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:
Returning the car
If at any time you’re unsure what to do or simply need help, you can contact your host first.
When you return your host’s vehicle at the end of a trip, be sure to:
When you book a Rental, your Booking is either (a) with us or (b) directly with the Service Provider. Either way:
2. In most cases, you’ll get your Booking Confirmation as soon as you complete your Booking – but if the Service Provider doesn’t confirm your Rental immediately, we won’t take payment or send you your Booking Confirmation until they’ve done so.
3. If there’s any mismatch between these Terms and the Rental Agreement, the Rental Agreement will apply.
What we will do
1. We provide the Platform on which Service Providers can promote and sell their vehicles – and you can search for, compare and rent them.
2. Once you’ve booked your Rental:
What you need to do
1. You must provide all the information we need to arrange your Booking (contact details, Pick-up time, etc.).
2. You must read and agree to comply with these Terms and the Rental Agreement – and acknowledge that if you breach them:
3. You must check your Rental’s specific requirements, as many details (driving license requirements, security deposit, paperwork needed, payment cards accepted, etc.) vary per Rental. So please make sure you carefully read:
4. You must be at the rental counter by your Pick-up Time. If you think you might be late, it’s vital that you contact the Car Rental or us, even if it’s because of a flight delay and you’ve provided your flight number.
5. The key terms of your Rental tell you what the Main Driver needs at Pick-up. You must ensure that when they get to the rental counter, they bring everything they need (e.g. driving license, any required ID, and a credit card in their own name, with enough available funds to cover the security deposit).
6. You must make sure the Main Driver is both eligible and fit (in the Service Provider’s opinion) to drive the car.
7. You must have all the documents (such as ID, confirmation and driving license) that you need at Pick-up.
8. You must show the counter staff each driver’s full, valid driving license. If any driver has endorsements/points on their license, please let us know as soon as possible, as the Service Provider may not allow them to drive.
9. You must ensure that every driver has their own International Driving Permit (if they need one) as well as their driving license. Note that all drivers must carry their driving license (and International Driving Permit, if they need one) at all times.
10. You must ensure that every child has an appropriate child seat if they need one.
11. You must, if anything goes wrong during your Rental (accident, breakdown, etc.):
A Commercial Host may or may not require you to have personal insurance. Check the vehicle listing to see if the host lists this as a requirement. The listing should also make clear whether the vehicle price includes the cost of insurance or if it’s a separate charge you’ll pay the host outside of ARO. Many Commercial Hosts offer a collision damage waiver as an Extra that you can buy when you book your trip. If insurance is separate, you’ll confirm with your host the cost and when and how you’ll pay for coverage.
Since you’ll buy or receive liability insurance directly from a Commercial Host, you’ll work with them and their insurer if you’re involved in an accident or damage to the vehicle. ARO won’t handle the claims process. If you’re in an accident or the car breaks down, you’ll coordinate roadside assistance directly with your host. ARO-provided roadside assistance isn’t available to guests traveling in a car that belongs to a Commercial Host
You must be 21 or older to book a trip with a Commercial Host.vCommercial Host will offer you their own commercial rental or liability insurance. Commercial Hosts set their own age restrictions for certain vehicle types and their own fees for young drivers. They must disclose this information in their vehicle listing.
How much does a trip cost?
How much a trip costs depends on the choices you make. Choices such as the vehicle you select, the protection plan you purchase, whether you add Extras, and more. Each element is a separate charge and we’ll show you an itemized list of ARO charges on the checkout screen before you submit your trip request. Commercial Hosts may charge added costs that you’ll pay outside of ARO. Any such charges won’t appear on the itemized list at checkout. Read a Commercial Host’s vehicle listing carefully to learn of any additional charges.
The following is a list of charges you may see on the checkout screen before you book your trip:
This is a vehicle’s listed rate multiplied by the trip length. Hosts can set a standard rate for all calendar days or set different prices for different days. The Trip price you see always reflects the vehicle’s daily rate for your chosen travel dates.
The trip fee is a fixed fee of $10 for our services.
We won’t charge this fee. Commercial Hosts will offer their own commercial rental insurance. They’ll manage and price insurance and charge you for it outside of ARO. Hosts who charge for their own protection plan, must make that clear in their vehicle listing.
