How much will I get charged for cancelling a pre-paid booking?

Cancellation fees apply to all pre-paid bookings. **In the USA**, you'll be charged a $100 fee (plus tax) if you cancel 24+ hours before pickup, and **$200** (plus tax) if you cancel inside 24 hours. **In Canada**, it's CAD 65 or CAD 150 on the same split. In Europe, the exact figure appears in the Rental Information for your booking country. Sixt refunds the prepaid amount minus the fee.

Can I get a Sixt refund after I've been charged?

Yes, if your cancellation falls inside Sixt's allowed window or your charge is disputed (incorrect fuel, withdrawn damage claim, unused extras). Refunds go to the original payment method and typically take **5–10 working days**. For damage or fuel disputes, email customer-service-uk@sixt.com (UK) or customerservice-usa@sixt.com (US) with your reservation number and supporting photos. If Sixt ignores you for 8 weeks, escalate to Resolver / BVRLA (UK) or chargeback / Section 75 via your card issuer.

What happens if I don't show up for my Sixt rental?

It's treated as a no-show and **the full prepaid amount is retained — partial refunds are not granted**. Sixt explicitly states: 'Please cancel free of charge on the website or in the SIXT app under "Bookings", or let us know – this frees up the vehicle for other customers.' Even if you're running late, contact Sixt early; with a flight number on file they'll hold the car, otherwise there's only a 1-hour grace period.

Is there a Sixt cancellation fee in Europe?

Yes — outside the 24-hour free-cancel window (only valid if pickup is 48+ hours away), Sixt retains a cancellation fee and refunds the rest. The exact amount is country-specific and listed in the **Rental Information** for your booking on the local SIXT site. EU consumers should note that the Consumer Rights Directive's 14-day cooling-off period does **not** apply to specific-date vehicle rental contracts, so the contractual fee stands unless you cancel inside Sixt's own free window.

How long do Sixt refunds take?

Sixt processes the refund to your **original payment method** (credit card, PayPal or Apple Pay). Once Sixt releases the funds, the processing time depends on your bank and **usually takes 5–10 working days** to appear. Debit-card deposits/holds can take 3–10 business days for the authorisation to drop off. If nothing has arrived after 14 days, email customerservice-usa@sixt.com (US) or customer-service-uk@sixt.com (UK) with your reservation number.

Can I cancel a SIXT ride (chauffeur) booking for free?

Yes — SIXT ride is **free to cancel up to 60 minutes before the agreed pickup** for hourly/destination bookings, and free up to 24 hours before for some categories. Cancel a booking *before it's dispatched* and no fee is charged at all. If you cancel **less than 12 hours** before a destination/hourly pickup, you're charged **100% of the fare**. No-shows (driver can't reach you within the free waiting period) are also invoiced at 100%.

What if Sixt ignores my cancellation or refund request?

Escalate in writing. **UK**: email customer-service-uk@sixt.com with reservation number, then file a free case with Resolver (which can escalate to the **BVRLA** — British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association). **US**: email customerservice-usa@sixt.com, then file with the BBB or your state AG. As a card-payment backstop, request a **chargeback** within 120 days (Visa/Mastercard) or **Section 75** if you paid £100+ on a UK credit card. Many reviewers report Sixt only acts after a formal complaint is logged.

Can I cancel Sixt via the app instead of calling?

Yes. Open the SIXT app, tap **Bookings**, select the reservation and choose cancel. The same option is available under **'View / edit my booking'** on sixt.com — no phone call required. The app also shows the exact cancellation amount and refundable portion before you confirm. If your booking was made through a broker (Expedia, Booking.com, Kayak etc.), the cancel button in the Sixt app won't work — you must cancel with the broker.

Will my deposit / authorization hold be refunded if I cancel?

If you cancel before pickup there's no authorization to refund — Sixt only places the hold at pick-up. If you cancel **after** pickup (rare), the authorization is released within one business day and your **bank clears the hold in 3–10 business days**. Debit cards are debited directly and refunded after vehicle return in the agreed condition; refund processing takes 5–10 working days depending on your bank.

Can I change my booking instead of cancelling?

Yes — modifying pickup time, drop-off location, dates or vehicle type is usually free if you do it before pickup. Use **'View / edit my booking'** on sixt.com or the app. Modifications often avoid the cancellation fee entirely, and FlyerTalk users report rebooking inside the 24-hour free window to capture price drops works (cancel + rebook saved one user ~$200 on a 10-day rental). Broker bookings must be changed with the broker.

REFUND GUIDE

How to Get a Sixt Refund After Cancelling.

Inside 1 days you have a statutory cancellation right in most jurisdictions (UK CCR, EU Directive 2011/83, US state auto-renewal laws). Outside it, you've still got tools — a clear email, a card-issuer chargeback, the lot. Here's the playbook for Sixt.

