Short answer: the security deposit is a refundable amount held while you have the car, to cover costs that can only be known after the trip: damage, a fuel shortfall, extra km, unpaid tolls or traffic challans. If you return the car on time, undamaged, with the same fuel level and within the km allowance, you should get all of it back. At Self Drive Delhi, the deposit is ₹5,000–₹15,000 and the fuel policy is same-to-same.
What the deposit covers
A rental is priced on the assumption that the car comes back as it left. The deposit protects the operator when it doesn't. These are the usual deductions:
| Deduction | When it applies | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Damage | New dents, scratches, broken mirrors, tyre or rim damage, interior burns or stains | Record the car's condition at handover; take bad roads slowly |
| Fuel shortfall | Car returned with less fuel than at pickup | Refuel near the drop point and keep the receipt |
| Extra km | Distance beyond the included 300 km/day | Plan your route; photograph the odometer at both ends |
| Tolls | FASTag balance used during your trip, where the terms make tolls your cost | Ask how tolls are settled before you leave |
| Traffic challans | Camera or police challans issued during your rental | Follow the rules; challans can arrive days or weeks later |
| Late return | Returning after the agreed time without approval | Leave buffer time and call early if delayed |
| Cleaning | Smoking, pet hair, sand or heavy mud inside the car | A basic tidy-up before return |
How and when the refund happens
Deposits are taken either as a payment (UPI, card or bank transfer) or as a pre-authorisation hold on a credit card. A hold is not a charge: the amount is blocked and later released. A payment has to be refunded to you, which then goes through your bank's normal processing time.
Timing varies by operator. Many release most of the deposit soon after the return inspection but hold a portion for some days, because camera challans don't appear instantly. Challans are linked to the car's registration number, so the rental company receives them and matches them to whoever had the car at that date and time. Ask for the refund timeline in writing when you book, and see our FAQ for Self Drive Delhi's current process.
Same-to-same fuel, explained
Same-to-same means you return the car with the same fuel level it had when you received it. Pick it up at half a tank, bring it back at half. You pay only for the fuel you actually use, at the pump price you choose.
- Photograph the fuel gauge with the engine running at pickup. If the car shows a distance-to-empty figure, photograph that too.
- Refuel within a few km of the drop point. Fill up 40 km away and the needle will have dropped again by the time you arrive.
- Don't trust memory, trust the photo. Fuel gauges aren't linear: the needle can sit near full for a long stretch and then fall faster.
- Keep the fuel receipt until your deposit is back.
- Use the right fuel. Check the label near the fuel cap. Diesel in a petrol car, or the reverse, can cause expensive damage that is not treated as normal wear.
If the car comes back short, the shortfall is charged, often with a refuelling fee on top, so topping up yourself is almost always cheaper. For an EV such as the Tata Nexon EV, the same idea applies to battery percentage, so plan a charging stop before you return it.
Km limits and extra km
Each rental day includes a km allowance, currently 300 km/day, and distance above that is charged at ₹8–₹16/km. Ask whether the allowance is pooled across the whole booking or applied day by day, because it changes the maths on a road trip with one long driving day and several short ones.
As a rough guide, Delhi to Jaipur and back is about 600 km, and Delhi to Manali and back about 1,100 km before any local driving. Our road trip guides list approximate distances so you can estimate before booking.
Late returns
Return times matter because the car is often booked by someone else straight after you. Many operators allow a short grace period, then charge by the hour, and beyond a point charge a full extra day. If you are going to be late, call before the return time, not after. An extension agreed in advance is far easier to arrange than an unexplained late return, and early notice gives the operator time to sort out the next booking.
Damage: what you pay and what insurance covers
Rental cars carry commercial insurance, but that doesn't mean you pay nothing if you damage the car. Rental terms usually make the renter liable for damage up to a set amount, and some damage may not be covered at all, for example damage while driving under the influence, damage caused by an unregistered driver, or damage from off-road use. Read the damage section of the terms before you sign, and ask what happens to your deposit if an insurance claim is needed.
How to protect your deposit
- Take a slow walkaround video at handover in good light, covering every panel, all four wheels, the glass and the interior. Zoom in on any existing marks.
- Photograph the odometer and fuel gauge with the engine on.
- Get existing damage noted on the handover sheet or in the app, and send your photos to the executive on WhatsApp so both sides have a dated copy.
- Repeat the routine at return, ideally with the executive present.
- Keep fuel and toll receipts and your handover photos until the deposit is fully refunded.
Our step-by-step rental car inspection checklist shows exactly what to look for. Questions about a specific booking? Get in touch or call +91 88264 63491.