Airport delivery, lockboxes and co-hosts: the logistics of a Turo car

October 28, 2026 · 5 min read · The FleetWise team · Deliverylockboxco-hostoperations

Delivery and key handoff look like details until a guest cannot find the car, a code goes to the wrong person, or a helper does something you did not expect. These are the points worth settling before the first trip.

This is general information, not legal advice. It describes Turo's rules for US hosts as we read them in October 2026. Each airport has its own permit and rules, and Turo changes them, so check the page for every airport where you deliver.

Airport delivery

Turo holds a delivery permit at each airport on its list, and each permit is different. Breaking the permit guidelines gets a violation fee taken from your earnings, on top of any fine the airport itself issues. Turo's fee page lists $100 for airport parking violations and $250 for prohibited activities in the US.

Things that apply broadly:

• Share the location. Starting 24 hours before the trip, put the parking spot on the trip Details page: section and space, photos of the car and surroundings, and directions from the terminal. Turo sends it to the guest no more than one hour before the trip, after the license is confirmed.
• Remote drop-off timing. Park no earlier than 4 hours before the trip starts and leave it no longer than 4 hours after it ends. A shorter airport limit overrides this. Do not use accessible or reserved stalls.
• In-person locations. Meet the guest, stay with the car (unattended cars are not allowed), and finish the handoff in under five minutes.
• Never leave the car unlocked with the keys inside. Use a secure lockbox or remote locking.
• The airport fee is set by the airport and collected by Turo, usually from the guest. You can also charge an improper return fee if a guest returns the car to a different spot than the approved one.

Some airports add their own rules. For example, Turo's page says lockboxes are not allowed at one Los Angeles lot, so read the specific airport article.

Lockboxes and remote access

Turo's guidance on keys is specific:

1. Change the code before every trip and never reuse a code across reservations.
2. Verify the guest first. Do not send the code before identity confirmation is complete, and send it through Turo messaging, not a scheduled message, so you can hold it if verification fails.
3. Keep fob-style keys in an RF-blocking pouch, inside the lockbox.
4. With app-based remote unlock, you still need to leave a physical key for the guest, out of sight and in the pouch.
5. Do not hide keys in wheel wells, under wipers, in planters or on the outside of the car.

Turo notes that keys not handed over through a lockbox or remote unlock can affect theft and claim eligibility, which is reason enough to follow the steps exactly.

We hand over every car through a lockbox. We are also putting together a short video that shows how to open it, so guests can see the steps.

Working with a co-host

Turo's co-host feature gives a helper a defined set of permissions. By default a co-host gets "Trip management": messaging guests, check-in and checkout in the app, adding photos, answering booking requests, and submitting invoices for incidental costs. You can add "Pricing and availability" if you want them to manage the calendar and prices. Permissions come in sets, you cannot pick them one by one, and you can remove them at any time.

What a co-host cannot do matters just as much: file claims, view trip receipts, host earnings or tax information, or see your business and performance data. Invitations stay open for 30 days, and the co-host needs their own verified Turo account. Turo's page does not cover how a host and co-host split money or who is responsible for damage, so that is yours to settle.

What to agree in writing

Because the money and liability are outside Turo's page, put these in a short written agreement (and consider asking a professional to review it):

• Duties per car: who does check-in, who handles cleaning, who takes the photos.
• Photo and reporting routine: since a co-host cannot file claims, agree that they send you the post-trip photos and any damage within hours, so you can still report within Turo's 24-hour window.
• Access: which lockbox codes and keys they hold, who changes codes, and what happens to access when you end the arrangement.
• Money: what they are paid and when, which costs they may spend without asking, and how they get reimbursed.
• Responsibility: what happens if the co-host damages a car or breaks a rule. Turo's pages do not say how this is split, so settle it in writing before you rely on the arrangement.
• Ending it: notice period, and returning keys and devices.

Keeping it all visible

FleetWise imports your Turo trip emails and tracks trips and expenses per car, including what you reimburse a helper. Its Cleaning task flow shows which cars are ready for the next handoff. It does not manage lockbox codes or co-host permissions, which stay in Turo.

The Free plan covers up to 3 cars, and every new account starts with a 14-day trial of all features, no credit card needed. See pricing.

Sources, checked October 2026: Turo Help Center, Airports with delivery permits (US hosts), How to grant remote vehicle access to guests, Permissions for hosting teams, Becoming a co-host and Violation fees.