Rental Agreement

The rental agreement sets out the details of the contract between you and the rental company. This includes information on the insurance, permitted usage of the vehicle, mileage of the vehicle, what happens in the event of a breakdown and the necessary documentation required. Please pay particular attention to clause 4 regarding your excess liability on accidental and other damages.

Vehicle Condition

The vehicles given for rent would be clean, modern and safe, which have been maintained to the manufacturer’s standards. Therefore, thoroughly inspect the vehicles prior to renting, take photographs of any damages at the time of collection, and notify the rental representative of such damages. Make sure that you do not load the vehicle beyond the manufacturer’s maximum weight requirements.

Insurance

The vehicles need to be comprehensively insured by the rental company as proposed by the Sri Lankan law. Particularly car rentals must have additional Rent-A-Car cover loading. Check with the rental agency for the Excess Cover on Insurance, i.e. with regards to accidental damages, up to what value of your Refundable Deposit will be your liability, regardless of whose fault it may be. Total damage liability waiver can be obtained at an additional cost prior to using the vehicle. Speak to your rental agency regarding this option for added peace of mind.

Driving under the influence of Alcohol, Banned Substances & Medication that will impair your driving ability is Strictly Prohibited by Sri Lankan motor traffic law. Any accidental damages & 3rd party liabilities arising as a result of this will have a Total Liability effect on you as well as criminal proceedings by law enforcement authorities.

Fuel

Avoid misfuelling and check the type of fuel that the vehicle uses. Also, refer to the company’s refuelling policy. Yellow & Red pumps are for Petrol/Gasoline & Blue is for Diesel. Vehicles are given at near empty and must be returned the same. If a Full Tank is required, please inform 48 hours ahead of your collection time. This fuel cost will be charged to your rental.

For updated fuel pricing, please visit: https://ceypetco.gov.lk/marketing-sales/

Complaints

In the case of any complaints, please use our contact us section to submit your complaint details. Be sure to include your vehicle reservation number along with any other relevant details.

Alternatively you can send your complaints via email to [email protected].

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) / Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) / Excluded Insurance(EI) / Excess Liability on Insurance (ELI)

The Hirer is responsible for all damages and accident repairs NOT covered under Insurance Irrespective of whose fault it may be – CDW / LDW /Excluded Insurance (E.I) / Excess Liability on Insurance which will be the value of your Refundable Deposit (Payable in Cash/Currency Only).

IF there are no damages / accidents (regardless of who’s fault) to the vehicles Exterior &/or Interior and No missing items/parts of the vehicle, then your deposit will be refunded in the same currency notes you gave us.

IF there are damages / accidents (regardless of who’s fault) to the vehicles Exterior &/or Interior and items/parts missing from the vehicle BUT lower than the Deposit Value, then our representative will make assessment & deduct the relative value from your deposit & refund the balance.

IF the damages exceed the value of the Deposit an insurance claim will be made where the E.I will beFULLY deducted from the user and the balance to be recovered by insurance. The rental is payable for such a period and any substitute vehicle will be provided for at no additional amount within an Eight (8) hour period (time may vary for Outstation break downs). All repairs will be carried out by KRCS.

IF you require Full CDW/LDW/ E.I waiver for added piece of mind you can request for this by way of a quote or by adding the CDW Waiver option on the vehicle bookings/reservation system

Pick Up and Return locations

Rental pick up & return at our main office location in Battaramulla, Colombo city hotels are free of charge (during working hours, Mon to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm).

Premium locations like Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) in Katunayake & Negombo city hotels & all hotels/lodges/homestays within a 5km radius of the Airport will have a premium charge of USD 30.00 EACH WAY.

All other major city locations in Sri Lanka mentioned by us will have an additional charge EACH WAY. Please see below rates for delivery and collection:

Name	Location	Premium Charge (Each Way) USD $	Times available (Monday – Sunday)
Colombo International Airport	Katunayake	35.00	24hr
Negambo City Hotels (Any)	Negambo	35.00	8am – 5pm
Colombo & Greater Colombo Area	Colombo – Suburbs	0.00	8am – 7pm
Main Office	Battaramulla	0.00	8am – 6pm
Kandy City limits (Any)	Kandy / Peradeniya	60.00	9am – 3pm
Galle Unawatuna City Limits (Any)	Galle / Unawatuna	60.00	9am – 3pm
Mirissa / Matara town limits	Mirissa / Matara	75.00	9am – 3pm
Mattala MRI International Airport	Mattala / Hambantota	75.00	24h
Dikwella / Tangalle town limits	Dikwella / Tangalle	75.00	9am – 3pm
Nilaveli / Trincomallee town limits (Any)	Nilaveli / Trincomallee	95.00	9am – 3pm
Jaffna Town Limits (Any)	Jaffna	120.00	9am – 3pm
Arugam Bay town limits only , USD 95	Arugam Bay	120.00	9am – 3pm
Dambulla / Sigiriya town limits (Any)	Dambulla / Sigiriya	75.00	9am – 3pm
Habarana town limits (Any)	Habarana	80.00	9am – 3pm
Polonnaruwa town limits (Any)	Polonnaruwa	95.00	9am – 3pm
Kalpitiya Tourism zone (Any)	Kalpitiya	60.00	9am – 3pm
Ella Tourism zone (Any)	Ella	75.00	9am – 3pm
Nuwara Eliya Tourism zone (Any)	Nuwara Eliya	75.00	9am – 3pm

Driving Licence requirements to operate a motor a vehicle in Sri Lanka

To operate a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka, you need to obtain an International Driver’s Licence Endorsement or a Temporary Sri Lankan Driver’s Licence.

