Introduction
These Car Rental Terms of Service (the "Car Rental Terms") govern your booking of standalone car rental services through Joy Life, Inc. ("Joy," "we," "us," or "our") via the Joy website located at http://withjoy.com and related booking tools (collectively "Joy Travel").
These Car Rental Terms apply exclusively to standalone car rental bookings — that is, car rentals booked independently and not combined with any other travel service (such as accommodation or flights) into a package or linked travel arrangement.
These Car Rental Terms, together with your booking confirmation email (the "Booking Confirmation"), form the agreement between you and Joy for your car rental booking (the "Booking").
By making a Booking, you agree to be bound by these Car Rental Terms. If you do not agree, do not proceed with a Booking.
A copy of these Car Rental Terms will be sent to you in your Booking Confirmation email. We recommend you save or print a copy for your records.
Important: Section 8 (Disputes, Governing Law, and Arbitration) contains provisions that vary by your country of residence. US consumers are subject to a binding arbitration agreement and class action waiver.
Definitions
"Car Rental" means the standalone rental of a motor vehicle made available through Joy Travel.
"Rental Company" means the third-party car rental supplier (e.g., Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Sixt, or other rental operator) that owns and provides the vehicle and enters into the rental agreement with you at pickup.
"Supplier Platform" means the third-party booking or distribution platform used by Joy to source Car Rentals, including Expedia Group companies (specifically Travelscape, LLC and its affiliated entities).
"Rental Agreement" means the contract entered into directly between you and the Rental Company at the time of vehicle pickup, which governs the actual use of the vehicle.
"Rules and Restrictions" means the Rental Company's policies, including cancellation, no-show, fuel, mileage, insurance, driver, age, and geographic restrictions, as disclosed before your Booking is confirmed.
"You" means the primary driver making the Booking, including on behalf of any additional drivers.
Role of Joy and the Supplier Platform
Joy acts as an intermediary that enables you to search for, compare, and book Car Rentals offered by Rental Companies. Joy does not own, operate, or control any rental vehicle, fleet, or Rental Company location.
Car Rentals offered through Joy are sourced via Expedia Group (specifically Travelscape, LLC and affiliated entities) acting as the Supplier Platform. The Supplier Platform facilitates the booking transaction between you and the Rental Company.
Three separate relationships govern your Car Rental:
Joy ↔ You — governed by these Car Rental Terms (booking intermediary relationship).
Expedia Group ↔ You — governed by Expedia's Terms of Service, incorporated by reference and available at https://www.expedia.com/terms, which cover payment processing and the facilitation of the booking.
Rental Company ↔ You — governed by the Rental Agreement you sign at pickup, which covers the actual use of the vehicle, insurance, liability, fuel, and all on-road obligations.
Important: In some cases, when you are redirected from Joy Travel to an Expedia Group or third-party booking interface to complete your car rental reservation, the booking is made directly with that third party — not with Joy. Joy has no liability for bookings completed through a redirected third-party booking service. The terms and conditions of that third-party service govern your rights.
Joy does not guarantee availability, pricing, vehicle class, or suitability of any Car Rental, and does not endorse any Rental Company.
Eligibility and Booking Conditions
By making a Booking, you represent that:
You are at least 18 years old (or such higher minimum age as required by the Rental Company or applicable law) and have legal capacity to contract.
You hold a valid driver's licence issued in your country or state of residence. International renters may be required to present an International Driving Permit in addition to their national licence.
You are booking for personal, non-commercial use unless otherwise agreed in writing.
All information you provide — including your name, driver's licence details, and contact information — is accurate and complete.
If booking additional drivers, you confirm that each additional driver also meets the Rental Company's eligibility requirements, including minimum age and licence requirements.
You authorise Joy and/or the applicable Supplier Platform entity to charge the provided payment method for the amounts displayed at the time of booking.
You agree not to make fraudulent, speculative, or false Bookings.
Age restrictions: Rental Companies impose their own minimum and sometimes maximum driver age requirements, which vary by company, vehicle class, and country. Age-related surcharges (commonly called "young driver" or "senior driver" fees) are set by the Rental Company and are payable locally at pickup — they are not included in your Joy booking price unless expressly stated.
Pricing, Taxes, and Payment
What your booking price includes
The price displayed and charged through Joy Travel covers the base rental rate for the vehicle class and rental period you selected, plus any taxes and fees expressly included in the displayed total. The displayed total will include all mandatory charges before you are asked to confirm payment. No mandatory fee will be introduced for the first time at the final checkout step.
