Car rental without a credit card

When hiring a vehicle, it's important to take into account the fact that the local supplier is entrusting you with it for the duration of the rental period. The vehicle is worth a lot more than the daily rate you are paying so a deposit (more commonly known as a security deposit) is therefore required as a guarantee against any possible damage that might happen to the rental car. Furthermore (depending on the fuel policy), it also acts as a guarantee against any unpaid tolls/fines, an empty fuel tank or any other outstanding payments once the vehicle has been returned. The amount of the deposit varies according to the supplier and/or vehicle category and can easily be found by clicking on the blue and white info button (i) when making a search in the Auto Europe booking engine, just before selecting a specific rental model in the 'Mandatory Deposit Information' section. You'll find the information before going on to fill in your details and making the payment.

What happens when you collect your vehicle is that the amount of the deposit is blocked on the main driver's credit card and is promptly released once the car has been returned in accordance with the rental contract. With that said, it is important that the main driver makes sure that his or her credit card has enough credit to cover both the car hire deposit and any other payments incurred during the rental period, such as any additional costs for extra equipment (child and booster seats, for instance) or additional insurance (if Auto Europe's excellent full protection hasn't been purchased), along with the regular travel expenses for hotels, restaurants, etc. Please also make sure that you have your credit card's security PIN memorised as many car hire counters require a PIN number because these days a signature alone will not suffice.

In addition to the requirement already stipulated in the previous section, there are many other reasons why the main driver might cause additional financial risks for the local vehicle supplier. Firstly, in the event of any damage that might occur during the rental period, those costs could exceed the amount of deposit being held and although there is usually an excess in the event of damage, this does not include every part of the rental car. Additionally, the supplier may also receive fines for traffic offences after the rental period (speeding, parking, etc.), for which the deposit will be used as payment.

While some suppliers do offer this service, this may not be possible at every pick-up location and the terms can vary depending on the country, supplier, vehicle category, etc. In some cases, you might also be asked to fulfil certain other additional requirements to be able to leave a deposit for your car hire without a credit card, such as purchasing extra cover for the duration of the rental period. During the booking process, it's essential that you find out which cards will be accepted locally and whether ot not they include debit cards (and if so, which ones). You can find all the relevant information simply by clicking on the blue and white info (i) button before accessing the 'Mandatory Deposit Information' and 'Supplier Payment Policy Information' sections where you'll find all the credit and debit card-related details. Once again, it's important to note that the debit card MUST be in the name of the main driver and the deposit amount will be debited directly from and returned to the main driver's account at the end of the vehicle rental period. When making a quick search in the Auto Europe booking engine, you will also be able to filter your preferences to include the No Deposit option during the booking process by clicking on 'Deposit' filter and selecting 'No Deposit' (please note that No Deposit offers are not available in all destinations).

Debit cards are payment cards used to debit the amount payable from the card-holder's bank account immediately after the transaction, including Visa and MasterCard, which are often linked to the debit card systems of international financial service providers so that people can still use them when travelling abroad. However, credit cards are the only means of payment with a credit line that serves as security for the supplier and the amount of the security deposit is therefore only blocked or pre-authorised administratively before being released once the vehicle has been returned undamaged. Some credit card companies like Visa or MasterCard also issue debit cards in addition to credit cards, both of which seem identical but can sometimes be distinguished by the words 'Debit' or 'Credit' on the front of the card, although they have completely different billing functions.

Every supplier accepts credit cards for security deposits and as a means of payment for extras, fines, local costs, etc. and it's important to find out in advance which credit cards will be accepted by your chosen car rental provider. During the booking process, you can find all the relevant information by clicking on the blue and white info (i) button, and the same terms and conditions will be sent to you by e-mail with the booking voucher. As previously mentioned, some car hire suppliers also accept debit cards for the security deposit, in which case the amount of the security deposit is immediately debited from your bank account and refunded to you once the car has been returned undamaged. Please note that the supplier might also make additional demands (please see the answer to the following FAQ). Because there are exceptions, it is important that you clarify all the payment aspects during the booking process.

If the supplier allows car rental with a debit card for the deposit, it is important to understand in advance what type of debit card will be accepted. Furthermore, at the time of collection the supplier may also ask you to fulfil certain requirements such as taking out additional coverage for the rental period, regardless of whether or not you have already purchased another protection option for your rental car. These additional insurance options can be relatively expensive, but they can also reduce the value of the deposit or even eliminate the need for a deposit completely. Please also note that the supplier might increase the value of the deposit or ask for documents proving a regular income from the renter, but this can depends on the car and the country you'll be travelling in. Please note that this may or may not be the case and always depends on the terms and conditions of the supplier you have chosen to rent your car from.

You can find all the details relating to your chosen car rental provider's policy during the booking process by clicking on the blue and white info (i) button, followed by accessing the 'Important information', 'Additional information', 'Mandatory Deposit Information' and 'Supplier Payment Policy Information' sections.

Using a credit card to leave your deposit is not only beneficial for your supplier, but also for yourself. For example, you'll have the full range of car hire offers at your disposal since credit card deposits are the global standard. But there may also be restrictions for holders of certain credit cards, such as American Express or Diners (especially in countries with some kind of political or economic quarrel with the United States which controls the global payment system). To be certain, make sure you click the blue and white info (i) button to access the relevant sections of the supplier's the terms and conditions to see which credit cards are accepted locally. Some credit cards may include different types of travel insurance, so it's best to find out which insurance applies to a payment with your card in your credit card company's terms and conditions before picking up your vehicle.

Another great advantage of credit cards is that the deposit is only blocked (and not charged) before being promptly released once the vehicle has been returned in accordance with the rental contract. This whole process is generally quicker than debiting and reversing the deposit in a bank account, like you would have to do with a debit card. Generally speaking, and unlike with debit cards, if you can use a credit card for security deposit then you shouldn't incur any transaction fees or losses due to fluctuating exchange rate changes because the deposit amount is blocked and not debited from your account.