Before your first direct booking: a checklist for hosts

October 7, 2026 · 2 min read · The FleetWise team · Direct bookingsriskchecklist

Taking bookings through your own site can improve your margins, but when a marketplace is not in the middle, some things that were done for you are now yours to handle. This checklist helps you cover them before the first guest arrives.

This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Rules differ by state and by insurer.

1. Know exactly what your insurance covers

Ask your insurer in writing whether your policy covers a car that is rented to the public outside a marketplace, and under what conditions. Do not assume that a policy that works on a platform works on your own site. Many hosts also look at coverage that is sold to the renter for each trip; compare the options and read the exclusions.

2. Have a clear rental agreement

You need a written agreement the guest accepts before pickup: who may drive, fuel and cleaning rules, mileage, smoking, tolls, damages, and what happens in an accident. Ask a local attorney to review it once.

3. Verify who is renting

Check the renter's identity and driver's license before releasing the car. Decide your minimum age and your rules for foreign licenses, and apply them the same way every time.

4. Take payment the right way

Charge through a payment provider rather than cash or transfers that are hard to dispute. Show the guest the full price, including taxes and fees, before they pay. Decide whether you will take a security deposit, and how and when you return it.

5. Write a fair cancellation policy

State what happens if the guest cancels early, late, or does not show up, and what happens if you have to cancel. Put it in the agreement and show it at checkout. A clear policy prevents most disputes.

6. Plan for tolls, tickets and fuel

Say in the agreement who pays tolls and violations, and how you will charge them afterwards. Keep a record that connects each toll or ticket to a trip, so you can show the guest the evidence.

7. Document the condition of the car

Take dated photos at pickup and return, and record the mileage and fuel level. This is your best protection in a damage dispute.

8. Keep the paper trail

Save the agreement, ID check, payment, photos and messages for each trip in one place. If something goes wrong, you need it all fast.

Where FleetWise helps

FleetWise gives you a booking site with your branding, availability by car, a digital agreement the guest signs on the page, payment through Stripe, and a record of each trip. You can watch the guest flow in the demo, or start free.