What is NOT included in your booking price
The following are not included in your Joy booking price and will be charged separately by the Rental Company at pickup or return:
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) / Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) — unless expressly shown as included in your booking.
Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) — unless expressly shown as included.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) and other optional insurance products.
Fuel charges — unless a prepaid fuel option was selected and included in your booking.
Young driver surcharges for drivers under the Rental Company's standard age threshold.
Additional driver fees for each driver added to the Rental Agreement at pickup.
GPS, child seat, and other optional equipment — available locally and charged by the Rental Company.
Airport or location surcharges imposed by the pickup location.
One-way rental drop fees if you return the vehicle to a different location.
Toll charges and traffic violations incurred during the rental period.
Local taxes such as city taxes, tourist levies, or vehicle licensing fees.
Joy will clearly indicate in the booking flow which items are included and which are payable locally. You are encouraged to review the full Rules and Restrictions before confirming your Booking.
Pricing errors
If an obvious pricing error occurs, Joy or the Supplier Platform may offer you the correct price or cancel your booking without penalty. Joy has no obligation to honour an incorrect price that should reasonably have been apparent to you.
Rental Company Rules and Restrictions
Your Car Rental is subject to the Rental Company's Rules and Restrictions, which are disclosed during the booking process and incorporated by reference into these Car Rental Terms. These include, but are not limited to:
At pickup, you will typically be required to present:
Your valid driver's licence (and International Driving Permit if applicable).
A credit card in the primary driver's name — most Rental Companies do not accept debit cards or prepaid cards for the security deposit. The Rental Company will place a hold on your card for the security deposit amount, which varies by company and vehicle class.
Your Booking Confirmation (digital or printed).
Your passport or government-issued ID if renting internationally.
Geographic restrictions: You may not drive the rental vehicle outside the country or region specified in the Rental Agreement without prior written authorisation from the Rental Company. Violation may void your insurance coverage and result in significant additional charges.
Use restrictions: Rental vehicles may not be used for racing, off-road driving, towing, or transporting for hire unless expressly authorised by the Rental Company. Violation may result in cancellation of the rental and forfeiture of your deposit.
Fuel policy: Review the fuel policy disclosed in the Rules and Restrictions before pickup — most Rental Companies require the vehicle to be returned with the same fuel level as at collection, or charge a refuelling fee.
Failure to comply with the Rental Company's Rules and Restrictions may result in cancellation of the rental, denial of the vehicle, loss of any prepaid amounts, and additional charges from the Rental Company.
Changes, Cancellations, and Refunds
Cancellations by you
Your right to cancel and receive a refund is governed by the Rental Company's Rules and Restrictions selected at the time of booking. Many Rental Companies offer free cancellation up to a specified period before pickup; others are non-refundable. The applicable cancellation policy is displayed before you confirm your Booking.
To cancel your Booking, contact Joy via travelsupport@withjoy.com or through the Joy Travel Site.
No-show
If you fail to pick up the vehicle at the agreed time and location without prior cancellation, you may be charged a no-show fee or forfeit the full prepaid amount, depending on the Rental Company's policy.
Changes to your booking
Changes to pick-up date, time, location, or vehicle class are subject to the Rental Company's Rules and Restrictions. Price differences resulting from a change will be based on the rate applicable at the time of the change, which may differ from your original booking price.
Refunds
Where a refund is owed following cancellation, it will be processed by the party that took your original payment (Supplier Platform or Rental Company) within the following timeframes:
UK and EU consumers: within 14 calendar days of cancellation.
Quebec consumers: within 15 days of cancellation.
All other consumers: within 10 business days of cancellation.
These timelines apply from the date the refund is approved. Card processing times may affect when funds appear in your account and are outside Joy's control.
Cancellation by Rental Company or Supplier Platform
If your booking is cancelled by the Rental Company or Supplier Platform (for example, due to vehicle unavailability), Joy and the Supplier Platform will make reasonable efforts to notify you promptly and offer alternatives or a full refund. Joy is not liable for Rental Company-initiated cancellations beyond facilitating your refund.
Insurance and Liability
Joy does not provide insurance. Insurance for your rental vehicle — including collision, theft, third-party liability, and personal injury coverage — is either included in the Rental Company's base rate, offered as an optional add-on at pickup, or arranged by you independently (e.g., through your personal auto insurance or credit card benefits).
