A rented fuel tank is a double walled cube or a towable tank that holds diesel on site, so generators, light towers and machines are refuelled without a run to the station. Common rental sizes are 250, 500 and 1,000 gallons, and the tank itself runs about $150 to $500 a month. The fuel is a separate supply arrangement, and the siting rules decide where the tank can stand.
Double walled is what yards hire
Rental tanks are almost always double walled or built into an integral bund, so a leak is caught rather than spilled. That is what makes one acceptable on a site with a stormwater drain nearby. A single skin drum you already own is a different object, and most general contractors will not allow it through the gate.
Sizing it against the burn rate
Work backwards from the equipment. A mid sized generator running a full shift empties a tank far faster than a few machines topped up at the end of the day. Pick a size that means one fuel delivery a week rather than three, because every drop carries its own charge and an empty tank stops the job.
Where the tank can stand
Away from the trench, away from the drain, clear of the swing of every machine on site, and where a fuel truck can reach it without crossing the works. Vapours collect low and around fill points, so hot work stays well clear. Local fire code and the site plan set the distances that actually apply.
What the hire covers, and what it leaves to you
The hire usually covers the tank, a pump, a hose and a nozzle, often with a meter. It does not cover the fuel, the spill kit, the signage or any permit. Confirm whether the pump runs from a 12 volt machine battery or wants mains power, because the wrong answer strands you on the first morning.
Questions people ask about fuel tank rental
Can a rented fuel tank be towed on the road?
Only if it is a highway rated towable unit with lights, a proper hitch and brakes where required, loaded within its transport limit. Static cubes are lifted onto a truck by forklift or crane; they have no wheels and are not road legal on their own.
Does the rental yard fill it?
Some equipment yards deliver fuel, most do not. The usual arrangement is a local fuel supplier on a standing order with the rental yard supplying only the tank and pump. Ask when you book, because a tank delivered dry on a Friday helps nobody.
How long can diesel sit in a rented tank?
Months rather than weeks in a clean tank, and far less if water enters through the vent or condensation forms in a half empty tank on cold nights. Keep it full through a shutdown and ask the supplier about treatment if it stands through a season.