For the guests, we want to ensure that there is flexibility when it comes to dropping off as there are practical issues sometimes (traffic etc.). For this, Drive lah provides a grace period to all guests of 10 mins.
At the same time, we recognize that minor delays can happen such as traffic conditions or emergency situations. To balance this, Drive lah provides a 10-minute grace period.
If a trip ends at 6:00 PM, no late fee applies if the car is returned by 6:10 PM
After this, the return is considered late, and charges apply
Late return charges and fees are applied based on the duration of delay:
1 - 6 hours: $25 per hour + 4% processing fee (example: 3 hours x $25 = $75 + 3)
6 hours or more: 2x of the daily booking cost per day (inclusive of the car price, processing fee, and trip fee per day) + 4% processing fee
Payout & processing
80% of late fees are paid to the Host
A 4% processing fee applies
Extended delays & recovery
For delays exceeding normal late return thresholds, the following may apply:
Additional penalties will be applied in accordance with the late return policy
If the return time is unclear or significantly delayed, Drive lah may arrange to recover the car
Repossession fee and towing costs will apply
If a car is not returned after 2 hours of the scheduled drop-off time, the case will be escalated to our Claims and Security team, and treated as a non-return to take over handling, which may include recovery actions, coordination with relevant parties, and applying any associated fees in line with our policies.
Calendar management
Hosts are responsible for keeping their car availability accurate. When a late return is expected or confirmed, Hosts is required to proactively block their calendar to prevent new bookings from being affected.
If the return time is uncertain, Drive lah may also apply temporary calendar blocks on the Host’s behalf (typically in 24-hour intervals) while the situation is being monitored. Hosts should continue to review and adjust availability as updates are received.
Evidence & responsibility for return time
The official return time will be determined based on platform-recorded timestamps, including GPS logs, trip status and drop-off records, where available. Drive lah reserves the right to validate and reconcile these against system logs and other supporting data to ensure accuracy.
If system timestamps and GPS logs are unavailable or inconclusive, both the Host and Guest are required to provide verifiable, time-stamped evidence of the actual return time such as photos, videos, messages, or third-party records.
Failure to provide sufficient evidence may result in Drive lah determining the return time based on the most reliable available information, which may include the scheduled end time, subsequent booking impact, or other supporting indicators.
In the absence of credible evidence from either party, Drive lah reserves the right to make a final determination, which may default to a late return classification.
Drive lah reserves the right to charge the Guest’s payment method on file for all applicable late return charges and associated fees related to delayed car return.