Wear and tear is inevitable damage that happens naturally as a result of the normal aging and wear that occurs as a car accumulates mileage. Wear and tear on rental and leased vehicles includes body damage, dents, paintwork, glass and the interior. Here’s a breakdown on what’s considered acceptable wear and tear and what’s considered unacceptable. If you return a Kingbee vehicle with wear and tear that falls into the unacceptable/damage category, you can expect some sort of restoration/damage fees. Any illuminated dash light will result in a charge to the customer. Vehicles should be returned broom clean or a cleaning fee will be assessed.
Body Damage – Hood, Fenders, Cab Roof, Doors, Quarter Panels and Tailgate
The normal fleet wear and tear on these parts would be small scratches that can be buffed out. The following are considered acceptable:
If there are easily visible sand grinding marks, overspray or a bad color match after repairs done by the customer, it is considered unacceptable damage. Alterations that create holes inside the body of the car are considered excessive damage. Additional conditions considered excessive damage include: permanent branding, wraps, or graphics not authorized by Kingbee; structural modifications to the vehicle; unauthorized aftermarket modifications that alter the vehicle’s original manufacturer specifications; and any modification requiring specialized labor to reverse or restore the vehicle to its original condition.
Dents
Per Side (Front, Rear, Driver, Passenger, and Roof): Up to 3 dents without paint damage, no greater than 1″ each. Any dent with paint damage, regardless of size, is considered unacceptable damage and will require repair and applicable charges.
Headlamps & Taillights
Headlamps and taillights are chargeable when actual damage is present cracks or holes. Superficial scuffs or scratches on the lens do not count as chargeable damage. Missing or broken headlamp/taillight components remain unacceptable regardless of cost.
Paintwork
Acceptable wear and tear include minor chipping. Unacceptable damage includes major abrasions, color mismatch between panels, loss of color or gloss, damage as a result of stickers or decals. Examples of acceptable damage include minor scuffing near the door handle/lock area from routine key or fob use.
Glass
All damage to the windshield is chargeable, with the exception of superficial damage. Superficial damage includes minor scuff marks or light surface scratches that do not affect visibility or structural integrity. Any crack, chip, hole, or star break regardless of length or location is considered chargeable damage and will require repair or replacement. No chips or damage in the line of sight is acceptable, and any such damage will require full windshield replacement.
Interior
Acceptable wear and tear includes minor scuffing on floor mats, trim, or interior panels; superficial scratches (doesn’t expose bare metal or break the paint/coating) on metal interior surfaces; and any professional repairs or remediation to prior damage. This includes surface-level scrapes and scuffing to interior trim and cargo area surfaces resulting from normal loading and unloading. Scrapes or scuffing that crack, gouge, tear, or otherwise damage the material are unacceptable and chargeable, consistent with the trim and interior standards above.
Unacceptable (chargeable) damage includes: torn, bent, or broken trim panels; cracked or holes in interior trim panels; cracked or missing door cards; floor matting that is scraped or damaged; malodor; smoke-related smells; electrical damage; caved-in wheel well(s), etc.
Fuel Pump Access Cover
The fuel pump access cover is the panel located in the cargo area floor that provides access to the vehicle’s fuel pump. Minor surface scrapes on this cover are considered acceptable wear. However, any physical damage such as cracks, dents, or deformation that expose the fuel pump or wiring is deemed unacceptable and will require replacement. Any damaged non-working component of a safety system will require replacement or repair (Ex: Seatbelt housing).
Upholstery
If there are stains on the seats that can be easily removed, that is considered normal wear. Unacceptable damages include deeply stained upholstery, mud-caked seats, burn marks, holes from cigarettes and lighters, tears or holes in the fabric, etc. If there are any stains that cannot be removed and the upholstery needs to be replaced, that is also considered unacceptable. We do not allow smoking in our vehicles. Smoking in our vehicles will result in a fine of $500 in addition to the full cost to remediate the smell including replacement of the interior upholstery.
Dashboard
Normal wear and tear on the vehicle’s dashboard would be the presence of dust and dirt as well as in-tact phone mounts. Unacceptable damage would be burn marks, cuts, missing buttons or components, adhesive residue from a phone mount, and any tears or holes in the material.
Roof and Floor Pan
Normal wear and tear for the roof and floor would be small scratches and tiny dents from gravel or asphalt roads. Any damage to the floor pan that requires repair will be considered unacceptable damage, to include rust, holes, and structural integrity deficiencies.
Tires / Rims / Hubcaps
Normal wear and tear of the tires/rims includes tread wear down to the minimum tread limit due to miles driven, and minor scratches to the rim.
Tread Limit: If tread depth measures 4/32” or less, the tire is deemed worn out and must be replaced.
Any sidewall damage will require an immediate replacement of the tire and is not considered wear and tear. Unacceptable damages include punctured tires, tread depth at or below 4/32″, bent rims, and large scrapes to the rim. All original hubcaps and the spare tire should be in place upon return.
Mechanical
The following components must be functional and operate as intended. Cosmetic wear (such as minor scuffing or fading) that does not impair function is considered acceptable wear and tear. Failure to operate as intended, or physical damage that prevents proper function, is considered unacceptable and chargeable damage:
It can be difficult to determine how much damage is too much and what is considered normal vehicle wear and tear. Therefore, we have created a set of standards to serve as general guidelines as we inspect our fleet. In it, we define what is considered normal car wear and tear, and what is not. This will help both parties to fully understand the damage charges, if any, at the end of the rental term. Because our customers rent for varying lengths of time and the mileage driven during the rental period will differ, we will make adjustments when assessing damages based on how the vehicle was used. However, there are a few conditions that we don’t consider regular wear and tear.
They include:
If any vehicles are returned with any of the above damages, Kingbee reserves the right to request compensation.
If a Kingbee vehicle is returned with damage beyond normal wear and tear, you will receive an email with the damage estimate and photos sent to the primary contact on the rental.
The payment method on file will be charged within five (5) business days of the email unless you provide Kingbee with your insurance claim number, along with the adjuster’s name, phone number, and email so we can work directly with your insurance carrier.
UPDATED 08/02/2026