§ 18-108. Rental vehicle companies; separately stated charges.

   (a) "Rental vehicle company" defined. -- In this section, "rental vehicle company" means a person that rents a motor vehicle to a consumer.

(b) In general. -- A rental vehicle company may charge a consumer a separately stated fee to recover the following costs incurred by the rental vehicle company:

   (1) Any portion of the rental vehicle company's titling and registration costs incurred under Title 13 of this article for its fleet of rental vehicles;

   (2) Any concession fees paid to a government owned or operated:

      (i) Airport; or

      (ii) Other entity;

   (3) Any consolidated facility fees imposed by a government owned or operated entity to pay for the use of the facility by the rental vehicle company or otherwise related to the use of the facility; or

   (4) Any other fee or charge imposed by a governmental entity.

(c) Amount of fees charged. --

   (1) A rental vehicle company may determine the amount of a separately stated fee it will charge to recover costs described under subsection (b)(1) of this section, provided that the rental vehicle company does not intend to recover an amount in excess of the costs it actually incurs.

   (2) If the total amount of the fees collected by a rental vehicle company under this section during a 12-month period exceeds the rental vehicle company's actual costs incurred during the same 12-month period, the rental vehicle company shall:

      (i) Retain the excess amount; and

      (ii) Adjust the estimated average charge for the following 12-month period by a corresponding amount.

(d) Disclosure requirements. -- If a rental vehicle company advertises the rental rate for a vehicle available for rent in the State, the fees authorized under this section shall be clearly disclosed in the advertisement.

(e) Fee statement to be included in rental agreement and website. --

   (1) The separately stated fee authorized for recovery of costs described under subsection (b)(1) of this section shall be described in the rental agreement as:

   "The estimated average per day per vehicle portion of the rental company's total annual titling and registration costs".

   (2) A rental vehicle company shall post the statement required under paragraph (1) of this subsection on the rental vehicle company's website, if any, for consumers participating in an extended rental program under a master rental agreement.

HISTORY: 2006, ch. 545.