We won’t charge this fee, but Commercial Host might charge this fee. If they do, they’ll include it in the vehicle listing.
This is the amount a host charges to pickup and drop off a vehicle. That single listed fee covers delivery at the start and end of a trip.
We won’t charge these fees. This is the cost to buy optional convenience or physical items some hosts offer. These include conveniences such as prepaid refueling and unlimited mileage and items such as gps, car seats, etc. Hosts set their own price for extras.
We won’t charge this fee, but Commercial Host might charge this fee. If they do, they’ll include it in the vehicle listing.
Puerto Rico law requires car rentals to collect the local tax of 11.5% for their services.
*We display the Trip Price and related costs in US dollars (US$).
If you disregard ARO’s or Commercial Host’s guidelines or violate policies, you may be charged a penalty fee. ARO may also charge a processing fee for some actions. If you cancel a trip outside of the free cancellation period or fail to show up for a booked trip, ARO will charge you a cancellation fee. Hosts who charge for the fees, must make that clear in their vehicle listing. See a summary of guest fees below:
You aren’t expected to clean or disinfect a car before returning it to your host. However, you do have the following responsibilities for documenting and maintaining vehicle cleanliness.
Note: Host will contact you directly to collect any cleaning costs.
You’re responsible for paying the cost of tickets that result from illegal driving or improper parking. You do not have to pay tickets related to the car itself. For example, tickets for tinted windows, “fix-it” tickets, or tickets for lapsed insurance. You’re also responsible for all parking tickets and related fines received up to 24 hours after the trip ends. If your improper parking results in the car being towed and impounded, you’re responsible for all related costs.
If you get a ticket, notify your host as soon as possible. Every transportation authority has a different billing cycle, which means your host may not receive the ticket and send you an invoice until several months after your trip ends. That means your host may not receive notice of a ticket until long after your trip has ended. Commercial Hosts are unable to invoice you for incidental costs via ARO and will contact you directly to resolve any reimbursement issues.
Moving violations include, for example, speeding, reckless driving, and running a stop sign or red light. These kinds of violations may result in a ticket that affects your host’s insurance or driving record. If that happens, the host may contact us to transfer liability of the ticket to you. ARO helps hosts with ticket liability transfers for trips that took place in Puerto Rico. If a host contacts us to transfer liability for a ticket, we’ll notify you. We’ll also provide the ticketing agency with the information they need to transfer the ticket. If the ticket requires notarization, we’ll be obligated to provide some personal information to your host. We’ll give them only the information they need to have the ticket notarized and transferred. If we do so, we’ll notify you. Outside of that circumstance, we won’t provide any of your personal information to your host.
You’re responsible for paying any bridge or road tolls, including tolls incurred while using a host’s transponder device. If you fail to pay a toll within the allotted time frame, you may be responsible for escalated charges. Commercial Hosts will contact you directly to collect any toll costs.
Trip photos document the car’s condition before you begin your trip and its condition at the end of the trip. Trip photos are important because they:
All guests must take pre- and post-trip photos. Keep the following in mind as you take photos to document the vehicle’s status and condition fully and accurately.
To cancel a trip please contact ARO and your host. You can’t cancel a trip that’s in progress, and once you cancel, you’re no longer authorized to receive or drive the car. If you need to cancel at the start of a trip because the car is dirty, unsafe, or smells of smoke, tell your host immediately and contact us.
The amount of your refund depends on when you cancel and the length of the trip. After 24 hours, we’ll automatically issue your refund. Your bank will take an additional 3–10 business days to process and return the funds to your account. If you don’t want to rebook and don’t want to wait 24 hours, you can opt for ARO to initiate the refund immediately. Choose this option when you cancel or via a link in your cancellation email.
We’ll refund you in full if you cancel during our Free cancellation period — 24 hours before your trip starts or one hour after booking if you booked less than 25 hours in advance. The cancellation period is based on Puerto Rico’s time zone. If you change your trip in any way, the free cancellation period remains tied to the original booking time. Message your host to let them know you’re canceling.
We’ll refund you in full if your host cancels your trip or fails to show up within 1 hour of the trip’s start time.
