Smoking in a rental car – Can I smoke in a hire car?

All rental cars are deemed smoke free zones and your rental terms and conditions will stipulate that you are not permitted to smoke in a rental car. That said, unless local legislation stipulate otherwise, you won’t be breaking any laws by lighting up in a rental car. What you will do however is expose yourself to a potentially large cleaning bill from the rental agent and so we strongly recommend that you don’t smoke in a rental car.

Cigarette Burns in a Rental Car?

If you do flaunt the terms of your rental and smoke inside the car, not only are you opening yourself up to a possible excess cleaning charge, should you damage the car, whether from a cigarette burn or worse, cause an accident whilst smoking your excess insurance is likely to be invalidated for using the car outside of the terms and conditions of the rental, exposing you to a significant repair bill.

What About E-Cigarettes?

Our advice would remain the same, whilst it’s still a grey area you’re better off pulling over or planning a short break if you want to have an e-cigarette in a rental car. Whilst e-cigarettes don’t produce the same smoke or lasting smell on car fabrics that could leave you in hot water over cleaning / valeting charges, smoking in a car, e-cigarette or otherwise, can cause an unnecessary distraction.

Is it Illegal to Smoke Whilst Driving?

Whilst in the UK, it is not illegal to smoke in the car (unless there are children under 18 years of age on board), much like eating, drinking or other activity it could lead to a charge of driving without due care and attention. Whilst difficult to prove, it’s rarely a risk worth taking. Discarding cigarette butts out of the window is a major cause of wild fires, particularly in hot climates and is a specific offence in many countries. Authorities in France suggested that 16% of all wild fires were caused by cigarette butts thrown from cars.

Where is it Illegal to Smoke in a Rental Car?

We look at current driving laws in some of our most popular locations to see where it would be illegal to smoke in a rental car and restrictions.