Fees & Taxes#

Fees and taxes are common components of rental pricing. RecSystems helps you add cleaning fees, fuel charges, and other costs while automatically calculating applicable taxes.

Types of Fees#

Add-On Fees#

Fees added through the add-on system:

• Cleaning fee — Charged for post-rental cleaning
• Damage waiver — Optional protection
• Fuel package — Pre-paid fuel

See Add-Ons & Extras for setup.

Location Fees#

Fees based on pickup/delivery location:

• Fixed pickup fee — Flat charge per location
• Mileage-based delivery — Base + per-mile

See Delivery & Location Fees for setup.

Platform Fee#

RecSystems processing fee:

• Covers payment processing and platform costs
• Can be absorbed by you or passed to customers
• Configured in payment settings

Setting Up Common Fees#

Cleaning Fee#

Create a cleaning fee that applies to all rentals:

1. Go to Account → Addons in the navbar
2. Create new add-on: Cleaning Fee
3. Set the price (e.g., $25)
4. Set to One-Time (per booking, not per day)
5. Toggle Required to ON
6. Assign to all fleets
7. Publish

Now every booking automatically includes the cleaning fee.

Fuel Package#

For optional pre-paid fuel:

1. Go to Account → Addons in the navbar
2. Create: Full Tank Fuel Package
3. Set price based on typical fill-up cost
4. Set to One-Time
5. Leave as Optional (customer chooses)
6. Assign to motor fleets
7. Publish

Environmental Fee#

If you have environmental or disposal fees:

1. Go to Account → Addons in the navbar
2. Create: Environmental Fee
3. Set the required amount
4. Toggle Required to ON
5. Assign to applicable fleets

Configuring Sales Tax#

Setting Your Tax Rate#

1. Go to Account → Account Info in the navbar
2. Find the Tax Rate field
3. Enter your rate as a percentage (e.g., 8.25 for 8.25%)
4. Save

How Tax Is Calculated#

Tax is calculated on the subtotal:

Rental: $300.00
Add-ons: $25.00
Location: $15.00
─────────────────
Subtotal: $340.00
Tax (8.25%): $28.05
─────────────────
Total: $368.05

Pre-Tax vs. Post-Tax Items#

Pre-tax (included in taxable subtotal):

• Rental charges
• Location fees
• Most add-ons
• Vouchers and discounts (reduce taxable amount)

Post-tax (applied after tax calculation):

• Gift card credits (like cash payment)
• Platform fees (depending on configuration)

Tax on Fees#

By default, taxes apply to fees. If your jurisdiction doesn't tax certain fees, contact support for configuration options.

Platform Fee#

What Is the Platform Fee?#

RecSystems charges a fee for:

• Payment processing (Stripe fees)
• Platform services

Fee Split#

You control who pays the platform fee using the fee slider:

Configuring Fee Split#

1. Go to Account → Account Info → Accept Payments
2. Find the Fee Distribution slider
3. Adjust to your preference
4. Save

Customer Display#

When customers pay a portion:

• Shows as Service Fee in their total
• Transparent about the charge
• Common in many rental marketplaces

Fee Display to Customers#

Customers see fees at checkout:

───────────────────────────────────
24ft Pontoon - Full Day         $350.00
Cleaning Fee                     $25.00
Marina Pickup Fee                $15.00
───────────────────────────────────
Subtotal                        $390.00
Tax (8.25%)                      $32.18
Service Fee                      $10.00
───────────────────────────────────
Total                           $432.18

Fee Strategies#

All-Inclusive Pricing#

Include all fees in your base rate:

• Higher base price
• No separate fee line items
• What you see is what you pay appeal

Itemized Fees#

Show each fee separately:

• Lower base price (more attractive)
• Transparent about each cost
• Common industry practice

Required vs. Optional Fees#

Required fees:

• Cleaning, environmental, fuel surcharges
• Customer can't opt out
• Always included in total

Optional fees:

• Damage waivers, fuel packages, equipment
• Customer chooses
• Potential upsell revenue

Tax Considerations#

Know Your Obligations#

Consult with a tax professional about:

• Applicable tax rates
• What's taxable in your jurisdiction
• Filing and remittance requirements

Sales Tax on Rentals#

Most jurisdictions tax equipment rentals. Check local regulations for:

• Standard sales tax rate
• Special rental equipment rates
• Exemptions that may apply

Multiple Tax Rates#

If you operate in areas with different tax rates, you may need separate accounts or special configuration. Contact support for guidance.

Reporting#

Fee Revenue#

Track fee revenue in reports:

• Add-on revenue reports
• Location fee totals
• Overall revenue breakdown

Tax Collected#

View taxes collected:

• Booking reports show tax amounts
• Export for filing purposes
• Reconcile with your accounts

Best Practices#

Be Transparent#

• Show fees early in the booking process
• Don't surprise customers at checkout
• Explain what fees cover

Be Competitive#

• Research what competitors charge
• Consider all-in pricing if market expects it
• Balance revenue with customer experience

Stay Compliant#

• Collect required taxes
• Keep accurate records
• File and remit on time

Review Regularly#

• Are fees still appropriate?
• Has your tax rate changed?
• Any new fees needed?

Troubleshooting#

Tax not calculating#

• Verify tax rate is set in settings
• Check that Apply Tax is enabled
• Confirm rate is entered correctly (8.25, not 0.0825)

Fees not appearing#

• Ensure add-on is published
• Check fleet assignment
• Verify location fee is configured

Wrong total showing#

• Review all components (rental, add-ons, fees, tax)
• Check for applicable price rules
• Look for gift cards or discounts applied

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Related Articles:

• Understanding Pricing
• Add-Ons & Extras
• Delivery & Location Fees