NYC Mayor Cracks Down on Rental Car Hidden Fees, Issues 56 Citations

New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned rental car companies operating in the city to ensure transparent pricing policies for customers.

Adams Highlights 56 Citations Issued

Adams posted on social media platform X on Wednesday that his administration issued 56 citations from 62 inspections citywide between May and July.

"We inspected rental car businesses across the city to see if they were clearly disclosing prices and posting refund policies as required by law," he said in the post.

Adams cited the Department of Consumer and Worker Protection's post. "Renting a car shouldn't trap you in a maze of hidden fees and opaque policies," Adams said. He also warned businesses to "tell people the real price" and "post policies clearly."

Fifty-six citations were issued from 62 inspections. We inspected rental car businesses across the city to see if they were clearly disclosing prices and posting refund policies as required by law—that's the result.

Renting a car shouldn't trap you in a maze of hidden fees and opaque policies...

— Mayor Eric Adams, August 26, 2026

The Department of Consumer and Worker Protection said in a statement on Wednesday that rental car businesses are directed to honor reservations at the quoted price within half an hour of the scheduled pickup time, unless customers are notified in advance that the reservation is not guaranteed.

The department also stated that businesses must post signs explaining the city's Consumer Protection Law and how to file complaints. If a reserved vehicle is unavailable, businesses must provide a vehicle that accommodates the same number of passengers and meets customer needs.

Bill Ackman Exits Hertz

Hertz Global Holdings Inc. recently made headlines as Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman announced the firm had fully liquidated its position, selling approximately 15.2 million shares. This stake had made Hertz Pershing Square's tenth-largest holding.

Hertz also reported second-quarter earnings earlier this month, with revenue of $2.4 billion, up 10% year-over-year, beating Wall Street's expectation of $2.28 billion. The company posted an adjusted loss of 11 cents per share, better than analysts' consensus estimate of a 24-cent loss.

Meanwhile, data on Hertz's competitor Avis Budget Group, Inc. shows it is among the most heavily shorted stocks.