What you pay if you damage a rented bike or car in India

Short answer: the security deposit is not your maximum loss. On Royal Brothers, India's biggest self-ride rental chain, the published deposit in most cities is ₹1,000 for motorcycles and ₹500 for scooters, with ₹3,000 or more for superbikes. The damage liability in the same company's terms is far higher. For machines under 200cc, your maximum liability is ₹15,000 plus 50 per cent of the daily rental rate for every day the bike is in the workshop. For 200cc and above, that threshold is ₹25,000. Anything above those numbers goes to an insurance claim, but you still pay the ₹15,000 or ₹25,000.

Small parts are priced separately. A lost or damaged helmet is ₹900. On the electric Suzuki e-Access, the charger is ₹18,999 to replace and the smart key module ₹2,016. Three consecutive over-speeding breaches attract ₹500 per violation.

Zoomcar: fixed penalties, variable damage

On the four-wheeler side, Zoomcar's guest policy makes accidental damage liability depend on the damage protection plan you pick at booking, so there is no single number to quote. Deliberate damage means you pay the full repair cost. The fixed charges are clearer. Smoking in the car is a flat ₹1,000 plus interior damage costs. Dirty foot mats are ₹500 and an interior wash or dry clean is ₹1,500. Losing the insurance policy copy costs ₹2,000 and losing the registration certificate ₹10,000. Traffic fines are paid in full by you, plus ₹500 for every 30 days you delay paying.

Cancellations and late returns

This is where most riders lose money without ever touching a kerb. Royal Brothers withholds 10 per cent of the rental if you cancel more than 72 hours before pickup, 25 per cent between 24 and 72 hours, 50 per cent between 6 and 24 hours, 75 per cent inside 6 hours, and the full amount for a no-show. If your documents cannot be verified at the counter, the deduction is 37.5 per cent. Early drop-off gets you nothing back.

Zoomcar deducts a 50 per cent flat fee for cancellation 6 to 24 hours before start, 100 per cent inside 6 hours, and nothing is refunded after the start time.

Late return on Royal Brothers is a base penalty plus a multiple of the hourly rate: ₹100 for scooters and commuters, ₹200 for mid-range bikes and ₹500 for high-end bikes, plus twice the hourly rate for up to three hours and five times beyond that. In Agra, Guwahati, Kolkata, Manali, Nashik, Pondicherry and Ranchi, it is a flat ₹200 per hour after a 30 minute grace period.

The counter checklist

Carry originals. Royal Brothers asks Indian customers for an original driving licence, with learner's licences not accepted, plus an original Aadhaar card, and a PAN or passport if the Aadhaar linked mobile number is different. Foreign riders need a home country licence, an International Driving Permit, a valid visa and passport. In Gurugram, a physical document is deposited at pickup.

Fuel is never included, and leftover fuel is not refunded, so do not top up the tank before returning. There is a kilometre cap per 24 hours that changes by city and is listed on the tariff page, with per-km charges beyond it. Photograph every panel, the tyres and the odometer before you leave, and count the helmets.

Deposits are refunded in 3 to 7 working days as per the terms, and the FAQ says 5 to 7 working days excluding weekends and bank holidays. If the money does not land, the National Consumer Helpline takes complaints on 1915 between 8am and 8pm, on its web portal, the NCH and UMANG apps, and on WhatsApp at +918800001915.

These are the operators' own published terms, read on 1 November 2026. They change, and they change by city, so screenshot the page you booked under.

Sources

• Royal Brothers Terms and Conditions
• Royal Brothers FAQ
• Zoomcar Guest Policy: fees and penalties after booking
• National Consumer Helpline