Car rental excise taxes cost renters more than $7.5 billion, according to the American Rental Car Association.
The fees help local communities raise revenues but can sometimes cause the daily price of a car to double the advertised price.
"This is one of the challenges we face as an industry, our consumers experience
sticker shock," said Bob Barton, a spokesperson for the association.
Consumer advocates said car rental companies may have no control over cities or states driving up fees, but they do have control over disclosing the real price of the car upfront.
"Car rental companies tell you one price, get you all excited about it and then wind up charging you significantly more," said Edgar Dworsky from Consumerworld.org.
Unlike airlines, car companies aren't required to disclose extra fees up front. Only one major rental company, Enterprise, shows the fees for consumers as they comparison shop.
Barton said so many communities have different surcharges it is tough to break down and sometimes the fee is based on the value of the rental car.
"We disclose what we know as best as we can," he said.
Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have excise taxes on rental cars. The American Car Rental Associate said Delaware, Kansas, Mississippi, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming do not have the fess.
Alabama authorized a three percent tax for Birmingham but it has never gone into effect.