vehicles until the traffic police arrive, unless the authorities instruct otherwise
• Call the traffic police and the national insurer so that an official report is filed
• Exchange information with any other party involved
• Take photographs of the scene, the vehicles, and any damage
• Contact us as soon as you are safe, and complete our incident report form
• Give us a copy of any notice, claim, or legal document you receive about the incident

Please do not admit fault at the scene or agree to repairs on your own. Failing to report damage or an accident of any size, or failing to obtain the official report where one is required, is a material breach of this Agreement and may invalidate any optional protection you purchased.

You are responsible for injury, damage, or loss you cause to yourself, your passengers, and others, except to the extent covered by TPL or by optional coverage you purchased. Where we are required to pay an injured or damaged party an amount you are responsible for, we may recover that amount from you.

12. Tolls, traffic violations and fines

You are responsible for tolls, parking charges, photo enforcement fees, traffic fines, and other penalties assessed against you, us, or the Vehicle during your rental. Please pay them directly to the relevant authority.

If an authority notifies us that we may be responsible for a charge incurred during your rental, you authorize us to provide your rental and payment details to that authority for processing. If we pay a toll or fine on your behalf, you authorize us to charge that amount plus a reasonable administrative fee to the card used for the rental.

13. Vehicle telematics and GPS

Where fitted, these devices may record location, mileage, and trip history during the rental. We use that information for vehicle recovery, roadside assistance, mileage verification, incident and claim investigation, and to respond to lawful requests from authorities. Our Privacy and Cookie Policy explains how the data is handled and how long we keep it.

14. Our right to end a rental

We may end a rental early and recover the Vehicle at your expense if:

• The Vehicle is abandoned, or used in breach of this Agreement or of the law
• A payment fails and is not resolved after reasonable notice
• We reasonably believe the Vehicle is at risk of loss, theft, or serious damage
• You gave us false information in order to rent

Where we end a rental early, we will make reasonable efforts to contact you first and give you the opportunity to return the Vehicle yourself.

15. Personal property and indemnity

Please do not leave valuables in the Vehicle. We are not responsible for loss of or damage to personal property left or carried in the Vehicle, in a service vehicle, or at our premises, except where the loss results from our own negligence.

You agree to indemnify and hold us harmless against claims, liabilities, costs, and reasonable legal fees arising from your use of the Vehicle or from your breach of this Agreement. This does not apply to the extent the claim results from our own negligence or wrongdoing.

16. Limitation of liability

To the extent permitted by law, our total liability to you for any claim connected to your rental or to this Agreement is limited to the total amount you paid for that rental. We are not liable for indirect or consequential losses, such as missed flights, cancelled accommodation, or loss of enjoyment.

We maintain our vehicles to the standards required for commercial rental in Costa Rica. Beyond that, we give no warranty that a vehicle is fit for a particular purpose, so if your route requires a specific capability, please tell us before booking and we will advise on the right category.

Nothing in this Agreement limits rights you have under Costa Rican consumer protection law that cannot be excluded or restricted by contract.

17. Our website

Our website is provided as is. We work to keep it accurate, available, and secure, but we do not promise it will always be uninterrupted or free of errors. Vehicle information, rates, and availability shown on the site may be corrected if we find a mistake, and a reservation is confirmed only once we send you written confirmation.

18. Communications

By giving us your phone number and email address, you agree that we may contact you about your reservation and rental by email, phone, and WhatsApp, including confirmations, reminders, and updates. If an amount remains unpaid, we or a party acting on our behalf may contact you at the numbers and addresses associated with your rental in order to resolve it. Marketing messages require your consent and can be stopped at any time.

19. Privacy

Your personal information is handled according to our Privacy and Cookie Policy, which forms part of this Agreement. You agree that we may disclose your information to authorities or other relevant parties where necessary to comply with the law or to enforce our rights under this Agreement.

20. Changes to these terms

We may update these Terms and Conditions from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top. Changes apply to reservations made after the update. For a rental already under way, the version in effect when you booked continues to apply until the Vehicle is returned.

21. Governing law and disputes

This Agreement is governed by the laws of the Republic of Costa Rica, and any dispute arising from it falls under the jurisdiction of the Costa Rican courts.

Before starting a formal dispute, please contact us so we can try to resolve the matter directly. Most issues are settled with one conversation. Consumers may also raise complaints with the Dirección de Apoyo al Consumidor of the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Commerce.

22. General

No term of this Agreement can be waived or modified except in writing signed by us. If any provision is found invalid or unenforceable, the rest remains in force. Our acceptance of a payment, or our decision not to enforce a right on one occasion, does not waive that right or any other provision. This Agreement, together with the rental agreement you sign and our Privacy and Cookie Policy, is the entire agreement between you and us regarding your rental.

23. Contact us

Questions about these Terms and Conditions or about your rental can be sent to:

Altura Rental Cars

Email: info@alturarentalcars.com
WhatsApp: +506 6399 8270
Location: Near Juan Santamaría International Airport, Costa Rica