*Updated for 2026*
It’s not uncommon for people to receive a traffic violation while they’re on holiday; most of the time, these are unintentional. Driving in a different country, among laws and regulations you’re not used to, with warning and advisory signs written in a language you might not understand, is likely to cause some confusion. Unfortunately, at the end of the day, if you’re caught, you may find yourself with a traffic violation notice.
Common violations that get brought to our attention include breaking the speed limit, parking in a restricted area, or driving in a restricted area.
How will I know I’ve received a violation?
The local authorities will contact the owners of the vehicle you’re driving; the rental company. They will then be obligated to pass your contact details on so the authorities can send the notice of the violation and corresponding fine to you.
Does the supplier pay the fine?
No, the car rental supplier will not pay the fine on your behalf. The local authorities will send the fine to you so you will have to pay it within the terms issued to you.
Are there any other fees involved?
It’s standard practice for car rental companies to charge you an administration fee for their involvement and liaison with the local authorities to ensure they have your details. This is often debited from the credit card used to authorise the security deposit.
What happens if I want to contest the fine?
You will have to liaise with the local authority that issued the fine. Their contact details will be included on the violation sent to you by them. Unfortunately, Zest cannot get involved with this process- if you are unaware of what the fine has been issued for, we are able to contact the supplier on your behalf for further information, if available.
Hiring a car doesn’t have to be stressful
Knowing local speed limits and road signs can make your trip smoother and safer. Brush up before you go, and if you ever need support, we’re just a phone call away!
Written by Jessica Juby.
Hi, this information is very helpful. Could you please inform me what would happen in the event of an accident in Portugal. We recently visited Portugal (we did NOT book our car insurance from zest) and were involved in an accident (not our fault) The car hire company kept our deposit and voided our insurance for that car and charged us 170 euros for a replacement car for 6 days.
I cannot see any information with regard to this, please could you let me know how this situation might be handled?
Good afternoon,
Thank you for your comment. Unfortunately, we can’t comment on your situation as we don’t know the full circumstances. However, had your accident occurred while you were on a rental with Zest in Portugal, and you had taken out our additional top-up insurance, the amount the supplier debited from your credit card would depend on the cost of damages caused. After obtaining proof of the costs from the supplier, you could have then submitted a claim to our insurers, with or without the details of the third party, and had the amount reimbursed to you. The insurance certainly would not have been voided in the event of third-party damage, and there would have been no additional cost for a replacement vehicle.
Kind regards,
Jessica
Zest Car Rental