(a) International Driver’s Licence (IDP)

An International Driving Permit issued from the resident country could be used to operate motor vehicles in Sri Lanka. Since Sri Lanka is a party to the UN Convention on Road Traffic which states that an IDP is valid in the territory of all the participant States for the period of one year from the date of issue, it is a valid document in Sri Lanka. This is the most recommended option for a non-Sri Lankan resident to be eligible to operate a motor vehicle in Sri Lanka.

However, before the IDP can be used to operate motor vehicles in Sri Lanka it should be Endorsed by the Automobile Association of Ceylon (AA Ceylon), No. 40, Sir Mohamed Macan Marker Mawatha, P.O.Box 338, Colombo 03.

Some foreign driving licences can obtain the AA Ceylon endorsement without the additional IDP. However, this is only possible if the said licence is printed in the English language.

Please check with us by sending a scanned copy of your licence (both sides) to get prior approval from the AA office in Colombo.

In both these instances for us to obtain the said AA Endorsement on your behalf, we will require the following scanned copies from you, at least 72 hours before your arrival.

• Valid Passport copy
• Valid local country licence (both sides)
• Valid IDP (Front & photo page scanned together, see required sample scan layout)
• A recent passport size photo of you (Selfie is adequate but must be clear with a light background)

We shall obtain the required AA Endorsement on your behalf (provided the above documents/photographs are sent to us within the stipulated time) before your arrival and hand over the Endorsement certificate at the time of vehicle collection. The processing cost for this is USD 40 per licence/IDP.

Alternatively, you can do the following:

(b) Sri Lankan Temporary Driver’s Licence

A temporary driving licence could be obtained from the Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) in Sri Lanka, usually, within 2 hours (Mon to Friday, 9 am to 3 pm). Cost of this is USD 10 approx. However, you must visit the DMT Office yourself & we will not be able to give you the vehicle until you obtain this temporary licence. So please allocate sufficient time for this process (usually 4 hours from arriving at the Airport). In this scenario, vehicle collection is possible only from our Main Office.

Essential Driving Tips in Sri Lanka 

Most drivers tend to assume that a modern motor vehicle is something that you can pump fuel, drive around and forget about everything else. Although this is true to an extent with technological advancements in modern-day cars, certain aspects do require a user’s occasional attention, along with their sensible driving habits.

To begin, here are some usual do-it-yourself (DIY) check-ups and sensible driving tips that will improve your vehicle’s reliability & safety while you enjoy a trouble-free drive in Sri Lanka:

• Check if all instruments & gauges are in proper working condition.
• Adjust your driving seat, steering & all mirrors prior to driving.
• Check if all relevant documents are in the vehicle. (Road tax, Insurance Certificate, Emission Certificate & a copy of the vehicle registration.)
• Check if your lights & tri-factor signals are working.
• Always check your tyre pressure when the tyres are cold. Air pressure expands when you drive for a while.
• Pump fuel from a station where fuel stock turnover is high (pump stations at major cities & towns), which will reduce the chances of you pumping contaminated fuel into your vehicle.
• Please check if your spare wheel is adequately inflated and all tire changing tools are in the vehicle.
• Understand your vehicle’s limitation with regard to speed and manoeuvrability. 4×4’s, in particular, have a higher centre of gravity, so slow down before you reach a sharp bend and keep a gentle throttle on the gas while taking the bend as full-time 4×4’s require traction and braking would not help.
• Avoid having disturbing objects inside your vehicle; soft toys although cute will impair your peripheral vision.
• A lot can be told about a person’s character from the maintenance & hygiene of his/her vehicle. Hence, always keep your vehicle clean inside and out!
• Obey road speeds (although they are ridiculously slow in Sri Lanka)- make sure not to exceed the speed limit of 50km/h in city build-up areas, 70km/h on National Roads & 100 km/h on Expressways.
• Be courteous when driving. Others also have the same rights as you when driving.
• Whenever possible, give way for vehicles. Ignore the honking three-wheelers or the bus drivers, they could be an annoyance, but it shouldn’t get the better of you.
• Be mindful when driving in rural areas/villages – pedestrians & cyclists are not as observant of road traffic as city dwellers. A light honk of your horn is advisable so as to get their attention to the approaching vehicle. 
• Right of Way is the law in Sri Lanka at roundabouts and intersections without traffic signals. However stay alert, since this law is not necessarily respected always. 
• Flashing headlights by on-coming traffic is not a sign of courtesy to you, instead, it is used to indicate that they are coming through.

https://www.spendlifetraveling.com/driving-in-sri-lanka-things-to-know/