What is a vehicle relocation? How it works in South Africa
Rental companies in South Africa need cars driven back to the cities where customers want them. Take one there and the hire is free.
Car rental companies in South Africa often have cars sitting in one city while another branch is short of them. A vehicle relocation is how they move those cars back: a traveller collects the car, drives it to the city where it's needed, and pays nothing for the hire.
Holidaymakers use relocations to get to the coast or back home for less, but they work just as well if you're moving cities, starting a job somewhere new or going to see family. A free car can sound too good to be true, so it's worth knowing how the arrangement works before you request one. This guide covers why relocations exist, which costs are yours, who's allowed to drive and how booking on Transfercar works, along with the trade-offs of driving to a deadline on a set route.
A vehicle relocation is a free, one-way car hire. A rental company needs one of its cars in another city, so instead of paying someone to deliver it, it lets a traveller drive it there within a fixed number of days. You cover the running costs on the way, such as fuel and tolls.
WHY RELOCATIONS EXIST
Why rental companies relocate vehicles
Sometimes rental cars don't end up where they started. A typical example is the trip from Johannesburg to Durban: plenty of people collect a car in Gauteng, drive down to the KwaZulu-Natal coast and return it there. Do that often enough and Durban has more cars than it can rent out, while the Johannesburg branches run low.
Holiday periods make the gap bigger. Over the December holidays, a large share of trips head from Gauteng to the coast, so the cars that need to come back inland pile up at coastal branches.
A rental company can fix this by putting cars on a truck, paying a driver to take them back, or offering the trip to a traveller. The last option costs the company the least, and that's why relocation deals exist.
HOW IT WORKS
How does a vehicle relocation work?
Each relocation comes with a short list of conditions from the rental company:
- Where you collect and return the car. Usually an airport or city branch in each city. The listing names the area of each branch.
- A date window. The range of dates in which the trip has to happen. You choose your own pickup and drop-off dates within it.
- Included days. Always enough time to make the drive, sometimes with a little to spare.
- Kilometres. Some deals allow unlimited kilometres, others set a limit for the trip.
- A bond. Held by the rental company from pickup and released when the car comes back undamaged.
As long as you stay within those conditions, the trip is up to you. Stop where you like and take the time you have, as long as the car reaches the drop-off branch by the deadline.
Which routes come up depends on where rental companies need cars. Durban to Johannesburg is a typical example.
COSTS
What a vehicle relocation actually costs
The hire itself is free, but a relocation isn't completely without costs. Here's what to plan for in South Africa.
| Cost | How much |
|---|---|
| Daily hire rate | Free |
| Booking fee | R0 with Transfercar |
| Bond | Set by the rental company and shown on each listing. |
| Fuel | You pay, unless the relocation deal covers a part of it |
| Tolls | Paid by the driver. |
REQUIREMENTS
Who can drive a relocation vehicle?
The rental company decides who can drive its cars, and the requirements are on each listing. Expect to need:
- A full driver licence for a car
- To meet the rental company's minimum age, which is shown on the listing
- A credit card in your name for the bond (debit cards aren't accepted)
- A free Transfercar account
Visiting from overseas? You can drive in South Africa on a valid full licence from your home country if it's in English. If it's in another language, you'll also need an International Driving Permit. Keep your licence with you whenever you drive, and check the listing for any extra rules the rental company sets.
STEP BY STEP
How to book a relocation with Transfercar
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Search your route
Enter where you want to start and finish, or browse all current relocations on the map. You can also save an alert for a route and get an email when a new deal comes up.
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Read the deal
Go through the date window, included days, kilometres and branch areas. The policy tab shows the bond and the cancellation terms.
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Send your request
You can request more than one relocation at a time, which improves your odds. Changed your mind? Withdraw a request any time before the rental company confirms it.
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Wait for confirmation
The rental company reviews the requests and chooses its driver. If you've sent other requests for the same dates and locations, they're cancelled automatically once you're confirmed for one of them. Requests for different trips, such as a return leg on other dates, stay open.
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Pick up and drive
At the counter, show your credit card and pay the bond, then collect the car. Return it on time and undamaged, and the bond is released.
The rental company picks who drives each car, not Transfercar. Sending a handful of requests is the easiest way to raise your chances.
Is a vehicle relocation right for your trip?
Relocations work best when your plans have some room to move.
A great fit if
- You can shift your dates by a few days
- You need to get from one city to another, not there and back
- You're comfortable doing a long drive
- You'd rather not pay a full daily rate for a one-way hire
Less suited if
- You need a specific car on fixed dates well in advance
- You're after a return trip
- You want to choose for yourself how many days you keep the car
New relocations go up every week, and many are listed close to the pickup date. A route alert lets you know when a new deal appears. Comparing your options? Our guide to relocations vs one-way car hire sets out what each one costs.
WHY TRANSFERCAR
Why book your relocation through Transfercar
Finding your first relocation
A relocation gives you a free one-way car in exchange for a little flexibility. The rental company sets the route and the deadline, and your main costs are fuel, tolls and a bond you get back. There's no booking fee on Transfercar. If your dates can move a little, it's one of the cheapest ways to get between cities in South Africa.
Or set an alert for your route and get the next deal straight to your inbox.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a vehicle relocation really free?
Yes, the hire is free. You pay for fuel, tolls and parking on the way, and the rental company holds a refundable bond on your credit card. Transfercar doesn't charge a booking fee, so there's nothing to pay for the relocation itself.
Does Transfercar charge a booking fee?
No. Transfercar is the only relocation marketplace in South Africa, and it doesn't charge a booking fee on any relocation. The deal you see is the deal you get: the hire is free, and the rental company only holds a refundable bond.
How much is the bond on a relocation?
It varies by deal. The rental company sets the amount and lists it in the policy tab, so you'll see it before you send a request. You pay it at pickup with a credit card, as you would for any rental, and it's released once the car is returned without damage.
What vehicles can I relocate in South Africa?
Cars. At the moment, all relocations on Transfercar in South Africa are car relocations. Check each listing for the dates, included days and branch areas.
Who pays for fuel on a relocation?
You do. The listing explains the fuel policy for that car, including the level to return it with, so check it before you request.
How far in advance are relocations listed?
New relocations are published every week, and most appear only a few days or weeks before pickup, once rental companies know where their cars need to be. The easiest way to catch a new deal is to set a route alert on Transfercar.
Can I take passengers on a relocation?
Yes, up to the number of seats in the car. Anyone who'll drive needs to be on the rental agreement and meet the same licence and age requirements as you. Extra drivers may cost a small daily fee, depending on the rental company, and the deal shows it.
Do I need insurance for a relocation?
The car comes with the rental company's standard insurance, as with any rental. The bond covers the excess, so the rental company can keep some or all of it if the car is damaged. Some companies offer excess reduction for an extra cost.
Can I cancel a relocation after it's confirmed?
You can, but once the rental company has confirmed your request, a cancellation fee applies. It's shown in each deal's policy tab before you request. Until then, you can withdraw a request for free and look for another date or deal.
Is Transfercar legit?
Yes. Transfercar has run vehicle relocations since 2008 and operates in several countries, including Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Brazil and Argentina. In South Africa, rental companies list their own cars on the site, and you sign the rental agreement with them and pay the bond to them at pickup. There's no booking fee.