Don’t sign up for a three-day rental “just in case” if you think you’ll only need the truck for a few hours. The fee will likely be too high to make this valuable. On the other hand, make absolutely sure you can return the truck in the time period you promise, as late fees are borderline exorbitant at many companies.

Some rental services will automatically assign you a certain number of days for a long, multi-state, one-way move, and if you rent the truck early, you won’t get a discount. Use the truck for the full time you’re allotted, but no more.

Document on the one way truck’s condition

You may be required to pay for damages if anything happens to the truck while you’re driving it. The company should have records of existing damages to the vehicle, and will likely also have you fill out a vehicle inspection report to record the condition of the truck when you received it, but some disreputable companies or companies with poor records might attempt to charge you for damage you didn’t cause.


If you have “before” pictures taken with a witness—to prove the pictures truly were from before—you may be able to fight a claim by the truck company. Your best bet here, however, is to avoid questionable companies that would charge their customers for preexisting damages in the first place. Do your research beforehand and choose the reputable business that’s right for you.