We’ll partial refund you if you cancel during our partial cancellation period — 12 to 23 hours before your trip starts.
If your trip was two days or shorter, we’ll refund
If your trip was longer than two days, we’ll refund:
Call and message your host to let them know you’re canceling. Email us too.
If you don’t cancel a trip and fail to show up within 1 hour of the trip start time, we consider that a guest no-show and will issue you a partial refund. If you arrive to check in for your trip with no license, with an invalid license, or you send an additional or unapproved driver in your place, that’s also a guest no-show. ARO or the host will cancel guest no-show trips, and ARO will issue a partial refund.
If your trip was two days or shorter, we’ll refund
If your trip was longer than two days, we’ll refund:
Exceptions to the refund amounts for cancellations outside the free period and for no-shows may apply in the event of a flight delay, cancellation, or lost baggage, safety issues tied to vehicle cleanliness, or other extenuating circumstances.
If your flight is delayed or canceled or you’re delayed because of lost luggage, you must update your host. We encourage hosts to be accommodating if they can, so you may be able to adjust your trip start time. Once you know your new arrival time or when you can start your trip, work it out with your host. If your host can’t accommodate your change and cancels the trip, we’ll help you find another vehicle.
Do I get a refund if I have to cancel because of a flight issue?
If your flight is delayed or canceled, we’ll issue you a full refund if you meet the criteria listed below. If your flight is canceled or delayed more than 3 days in advance of your ARO trip, our standard Cancellation policy will apply. To receive a full refund, all the following must apply:
If you’re delayed because of lost baggage, ARO will issue you a full refund if you meet the criteria listed below:
If a host cancels your trip, 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. Your bank will take an additional 3-10 business days to return the funds to your account.
To request a refund:
If you don’t want to rebook, you can either wait 24 hours, and we’ll automatically initiate a refund of your original payment amount. Or you can take these steps:
Allow time for your bank or credit provider to process the refund.
If a host can’t honor your booked trip, they should be the one to cancel. If you cancel, ARO may charge you a cancellation fee. If your hosts ask you to cancel, tell them if they can’t provide the vehicle as scheduled, they have to cancel the trip by contacting ARO. If your host needs to cancel but they haven’t, and it’s preventing you from booking a new trip, contact us.
If you received a cancellation notice but neither you nor your host canceled the trip, it means ARO canceled because of an issue with your verification. ARO cancellations are effective immediately and auto-trigger a full refund. Your bank will take an additional 3-10 business days to return the funds to your account. If you have questions about a ARO canceled trip, you can contact us.
Before you complete check-in, inspect the vehicle thoroughly and take pre-trip photos. If you’re meeting your host in person, ask them to wait while you do so.
If you discover the car doesn’t meet legal requirements or is unsafe to drive, don’t complete check-in. Contact your host immediately. Safety reasons include, but aren’t limited to, outdated or missing registration, a missing personal insurance card, a missing license plate, broken headlights, broken mirrors, or bald tires. Your host may be able to provide you with another car or make other arrangements for you. If you’re unable to come to an arrangement, take clear photos of the car’s condition and send it to us. Then immediately contact ARO Support
If you notice any smoke odors or have concerns about the car’s cleanliness, don’t complete check-in. Contact your host immediately. You may only be eligible for a full refund if you don’t complete check-in.
All cars on ARO are non-smoking vehicles. ARO prohibits guests, their passengers, and vehicle hosts from smoking in any car listed on ARO. This policy covers the use of, but is not limited to, any tobacco or tobacco-related products, marijuana or marijuana substitutes, e-cigarettes, or personal vaporizers.
You may not smoke in any car, even if you believe your host or a previous guest may have done so. If you return a car with physical evidence of smoking, your host can charge you a fee and we can remove you from ARO. We’ll close your account, and you’ll be unable to appeal this action.
You have the right to a smoke-free vehicle. If at check-in you smell any of the substances listed above, do not check in and immediately tell your host.
Hosts are required to provide you with a clean and disinfected car. You can contact your host to ask about their cleaning and disinfecting routine. You have the right to refuse a vehicle at check-in and cancel a trip if, upon inspection, you’re concerned it hasn’t been cleaned and disinfected. We’ll refund you for the trip or help you book another vehicle as long as you follow the processes outlined below.
