GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2001

HOUSE BILL 1269
RATIFIED BILL

AN ACT REGARDING AIRPORT FEES AND CHARGE FOR RENTAL CARS. 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 66‑202 reads as rewritten:
"§ 66‑202.  Rental car advertising.
(a)	Except as set forth in subsections (d) and (e) of this section and G.S. 66-204(a), a rental car company shall only advertise and charge a rental rate that includes the entire amount, except taxes and a mileage charge, if any, that a renter must pay to hire or lease a vehicle for the period of time to which the rental rate applies.
(b)	If a rental car company states a rental rate in a print advertisement or in an in‑person or computer‑transmitted quotation contained in the rental car company's proprietary computer reservation system, the rental car company shall clearly disclose or cause to be disclosed in that advertisement or quotation the terms of any mileage conditions relating to the advertised or quoted rental rate, including, but not limited to:  To the extent applicable, the amount of mileage and fuel charges; the number of miles for which no charge will be imposed; and a description of the geographic driving limitations, if any, within the United States and Canada.
(c)	A rental car company shall also include in all advertising the daily rate it charges for collision damage waivers; shall state in such advertising that collision damage waivers are not required; and shall state that prospective renters should examine or inquire about their automobile insurance policies to see whether such policies will cover damage to rental vehicles.
(d)	For a rental rate stated in an advertisement, quotation, or reservation for an airport location, a rental car company shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the existence and actual amount of the airport charges or fees, if any. For a rental rate stated in an advertisement, quotation, or reservation involving more than one airport location, a rental car company shall clearly and conspicuously disclose the existence and range of airport charges or fees, if any, or the maximum airport charge or fee. For purposes of this section, advertisements shall include radio, television, other electronic media, and print. For purposes of this section, quotations and reservations shall include in-person or proprietary computer-transmitted reservation systems.
(e)	A rental car company shall clearly and conspicuously display the amount of the airport charges or fees in any proprietary computer-assisted reservation system, shown or referenced on the same page on the computer screen viewed by the renter as the displayed rental rate and in a print size not smaller than the print size of the rental rate. A rental car company shall inform the renter of the amount of the airport charges or fees either at the time of making an initial quotation of a rental rate or at the time of making a reservation, if the quotation is made by the rental car company for a location at which it collects airport charges or fees. A rental car company shall separately identify the amount and existence of the airport charges or fees on the rental agreement."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 66‑203(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	No rental car company may charge, in addition to the rental rate, taxes, airport charges and fees, if any, and mileage charge, if any, any fee that must be paid by the renter as a condition of hiring or leasing a vehicle, such as, but not limited to, required fuel charges or any fee for transporting the renter to the location where the rented vehicle will be delivered to that person."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 66‑204(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	In addition to the rental rate, taxes, airport charges and fees, if any, and mileage charge, if any, a rental car company may charge a renter for an item or service provided in connection with a particular rental transaction if the renter can avoid incurring that charge by choosing not to obtain or utilize the optional item or service. Items and services for which a rental car company may impose an additional charge include, but are not limited to:  Optional insurance and accessories requested by the renter unless otherwise prohibited by law; service charges incident to a person's optional return of the vehicle to a location other than the location where the vehicle was hired or leased;  and charges for refueling the vehicle at the conclusion of the rental transaction in the event the rented vehicle is not returned with as much fuel as was in its fuel tank at the beginning of the rental."
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 27th day of September, 2001.

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		 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

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		 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

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		 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2001