Frequently asked questions

Where are Star RV branches located in New Zealand?

Star RV's New Zealand motorhome branches can be found in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown. Just look for the Star!

What are the driver's licence requirements?

Star RV accepts drivers 21 years and over who hold:

A Full driver licence in English

A Restricted NZ Licence or Australian Green P (P2) Licence. We do NOT accept Learners Licence or any probationary Licences, including a Red P Plate or a P1 Licence.

If you have a temporary licence, note we only accept NZ temporary licence and this needs to be accompanied with another form of photo ID.

If the licence is not in English then you will need an International Driver Permit or a NAATI approved Certified Translation of your Driver Licence issued in the country of hire. This must accompany the original home country driver licence.

It is mandatory by New Zealand law that you produce a driver licence in English when renting your Star RV vehicle, we have teamed up with the crew at Language Links to get this sorted for you.

Can I check in online?

Yes you can, we offer easy online check-in via your booking confirmation.

What is the minimum hire period?

The minimum hire period changes depending on many factors, including, time of year, type of vehicle and customer demand level.

As you're going through the booking process, you may get a notification saying the minimum hire hasn't been met. This means you'll need to extend your trip or change your vehicle type.

Do I have to pay a deposit to hire from Star RV?

When you hire your wheels from Star RV, you have two options.

Pay a 20% deposit at the time of booking and pay the rest on collection.

Pay in full at the time of booking - one less thing to do on pick up day!

How do I make changes to my booking?

To make changes to your booking including extending your hire period, you will need to contact us by phone (NZ: [0800 500 078]; International: +6496000805) or email (res@starrv.com). Please note that any changes are subject to availability and approval by Star RV. Rates may also be re-calculated at the time of the amendment.

How do I add an additional driver?

You can add an additional driver to your motorhome rental in New Zealand. Additional drivers must be added to your booking and approved, before driving the vehicle.

Any additional drivers must be present at the branch upon collection of the vehicle or have approval from Star RV's team that the driver has been added. The Star RV team can add an additional driver once they’ve received a copy of the front and back of the driver's licence and passport.

Additional drivers are $2 per day, per driver. We keep this low for you as an additional driver because it makes for safer driving.

Please note, as per our excess reduction rules, all drivers must be named on the rental agreement to be covered.

Are there additional charges if I pay by credit card?

Yes. A 2-4% fee applies for all credit and debit cards.

Can I use a debit card to hire my Star RV?

Yes! Please ensure you have enough funds (up to $7500 for Risk Taker) on your card to cover any related excess pre-authorisations and charges. If you are on Stress Free or Stress Free Plus, we will hold $300 as a security bond to cover any infringements or charges that may occur whilst on hire e.g. Tolls, speeding fines, cleaning fees, camping fines etc. All excess & security bonds are pre-authorised on the debit card at the time of pickup. For further information, please refer to our terms and conditions.

What does my Star RV motorhome rental include?

• Cutlery and dinnerware
• Kitchen equipment and utensils
• Linen, pillows and duvet
• Bath towels and tea towel
• AA roadside breakdown assistance
• Unlimited kilometres

Do road user charges (RUCs) apply to my booking?

• RUCs apply to all deisel vehicles on NZ roads
• For a summary of how they're calculated and charged, please see the Ts&Cs

What extra hire items are available in New Zealand?

For your convenience, we have a number of extra items available to hire with your Star RV.

• Camping chair: $18/hire
• Camping table: $25/hire
• Snow chains (these are required for certain roads in the South Island during winter): $50/hire
• Prepaid gas bottle refill $35
• Fan heater $20
• Booster Seat $40
• Baby Seat $40
• Extra Driver $2 per day
• Pet Fee $299

Please note, that all items are subject to availability. You can add them to your booking when booking online.

Where can I camp in NZ?

New Zealand is a beautiful land, and there are plenty of camping options that allow you to explore every corner.

Holiday Parks provide both powered and unpowered sites for campervans and are well-equipped with all the services you could need. These are often located at popular travel destinations throughout the North and South Islands.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) also offer well-run camping facilities in more remote areas which tend to be quieter and a bit more rustic than commercial holiday parks.

Some visitors love Freedom Camping. This is where you simply park up and stay on public land where there are often no facilities. While there are over 500 freedom camping locations across New Zealand campers must follow some basic rules and regulations.

Freedom camping in New Zealand

Freedom camping (camping in public places) is generally only possible for self-contained vehicles. If your vehicle has a blue self-contained sticker displayed and you decide to freedom camp, you must ensure you are close to public toilets and take extra care to clear your site of any rubbish and other waste, before leaving.

If you are caught freedom camping illegally, you could face an instant fine of $200.

Where can I go in my vehicle?

When exploring in your New Zealand motorhome rental, please keep to the roads. Driving in off-road conditions, including fire trails, beaches, sand, tracks, fields or paddocks, is not permitted. If the damage is incurred or towing required while driving in these out of bounds areas the customer will be liable for all costs. The only exception to this is a reasonable use of access roads to recognised commercial campgrounds.

Can I drop off my vehicle after hours?

After hours drop offs occur outside of our usual hours of operation and are only available at some of our locations for certain vehicle types. Please see the relevant location information page for more details.

Can I pick up my vehicle after hours?

After hours pick ups occur outside of our usual hours of operation and are only available at some of our locations for certain vehicle types. Please see the relevant location information page for more details.

How do I pay for the toll road?

If you travel on a toll road and incur any tolls, Star RV will charge tolls and service fees to your nominated credit or debit card. You will also be charged a service fee of $3.45 for each toll notice your vehicle incurs.

Am I allowed pets in my vehicle?