If you’re meeting your host to check-in, ask them to stay until you’ve inspected the vehicle’s condition. If you’re checking in remotely without the host being present, inspect the vehicle thoroughly to assess cleanliness. If you have concerns that the car wasn’t cleaned and/or disinfected, do not accept the car. Do not check in for the trip. Take photos that show the car’s condition and immediately contact us. We’ll cancel the trip and issue you a refund or help you find a new car.
You aren’t expected to clean or disinfect the car before returning it to your host. However, if you return the car in a condition that only could have been caused by irresponsible or abusive behavior, your host can charge you a cleaning fee and report the issue to ARO. In some circumstances and at our full discretion, we may also remove you from ARO.
A host can report and charge a violation fee for the following issues:
A host cannot report or charge a violation fee for the following issues:
If there’s clear evidence that you or your passengers smoked in a car, we’ll close your account, and you’ll be unable to use ARO.
If you’re traveling with a service animal or a pet (non-service animal), you should book a vehicle that’s been labeled “pet friendly” and notify the host that you’ll be traveling with a service animal or pet. If you’re traveling with a pet and book a car that’s not listed as “pet friendly,” you must ask for and receive your host’s permission.
Guest responsibilities
If you transport a pet in a non-pet-friendly vehicle without getting your host’s approval they can charge you a pet fee, and ARO can remove you from the platform for violating our Terms of Service. If you return the car with significant amounts of pet hair, your host can charge you a violation fee.
Some hosts offer a prepaid pet fee as an Extra to cover the cost of any post-trip cleaning or maintenance. However, if you purchase a Pet Extra and return the vehicle in a condition that could have only resulted from irresponsible or abusive behavior, your host could still report a cleaning issue and charge a violation fee.
Guests who engage in any Prohibited Uses with a vehicle booked through ARO, may face a penalty fee, suspension, and/or removal from the platform. If the host has encouraged you to engage in a Prohibited Use, they may face a penalty fee, suspension, and/or removal from the platform as well. If you engage in any Prohibited Uses, it will also eliminate any coverage for any claims related to physical damage.
Prohibited vehicle uses and activities include:
*Only ARO-approved drivers can book and drive a car during an ARO trip. To be an “Approved Driver” means that the guest has provided and updated all required documentation, continues to meet all ARO requirements for booking a car, is currently in good standing, and, as per our Terms of Service, is listed on the reservation. Guests may request and be approved to add an additional Approved Driver to a trip. All drivers shall be jointly and severally liable for the trip, but the primary guest (meaning the ARO guest who books the trip) shall remain primarily liable.
When you book a vehicle from a host through ARO, you must use the vehicle only for your personal use. You may not use it for any commercial purposes. Commercial purposes include driving other passengers for a fee such as through Uber or Lyft or delivering food or other packages. We make an exception if you have express written permission from ARO’s Legal Department in advance or ARO has created a program permitting such use. There are currently no programs under which ARO permits the use of vehicles for commercial purposes.
A Commercial Host may or may not require you to have personal insurance. Commercial Host, will offer you their own commercial rental insurance.Commercial Host listings include the notice, “This vehicle belongs to a Commercial Host, an independent car rental company.” The listing will also display the host’s name as the insurance provider for the trip. For now, all the cars listed on ARO belong to Commercial Hosts.
If your host’s vehicle was damaged on your trip, you have to notify your host. Otherwise, hosts must report damage no more than 24 hours after the trip ends and provide pre- and post-trip photos of the damaged area to start the resolution process.
When your host reports damage, we’ll ask them to work with you to resolve the damage directly with no involvement from ARO.
Follow a resolution path: Resolve directly with your host
The fastest, most cost-effective way to resolve an issue for physical damage to the host’s vehicle is for you and your host to work together without ARO’s involvement. Resolving directly with your host lets you avoid paying administrative fees and costs, and there’s not too much we can do.
