Mandatory car equipment in Europe: what should a rental car have, and who pays if it is missing?

You break down on a French motorway at dusk. You need to put on a high-visibility vest and place a warning triangle behind the car. You open the boot of your rental car, and there is nothing there. Mandatory equipment rules are national, and a rental car is normally equipped for the country where it is registered, not for every country on your route. Here is what to expect, how to check it in two minutes at pick-up, and what to do if something is missing.

What most countries require

The Austrian motoring club ÖAMTC keeps an overview of equipment rules in popular holiday countries. Its general picture, from its 2024 overview:

• Warning triangle: required almost everywhere in Europe.
• First aid kit: required in most European countries, but not in France, Italy or Spain.
• Safety vest: many countries require you to wear one when you step out after a breakdown or accident, even where carrying one is not explicitly required. ÖAMTC advises having one for every person in the car.

Country examples

Rules change. ÖAMTC's overview dates from April 2024, and Spain changed its rules on 1 January 2026, so check the rules for each country before you travel.

Spain's V-16 beacon

From 1 January 2026, the Spanish traffic authority DGT requires a connected V-16 beacon for passenger cars, vans and other vehicles. It is a small flashing warning light that is connected to the DGT's traffic system, so a stopped car can be signalled to other road users. The DGT states that the V-16 permanently replaces warning triangles for Spanish vehicles, and that not carrying one is a minor offence with an 80 euro fine.

For you, this means a car rented in Spain should have a V-16 beacon on board. Ask the desk where it is kept, and check it before you leave. If you drive into Spain with a car rented in another country, ask that company what the car carries.

Why a rental car may not have what you need

ÖAMTC notes that some rules only apply to cars registered in that country. The Spanish beacon and the Belgian fire extinguisher are examples. A rental car is set up for its home country, so on a cross-border trip the equipment may be complete for one country and not for the next. Read driving a rental car to another country for the other cross-border points to check.

Winter equipment works the same way. Winter tyres, chains or snow socks are often required in mountain areas, but a car rented in a country without winter rules may not have them. See a rental car for your ski trip.

1Check the equipment at pick-up

ECC Malta advises checking at pick-up that everything works, including the tyre-change equipment and the warning signals for breakdowns, and that the car has chains if you will drive where snow is likely. In practice:

• open the boot and look under the floor for the triangle, the spare wheel or repair kit and the jack;
• check the door pockets and glovebox for vests, a first aid kit or a V-16 beacon;
• look for a fire extinguisher if you rent in, or drive to, a country that requires one.

Photograph what you find. Our pickup checklist includes the equipment check.

2Have anything missing noted before you leave

If an item is missing, ask the desk to add it, and to note on the contract that it was missing at pick-up. If that is not possible, send the company a short email with a photo of the empty boot before you drive off. See checking the vehicle condition report.

3Return the equipment with the car

Put everything back where you found it. Missing equipment at return, such as a beacon, a vest or a parcel shelf, can turn up on the final bill. Photograph the boot and the equipment as part of your return photos.

Who pays if you are fined?

At a roadside check, the fine for missing equipment is normally given to the driver on the spot. Whether you can get it back from the rental company depends on the circumstances. Konsumentverket notes that if a rental car is missing equipment it should have, you can complain to the company in writing, keep a copy, and may be entitled to a price reduction.

If you write to the company afterwards, our sample letters help you set out what was missing, when you reported it and what you paid.