Before pickup, you should:
Check whether your personal auto insurance policy extends to rental vehicles in the country of rental.
Check whether your credit card provides rental car collision coverage as a cardholder benefit and understand its limitations.
Review what coverage the Rental Company includes in your booked rate and what is offered as an optional extra at pickup.
Joy makes no representation or warranty regarding the adequacy of any insurance coverage offered by Rental Companies. Any dispute regarding insurance coverage is between you and the Rental Company or your insurer.
Damage and liability at the rental location: Once you take possession of the vehicle, all responsibility for the vehicle and any damage, loss, or liability arising from its use passes to you (subject to the terms of any applicable insurance or waiver). Joy has no liability for vehicle damage, accidents, injuries, or third-party claims arising from the rental.
Liability and Disclaimer
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law:
Joy is not liable for the acts, errors, omissions, or negligence of Rental Companies or the Supplier Platform.
Joy is not responsible for personal injury, death, property damage, traffic violations, or other losses arising from your use of a rental vehicle.
Joy is not liable for vehicle unavailability, vehicle substitution, pickup delays, or Rental Company-initiated cancellations.
Joy's total liability to you in connection with a Car Rental Booking will not exceed the amount paid to Joy for that Booking.
These limitations do not apply where prohibited by law. In particular, they do not exclude or limit:
Any rights you have under the Australian Consumer Law, the UK Consumer Rights Act 2015, the EU Consumer Rights Directive, the New Zealand Consumer Guarantees Act 1993, or any other mandatory consumer protection law that cannot be excluded.
Liability for Joy's own fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation.
Where Joy is liable for a failure to comply with a consumer guarantee that cannot be excluded, Joy's liability is limited, to the extent permitted by law, to resupply of the relevant services or payment of the cost of resupply.
Disputes, Governing Law, and Arbitration
This section varies by your country of residence.
Before initiating formal proceedings, please contact Joy at travelsupport@withjoy.com and allow 30 days for informal resolution. This does not prevent you from seeking urgent interim relief.
US consumers: Disputes are governed by the laws of the State of Washington, excluding conflict-of-law principles. Any unresolved dispute shall be resolved by binding individual arbitration under the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Consumer Arbitration Rules. Class actions and representative proceedings are waived to the extent permitted by law.
UK consumers: These Car Rental Terms are governed by the laws of England and Wales (or Scotland or Northern Ireland if you reside there). The arbitration clause above does not apply to UK consumers. Nothing in these terms limits your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 or other applicable UK consumer law.
EU consumers: The mandatory consumer protection laws of your country of habitual residence apply under the Rome I Regulation. The arbitration clause and Washington governing law do not apply to EU consumers.
Australian consumers: The arbitration clause does not apply to the extent it would restrict any remedy under the Australian Consumer Law.
New Zealand consumers: Nothing in these terms excludes your rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993 or Fair Trading Act 1986. The arbitration clause does not restrict your statutory remedies.
Canadian consumers (Quebec): The Quebec Consumer Protection Act applies. Quebec law may limit the enforceability of the arbitration clause for Quebec residents.
All other consumers: Governing law is the State of Washington, subject to mandatory consumer protection laws of your country of residence.
Statutory Consumer Rights
Nothing in these Car Rental Terms limits or excludes any right or remedy that cannot be limited or excluded by applicable law. Depending on your country of residence, you may have rights that Joy cannot take away, including under the laws listed in Section 8 above.
Privacy
Personal information collected in connection with your Car Rental Booking is processed in accordance with Joy's Privacy Policy at http://withjoy.com/privacy. Payment and booking data may also be processed by the Supplier Platform and Rental Company under their respective privacy policies.
General
These Car Rental Terms constitute the entire agreement between you and Joy for standalone car rental bookings, subject to mandatory consumer laws of your country of residence.
If any provision is held unenforceable in a particular jurisdiction, that provision will be modified to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions will continue in full effect.
Joy may update these Car Rental Terms at any time by posting revised terms. Continued use of Joy Travel after the effective date constitutes acceptance. Existing bookings remain governed by the terms in effect at the time of booking.
Contact
For car rental support or questions regarding your Booking:
Email: travelsupport@withjoy.com
Or contact us through the Joy Travel Site or as specified in your Booking Confirmation.