Yes! We allow pet dogs in certain vehicles. You can pay an additional pet fee of $299 per trip to bring your pet dog with you for your Star RV experience.

Service animals, such as guide dogs, are allowed in all of our vehicles. Please let us know if you will be accompanied by a service animal when making your booking.

Is there a public holiday surcharge?

Yes, if you are picking up/dropping off your Star RV in New Zealand on any of the following days (and public holidays declared for these days), a $100 surcharge will be applicable.

• New Year's Day - 1st January 2024
• Day after New Year's Day - 2nd January 2024
• Nelson Anniversary - 29th January 2024
• Waitangi Day - 6th February 2024
• Taranaki Anniversary - 11th March 2024
• Otago Anniversary - 25th March 2024
• Good Friday - 29th March 2024
• Easter Monday - 1st April 2024
• Easter Tuesday ? - 2nd April 2024
• Daylight Saving ends - 7th April 2024
• Anzac Day - 25th April 2024
• King's Birthday - 3rd June 2024
• Matariki - 28th June 2024

Please also note regional Public Holidays:

• Wellington Anniversary - 22nd January 2024
• Auckland Anniversary - 29th January 2024
• Southland Anniversary - 2nd April 2024

Where can I find the Star RV terms and conditions?

If you're hiring a Star RV you can see our terms and conditions here!

What excess reduction cover options are available?

Our Excess Reduction covers you for all damage to the Star vehicle and Third-Party vehicles or property. However, like any cover, there are exclusions.

If you choose to not have any excess reduction (Risk Taker), we will pre-authorise (hold) the full amount of the excess (up to $7500) as a bond on the day of pick up and this amount is auto-released between 48 hours to 7 days from the pre-authorisation date from our end. However, it may take 7-30 days for the funds to show back up (depending on the bank/card provider).

If you have Stress Free or Stress Free Plus and use a Credit card for the booking, then you have no excess and no security bond. However, if you are using a Debit card, we will hold $300 as a security bond to cover any infringements and/or other charges (your vehicle excess will remain $0). This security bond will be pre-authorised on the debit card at the time of pickup.

You can select your Excess Reduction Cover when booking online, at the branch when you collect your Star vehicle or by contacting us via phone (NZ: 0800 500 078; International: +6496000805) or email (res@starrv.com).

When will you release/refund my bond?

Did we take (pre-authorize) a bond for your hire? If you haven't broken any Star T&Cs, please know that the bond we have held will automatically be released either 7 days after you've picked up or 48 hours after you've dropped off– whichever is the earliest.

You could notice it takes between 7 - 30 business days to show back up, which is all depending on your bank/card provider. Please note that once it's back safely in your bank it won't appear as a refund on your statement because it was only held as an authorisation. We appreciate your patience!

Do you allow one-way hires?

Star RV allows customers the flexibility to pick up and drop off New Zealand motorhome hires between the Auckland and Christchurch branches. The applicable one-way fee for your chosen vehicle and direction will get added as you put together a quote on our website. Please note, all one-way hires must be approved by Star and are offered subject to availability.

What are Star RV's cancellation fees?

Bookings made on & after 01 Dec 2022:

If the booking is cancelled 22 days (or more) before the pickup date, then you will receive a full refund of the deposit, or any amount paid (not including any credit card administration fee).

If the booking is cancelled between 1 – 21 days before the pickup date, 20% of the booking value is chargeable as a cancellation fee and the remainder of hire fees (if paid) will be refunded less any credit card fees.

If the booking is cancelled within 24 hours of departure or the hirer does not collect the vehicle from the STAR RV branch, then 100% of the booking value is chargeable.

If you change the pick-up date within the cancellation time frames in (1) and (2) above and then you cancel the amended booking; original cancellation fee will apply.

If your booking was made via a travel agent, please contact them directly to discuss your options.

*Credit must be used for travel within one year from the original pickup date, in the same country and must be booked under the same name as the original booking. New bookings/changes are subject to availability, new daily rate and booking conditions at the time of booking apply. Credit is non-transferable and new booking must be under the main hirer's name.

Why has Star RV charged me a $60 administration fee for an infringement?

Unfortunately, if you incur an infringement while you are in your Star vehicle and these are not paid within the timeframe designated by authority, the notice is sent to Star.

We have to pass the notice onto a third-party, to have the name and address changed on the notice from Star's to yours. We charge the hirer an administration fee for each infringement incurred of $60 for costs associated with the process, in addition to the infringement that needs to be paid directly to the relevant authority.

Should you wish to dispute the infringement fine, you must contact the authority directly that have issued the fine.

What is the unpaid infringement process?

If you think you've incurred an infringement while you were out in your Star motorhome, it's good to know our processed and any additional costs associated with the fine.

Then Star receives an unpaid infringement notice from the relevant authority, it must be changed from our name into yours as you were the person who had the vehicle on hire from us at the time the fine occurred. This name transfer involves a third party who charge us a fee to make the change. We pass this charge, $60, onto you in addition to the fine amount. Following the name change, the infringement authority will then send out the unpaid infringement notice to the name and address held against the booking. This must be paid by the customer responsible.

Unfortunately, the infringement authority can take up to four months to process infringements. Once the infringement authority has processed the infringements, they are then sent to Star.

Should you wish to dispute the infringement fine, you must contact the authority that has issued the fine.

If you have already paid your infringement and have still been charged the $60 administration fee, then please send us a copy of your receipt to res@starrv.com and our team will look into this further. Please note that you must have paid the infringement before Star RV received the notice.

Which vehicles connect to 240v campsite power?

Star motorhomes have the option of a 240v mains campground hook up as well as a domestic dual 12v battery.

We cannot guarantee just how long the domestic battery will last - all you need is another Star adventure on the road, to charge it up again.