Last verified yesterday against Sixt’s own Terms · UK, US, and EU rights covered below

The short answer

Sixt gives you a 24-hour 'cooling-off' window after booking — but only if your pickup is still more than 48 hours away. After that, prepaid bookings incur a flat cancellation fee ($100 in the US if 24h+ before pickup, $200 if less; €/£ amounts vary by country and appear in your Rental Information). No-shows forfeit the whole prepaid amount. Refunds go back to the original payment method (card, PayPal or Apple Pay) and clear in 5–10 working days.

Or let yoink chase the refund.

30 seconds to set up. yoink emails Sixt, cites the policy, escalates if ignored, and surfaces the win when the money lands.

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What Sixt actually says

“Free cancellation: Within 24 hours of booking, provided pick-up is still more than 48 hours away – full refund. Cancellation after that, up to pick-up time: A cancellation fee is retained; the remaining amount is refunded.”
— verbatim from Sixt’s terms

1-day cancellation windowPro-rata refund: noStatutory cooling-off: 14 days in UK + EU on new subs

What you can claim, by region

Consumer law varies by where you live. The strongest hook for your country is the one to lead with when you contact the company — pick the one that applies and quote it in your email.

United States

Fair Credit Billing Act (FCBA)
Dispute any credit-card charge in writing within 60 days.
For US credit-card payments, the FCBA gives you 60 days from the statement date to dispute a Sixt charge in writing. Your card issuer is required to investigate and may withhold the disputed amount during the process.
California ARL refund right
Refund if cancel was blocked or unclear.
If Sixt made it hard to cancel under California ARL, you’re entitled to a refund of charges taken since the obstruction. Multiple class actions (including against Adobe + Hulu) have set the precedent.
FTC enforcement actions
FTC has won refunds against subscription dark-patterns.
The FTC has secured $100M+ in refunds from companies running dark-pattern cancel flows (Amazon Prime, Vonage). Document Sixt’s flow, file at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

United Kingdom

Section 75, Consumer Credit Act
Credit card issuer is jointly liable. £100-£30,000.
For UK credit-card charges between £100 and £30,000, your card issuer is jointly liable with Sixt for any breach. Call your bank, say “Section 75 claim”, send evidence. Usually resolved in 2-4 weeks.
Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013
Full refund within the 14-day window.
Inside 14 days of starting any Sixt subscription, you’re entitled to a full refund of any payment taken — no questions, no policy override.
Citizens Advice + Trading Standards
For repeated bad-faith refusals.
Free escalation lane: file with Citizens Advice (08082231133), they pass it to Trading Standards. Slow (8-12 weeks) but creates a paper trail Sixt can’t ignore.

European Union

Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU
14-day withdrawal across all EU member states.
EU-wide statutory right to withdraw and recover any payment within 14 days of subscription start. Mirrored in local law in every EU country.
ECC-Net cross-border escalation
EU Consumer Centre network mediates against EU sellers.
If Sixt is based in another EU country, your local European Consumer Centre will mediate the dispute for free. List of national contacts at commission.europa.eu.

Worldwide

Card-issuer chargeback
Visa/Mastercard chargeback works everywhere they do.
Open a chargeback for “subscription not cancelled” or “services not as described” — your bank initiates, Sixt has ~45 days to defend. Works regardless of where Sixt is headquartered.
PayPal Buyer Protection
If you paid via PayPal, open a dispute.
PayPal’s Buyer Protection covers “item not as described” — applies to subscription services that didn’t deliver. Resolution typically within 20 days.

The 4-step refund email

Email the right address
Use customerservice-usa@sixt.com — the route yoink has verified actually gets read for Sixt.
Use a clear subject line
Subject: Refund Request — [your account email]

Send this body

Hi Sixt team,

I'm writing to request a refund for my recent Sixt subscription charge.

Under applicable consumer-protection law (the UK Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, EU Directive 2011/83/EU, or US state auto-renewal laws — whichever applies in my jurisdiction), I'm exercising my right to cancel and to recover the payment in full. Please confirm by reply that the cancellation has taken effect and that the refund will be processed to my original payment method.

If your policy allows a pro-rata refund for any unused service, I'd appreciate that being applied here.

Best,
[your name]

Wait 7-14 days, then escalate
If you haven’t heard back in 14 days, see “If they refuse” below — Section 75 is the next stop.

Refund FAQ for Sixt

Open **'View / edit my booking'** on sixt.com or the SIXT app under **Bookings** and select cancel. Free cancellation applies within 24 hours of booking *if* pickup is still more than 48 hours away. After that, a cancellation fee is deducted and the remainder is refunded to your original payment method (card, PayPal or Apple Pay) within 5–10 working days. If you booked through a travel agent or broker, you must cancel with them — Sixt cannot refund third-party bookings directly.