Most campervan trips go well. The ones that do not usually have something in common: nobody looked properly at the vehicle on day one, and nobody asked how things work until the water ran out at 9 p.m. on a wet campsite. Pick-up day is boring, slightly stressful and extremely important.

This checklist applies anywhere in the world, from Perth to Reykjavík, because rental depots work in similar ways. We are writing as two people who plan a lot of trips from Rovaniemi, and as readers of a lot of rental contracts, so the advice is practical rather than personal experience of every country. If you have not booked yet, you can compare vans and prices on CampervanPlanet’s price overview, and code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout.

Before you leave home

The best checklist starts at your kitchen table. Read the booking confirmation and the rental conditions, because they contain the rules you will be held to later. On CampervanPlanet each offer states what is included, such as insurance, mileage and equipment, and what you pay locally, for example one-way fees or optional extras. Check these items before you travel:

• Driving licence. Check whether your licence is accepted or whether you need an international permit, and make sure it has been held long enough. Requirements differ by country and company.
• Passport and booking confirmation. Print or save a copy offline.
• Payment card. Many depots take the deposit on a credit card in the main driver’s name. Check which cards are accepted and how large the deposit is.
• Arrival time. Depots have opening hours and sometimes strict handover slots. If your flight is late, tell them early.
• Insurance. Know what the excess is and what the optional cover reduces. Our campervan insurance, deposit and excess guide goes through the terms.

The vehicle inspection

This is where most disputes begin. A depot may offer a quick check-in sheet with a drawing of the van, on which an employee marks a few scratches. Do not rely on it. Take your own record.

Photograph and film

Walk around the van and film every panel slowly, then photograph close-ups of anything damaged: scratches, dents, chips in the windscreen, scuffed alloys, cracked lights. Do the roof and the underside bumpers as well as you can, and film the interior. Keep the files with timestamps. If a mark is on the form but not as bad as in your photo, add a note and ask the employee to initial it.

Check the basics

• Tyres: tread, pressure and the condition of the spare or repair kit.
• Windscreen and wipers: chips spread, and wipers matter in the rain.
• Lights and indicators: ask someone to check while you press the pedals.
• Fuel level and type: note it, and confirm whether the van takes diesel or petrol. A wrong-fuel mistake is expensive.
• Odometer: record the reading, particularly if there is a mileage limit.
• Warning lights: there should be none once the engine is running.

The handover: make them show you everything

A good handover takes 20–40 minutes. If yours takes five, ask for more time. These are the systems we would want demonstrated, not described:

• Water: where to fill, how to drain, and how to switch the pump on and off.
• Gas: where the bottle is, how to open the valve and which appliances use it. Make sure you know the safety rules for cooking and heating.
• Electricity: how the leisure battery works, how to plug into a campsite hookup and which adaptor is needed.
• Toilet and waste: how to empty the cassette or tank, and where you are allowed to do it.
• Heating and cooling: how to run the heater in cold weather, and what drains the battery.
• Beds and tables: how to convert them, and where the bedding and kitchen kit are.
• Height and size: ask for the exact height and length, and stick the figure on the dashboard. Low bridges and car parks are a common source of claims.

Also ask for the emergency number, the breakdown procedure and what to do after an accident. Save the number to your phone before you leave the depot.

Questions about the rules

Most of the cost surprises come from rules rather than from damage. Before you sign, ask or check in the contract:

• Mileage: is it unlimited, or capped per day? What does each extra kilometre cost?
• Fuel policy: full-to-full or pre-paid? Is there a refuelling fee?
• Cleaning and waste: what must be done on return and what fees apply?
• Unpaved roads: many contracts ban gravel or dirt roads. If you plan to drive them, check which roads are allowed, because insurance may not apply otherwise.
• Borders and ferries: can you take the van into another country or on a ferry? Often yes, sometimes with a fee, sometimes no.
• Extras: bedding, camping chairs, a bike rack, a second driver, child seats. Confirm what is included in the price.
• Return details: the time, the place and how late is too late.

Use the checklist in our first campervan road trip tips to plan the days after pick-up.

The first hour on the road

Do not drive far on day one. Go to the nearest supermarket, park and spend ten minutes learning the van. Open every cupboard, try the water, test the lights, check the gas and make the bed. If something does not work, call the depot immediately, while it is a simple fix rather than a dispute.

Then fill the tank, buy water, and plan your first night’s camp before dark. First nights are when mistakes happen, because everything is unfamiliar and you are tired.

Return day

The return is the second half of the same process. To protect your deposit:

• Clean the van. Sweep, wipe, empty the bins, and empty the toilet and grey water if the contract requires it.
• Refuel if the policy says so, and keep the receipt.
• Film the van again, showing the fuel gauge, odometer and each side. Do it in the depot car park, before handing the keys back.
• Ask for a sign-off. Get a written confirmation that the van was returned without new damage, or a list of what they found. Do not leave without one if possible.
• Track the deposit. Ask when it will be released and check your statement.

Booking the right van in the first place

Half of a good pick-up is a good choice. Compare vans, prices and terms for your dates, and read what each offer includes. If you book through our link, code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout. For the basics of renting, start with our campervan rental guide“>our campervan rental guide, and for country-by-country prices see the campervan rental prices page.

Frequently asked questions