National Covid-19 (Corona Virus) FAQs

Is National open during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak?

Yes. National Car Rental is an essential services provider that remains open to meet critical transportation, personal and business mobility needs.

What are National’s hours of operation during the Coronavirus outbreak?

Find your nearest National rental location to see the most up-to-date operating hours.

Can I rent a car from National during the Coronavirus outbreak?

Yes, our locations are open. Find the nearest National Car Rental location and start a reservation.

Are there travel restrictions on my rental during the Coronavirus outbreak?

Currently, there are no travel restrictions on your rental reservation during the Coronavirus outbreak.

How do I rent a vehicle from National during the COVID-19 outbreak?

During this time, the rental process remains the same.

• You can choose your desired vehicle class and easily make a car reservation via the website or National mobile app, then pick up your car at the National location you reserved from.
• If you are a member of the Emerald Club loyalty program, you can bypass the rental counter and choose the vehicle you want from the Emerald Aisle.

How does car rental return work during the Coronavirus outbreak?

The return process remains the same during the outbreak. If you have any additional questions or are looking for more information, please contact the location you rented your vehicle from.

Can I cancel my existing reservation?

Yes. at National, we offer a few ways to cancel your reservation online.

If you know your confirmation number (on the rental confirmation email) or Emerald Club account login information, visit our change/modify reservation page to find and cancel your reservation.

If you do not know your confirmation number or your Emerald Club account login information, you will need to call one of our Customer Service Specialists at 1 (844) 382-6875, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Can I change/modify my existing reservation?

Yes. National Car Rental reservations can be modified online. You will need the first and last name that the reservation is under, as well as the reservation confirmation number.

Can I extend my reservation?

Yes. To extend an upcoming rental reservation, you can modify your reservation online. To extend your current rental reservation, contact the National location you rented your vehicle from to learn more about extending your current reservation.

Can I change my rental pick up/drop off time?

Yes. You can modify your reservation online.

Is my existing reservation still on?

Yes. If you have an upcoming reservation, it has not been impacted by the Coronavirus outbreak. You can view, modify or cancel your upcoming reservation online.

Does National require face masks in branch locations?

To protect you, our employees and our community, we are requesting employees and customers not fully vaccinated wear face coverings.

Should I clean my rental car before returning it and how?

We don’t require customers to sanitize their rental vehicles before returning them; however, we do expect rental cars to be returned in the same condition that they were first rented in. At National, we are committed to maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness in the industry with our Complete Clean Pledge. Following guidance from leading health authorities and in partnership with the travel industry, we pledge to go above and beyond our already rigorous cleaning protocols, including strict sanitizing procedures to protect the health and safety of all.

What steps are being taken to clean the rental cars?

Clean vehicles have always been important to us, but at this moment in time, we know vehicle cleanliness is even more critical.

Each of our vehicles is thoroughly cleaned between every rental and backed with the Complete Clean Pledge. This includes washing, vacuuming, general wipe down and sanitizing with a disinfectant that meets leading heath authority requirements, with particular attention to more than 20-plus high-touch points including:

·         Key / key fob

·         Steering wheel

·         Steering column

·         Seat belts

·         Center console

·         Door interiors

·         Door pockets

·         Interior door handles

·         Exterior door handles

·         Seat pockets / seat surfaces

·         Areas between seats & consoles

·         Areas between seats & doorjambs

·         Cupholders / compartments

·         Instrument panel

·         Accessory panel / touchscreen

·         Rearview mirror / side mirrors

·         Visors / visor mirrors

·         Dashboard / vents

·         Gear stick / gear shift

·         Trunk release

·         Among any other high-touch areas

We also have measures in place to immediately isolate and quarantine any vehicle if needed.

What steps are being taken to clean the National shuttles?

Social distancing protocols are implemented as passengers board, ride and depart from our shuttle buses. We are limiting the number of passengers on each bus, encouraging a one-way flow as passengers board and ensuring that passengers from different parties keep appropriate social distancing from others.

High-touch areas of our shuttles are cleaned and sanitized using a disinfectant frequently between trips. This includes baggage racks, door handles, and seat backs. All surfaces are thoroughly cleaned and sanitized with a disinfectant at least once per day.

What steps are being taken to clean National rental locations?

The Complete Clean Pledge extends to our locations, as well. This includes frequently sanitizing touchable surfaces with disinfectant throughout the day.  These include counter tops, phones, tablet devices, payment devices, door handles, among other high-touch areas.

The cleaning guidance set forth in the Complete Clean Pledge is also aligned with the U.S Travel Association’s (USTA) “Travel in the New Normal” guidance.

What is National doing to protect and reduce risk during this Coronavirus outbreak?

Today – and every day – the safety and wellbeing of employees and customers is our top priority. For those working in our locations, we remain absolutely committed to providing them with a consistent and safe work environment during these unpredictable and challenging times. We are encouraging employees to follow health authority best practices like frequent hand washing and staying home if they're feeling ill.

We’ve also taken additional steps to ensure groups are practicing increased social distancing efforts while working, including limiting the number of employees at a location or within vehicles, requesting employees and customers not fully vaccinated wear face coverings, avoiding large gatherings of employees, and encouraging employees to maintain distance from others whenever possible.

Does National charge a cleaning fee? 

No; however, we expect rental cars to be returned in the same clean condition that they were first rented in. If a vehicle requires excessive cleaning or special cleaning products, a cleaning fee will be applied to your overall rental cost.

Will my Emerald Club status expire during this timeframe?

No. Elite status is extended again. Current Executive and Executive Elite members with tier set to expire on February 28, 2022 will be extended to February 28, 2023.

Are Emerald Club program free days being extended?

Yes. Free days are extended again. Emerald Club program free days set to expire on December 31, 2021 will be extended to December 31, 2022.

‡Free Day covers base rate (Time and Mileage) only.

Can I redeem my Emerald Club free days at Enterprise?

For a limited time, Emerald Club members can redeem free days at participating Enterprise® neighborhood locations in the US and Canada. Reservations must be made by phone. To redeem your free days at Enterprise, please call 844-643-5085. Terms apply. Terms apply.