Renting a car in Europe? Here's who actually needs to buy the vignette
It's not always included, and when it isn't, the fine is yours, not the rental company's.
Whether a rental car comes with the vignette already sorted depends entirely on the rental company and the specific countries you're driving through — there's no universal rule. Some agencies include it in the rental price for the countries where they operate, especially if it's a short-term local pass. Others leave it entirely to the renter, and if you drive without it, the fine and the responsibility land on you, not the company, even though the car isn't technically yours.
The rental agreement should say one way or the other, but it's easy to miss in the fine print, especially when you're focused on the insurance and deposit terms. It's worth asking directly at pickup, or checking the paperwork before you leave the lot, rather than assuming it's covered because the car is registered in a country with a vignette system.
If it turns out the vignette isn't included, buy it before you leave the rental country's borders — some systems require the pass to be active from the day you start driving, so sorting it out after you're already on the motorway isn't an option.