AVIS/Budget Agreement

The Attorney General's Office has reached an agreement with the Avis and Budget car rental companies over allegations that customers were not clearly informed about the terms of usage for an electronic toll plaza pass. Under the agreement, Floridians who rented cars from Avis or Budget between March 1, 2008 and September 30, 2008 will be entitled to refunds for fees charged for “Plate Pass” service on days they did not use the service.

Avis, which owns Budget, provides a service known as “Plate Pass” which allows car rental customers to avoid waiting in lines at Florida toll plazas and instead receive a bill for the amount of the tolls, plus a fee for the use of the feature. According to an investigation by the Attorney General’s Economic Crimes Division, when Avis originally initiated the plate pass service, customers were billed the fee only for the days they actually used the plate pass. In March 2008, Avis allegedly changed its policy so that if a customer used the feature just once during the rental term, the customer was billed a $2.50 fee per day for the remainder of their retail period.

Avis will refund Florida Avis and Budget Customers who, between March 1, 2008 and September 30, 2008, were billed on days when they did not use the service. Customers may download a claim for reimbursement or may call1-866-966-7266 to request a reimbursement form by mail. Notarized claims forms must be submitted on or before February 15, 2010 as determined by postmark date.