If you haven’t hired a van before, you may be a little nervous when it comes time to collect it.

The good news is that everything is pretty much the same as for a hire car – so if you have hired a car before, you will be on familiar ground with the paperwork and procedures.

As with all hire vehicles, make sure you know how much fuel should be in the vehicle when you return and take care to mark any damage on the rental company’s check sheet before you sign for it.

There are also a few extra things that are worth checking or preparing for:

• What type of fuel does your hire van require? It will probably be diesel but check.
• Check the maximum payload (load weight) of your van – items such as tiles and timber can be surprisingly heavy and you will often reach the weight limit before the van is full. Liquid (e.g. wine and beer) can also be heavy – see our booze cruise guide for examples.
• Adjust your van’s mirrors carefully before you leave the hire company and make good use of them (including the blindspot mirrors if fitted). You will need to depend on them more than in a car.
• Take care when parking – have someone see you back if you are unsure or if there are a lot of pedestrians around.
• If you are hiring a van for European use, check out our European driving tips.