You and your host have to work together in whatever way suits you both. We recommend following a process similar to this:
Commercial Hosts are independent, local, rental car company hosts who list their vehicles on ARO’s platform. Commercial Host, they’ll offer their own commercial rental liability insurance. Commercial Host vehicles must meet all ARO vehicle eligibility requirements, with the exception of vehicle value limits. Commercial Host listings on ARO have the label: “Commercial Host. This vehicle belongs to a Commercial Host, an independent car rental company.” The listing also displays the host’s name as the insurance provider for the trip
To become a commercial host, you’ll need to provide the following information to ARO:
All vehicles must meet ARO’s list of universal requirements AND specific requirements set for Puerto Rico.
* ARO reserves the right to modify eligibility requirements at any time for any reason
Certain vehicle types CANNOT be listed on our platform; the following is an illustrative list:
General requirements for listing a vehicle on ARO
To list a vehicle on ARO, you must:
Besides meeting the general requirements listed above, vehicles in the US must:
** Cars that have more than 120,000 mi/200,000 km may remain listed as long as they’re in excellent condition, don’t have a branded title, and continue to meet all legal, safety, and mechanical standards.
*** You’re responsible for knowing your vehicle’s title history before listing.
Your safety and that of your guests is our top concern. That’s why we’ve set the following vehicle maintenance requirements and outcomes for non-compliance.
You must:
ARO may:
Note: At this time, only a select group of rental car companies with vehicles registered in Puerto Rico are eligible to operate as Commercial Hosts on ARO. As a Commercial Host, you must provide your guests with commercial rental insurance, and they’ll reach out to you for support and roadside assistance.
Commercial Host responsibilities
If you operate as a Commercial Host, you’re responsible for enforcing your own policies and collecting your own fees. You must disclose these in your public vehicle listing. The following is a detailed explanation of your responsibilities as a Commercial Host.
You must keep a copy of your commercial rental insurance card in your vehicle. If your car gets in an accident or breaks down, you must use your own roadside service. You’ll need to have the car towed and repaired yourself. You must file liability and damage claims through your own insurance and communicate directly with your guests on claims. ARO will neither provide coverage for, nor assistance with, damage-related claims. Let your guests know what to do and whom to contact if they need roadside assistance or the vehicle is damaged during a trip.
Anyone who meets ARO’s general eligibility requirements can book your cars, regardless of their fair market value. You may decide for yourself whether to impose additional eligibility requirements on guests who book high-value vehicles and/or to collect a security deposit
You must approve any additional drivers your guests want to add to their trip. You’ll cover that driver under your insurance policy. Your guests can’t add additional drivers via the ARO platform. You’ll need to instruct them how to add drivers to their trip.
You can charge reasonable fees, penalties, or costs and must disclose them to potential guests in advance on the vehicle listing page. These include, but aren’t limited to, insurance, protection plans, CDW, mileage overages, smoking, cleaning, delivery, late/early returns, deposits (amount and type), fuel replacement, and young driver.
It’s your responsibility to enforce any late return policy you have and collect any related fees. But, we encourage you to report late returns to us so we can determine whether to take any action on the guest’s account. In the unfortunate and rare case that your vehicle is missing or stolen during an ARO booking, we’re unable to help you investigate or recover your vehicle. Contact your insurance and your local police department.
You must alert ARO in any situation where a guest violates our Terms of service. We’ll take the appropriate action to remove the guest from our marketplace.
You must inform us if you want to provide your guest with a different vehicle than the one listed on the trip booking.
When setting a daily price, consider the vehicle’s age, condition, style/trim, features, ease of pickup and drop off, ease of parking, and other ARO cars nearby.
Commercial Hosts are required to state (write) any and all applicable fees, policies, or requirements in their vehicle’s public description.
All fees and policies separate from those that ARO enforces and charges must be disclosed in each listing, including, but not limited to:
Commercial Hosts must collect reimbursement directly from their guests for any incidentals.
Commercial Hosts who do not update their listing accordingly may be subject to suspension from the ARO marketplace until they have updated each of their vehicles with the correct information.
For now, you have to keep us updated with your car’s availability via email.
When you accept a request, ARO will hold the full rental value and then pay you 90% at the end of the rental. If the rental is longer than a week, you will receive a payment at the end of each week. For example, if the rental is three weeks long, you get three payments each worth a third of the rental at the end of each week. We take on all payment processing fees within our commission.
