How to Rent a Car Without a Credit Card
Present a debit card., Bring extra identification., Expect that they will check your credit score., Prepare for additional hurdles., Expect a hold on your account., Use a prepaid card, check, or money order.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Present a debit card.
If you don’t have a credit card, if you have a checking account, many banks and credit unions will give you a debit card.
Most car rental agencies will accept a debit card instead of a credit card, but it can be a longer process.
Debit cards function almost like credit cards, except that the funds are debited (withdrawn) directly from your checking account, so you’re not really putting it “on credit.” That's why car rental companies that accept them will put you through additional hurdles to get the car.
Check logo requirements.
Some rental companies will let you use a debit card to rent a car, but they may require that the debt card has the right logos.
Car companies often require Visa or MasterCard logos.
Check with the rental agency.Prepaid debit cards or those that aren’t linked to an actual bank account are sometimes not accepted by car rental companies.
Don’t assume the company will accept the card just because it’s a debit card. -
Step 2: Bring extra identification.
To save time, you may want to bring extra identification.
You might need it in order to use a debit card or other non credit card method.
You should assume you will be asked to prove your identity other ways.
You might be asked to show proof of auto insurance, a plane ticket itinerary or a recent utility bill if you’re not paying with a credit card.
Expect to be asked to produce more than one way to verify your identity.
The name on the extra identification will need to match the name on your driver's license.
You’re probably not going to get the best cars without a credit card.
Most car rental companies probably won’t let you rent a luxury car or SUV. , Many rental car companies, such as Dollar, accept debit cards but only after they perform a credit inquiry screening through a company like Equifax.
If you have very poor credit, you might not get the car.
That means they are still going to check your credit score and report, and they won’t let you rent the car with a debit card if your credit score is very poor.
They want to make sure they can recoup their costs if something happens to their car.
Some companies will let you pay the bill with a debit card even if your credit score is very poor at the end of the trip.
However, they will still require a credit card to reserve it in the first place.If your credit is decent, renting a car with a debit card isn’t likely to be an issue, although it will harm your credit rating a little bit when the company runs your report. , To rent a car with a debit card, the rental car company may require additional steps.
Expect to spend a little more time on the car rental process than you would with a credit card.
The company might require you to purchase insurance through the rental company.
It can take longer to pay with a debit card than with a credit card.
They are going to check your credit, your insurance, and verify your identification.
Car rental companies prefer renting to people with credit cards, so they make it harder not to do so.
They are likely to make you prove your identify, possibly through several methods. , The rental car company may place a hold on your account even if they accept a debit card.
Make sure you have the extra funds to cover this hold.
That’s a deposit that they hold back until you return the car.
The deposit can exceed $200.
When the company puts the hold on the account, it means that those funds will not be available for your use.
Holds on your card can last as many as 14 days.
You will need to have enough money in your account to cover the entire cost of the rental and deposit.
Some international locations might not accept debit cards at all.
Check with the credit card company to find out where debit cards are accepted.
Some rental car companies only accept debit cards at some non-international locations too. , Some car rental companies, but by no means all of them, will accept prepaid cards.
You can buy these cards at many grocery and department stores.
For example, Enterprise does accept prepaid cards.
Other car companies only accept prepaid cards when you return the car.
You will still need a debit or credit card to rent it in the first place.Some companies (but not most) accept personal checks on return or at corporate locations.
Some accept money orders (Avis is one that does).
This is rarer though, so check around.
You might need to make a cash down payment in order to use a debit card at some companies. -
Step 3: Expect that they will check your credit score.
-
Step 4: Prepare for additional hurdles.
-
Step 5: Expect a hold on your account.
-
Step 6: Use a prepaid card
-
Step 7: or money order.
Detailed Guide
If you don’t have a credit card, if you have a checking account, many banks and credit unions will give you a debit card.
Most car rental agencies will accept a debit card instead of a credit card, but it can be a longer process.
Debit cards function almost like credit cards, except that the funds are debited (withdrawn) directly from your checking account, so you’re not really putting it “on credit.” That's why car rental companies that accept them will put you through additional hurdles to get the car.
Check logo requirements.
Some rental companies will let you use a debit card to rent a car, but they may require that the debt card has the right logos.
Car companies often require Visa or MasterCard logos.
Check with the rental agency.Prepaid debit cards or those that aren’t linked to an actual bank account are sometimes not accepted by car rental companies.
Don’t assume the company will accept the card just because it’s a debit card.
To save time, you may want to bring extra identification.
You might need it in order to use a debit card or other non credit card method.
You should assume you will be asked to prove your identity other ways.
You might be asked to show proof of auto insurance, a plane ticket itinerary or a recent utility bill if you’re not paying with a credit card.
Expect to be asked to produce more than one way to verify your identity.
The name on the extra identification will need to match the name on your driver's license.
You’re probably not going to get the best cars without a credit card.
Most car rental companies probably won’t let you rent a luxury car or SUV. , Many rental car companies, such as Dollar, accept debit cards but only after they perform a credit inquiry screening through a company like Equifax.
If you have very poor credit, you might not get the car.
That means they are still going to check your credit score and report, and they won’t let you rent the car with a debit card if your credit score is very poor.
They want to make sure they can recoup their costs if something happens to their car.
Some companies will let you pay the bill with a debit card even if your credit score is very poor at the end of the trip.
However, they will still require a credit card to reserve it in the first place.If your credit is decent, renting a car with a debit card isn’t likely to be an issue, although it will harm your credit rating a little bit when the company runs your report. , To rent a car with a debit card, the rental car company may require additional steps.
Expect to spend a little more time on the car rental process than you would with a credit card.
The company might require you to purchase insurance through the rental company.
It can take longer to pay with a debit card than with a credit card.
They are going to check your credit, your insurance, and verify your identification.
Car rental companies prefer renting to people with credit cards, so they make it harder not to do so.
They are likely to make you prove your identify, possibly through several methods. , The rental car company may place a hold on your account even if they accept a debit card.
Make sure you have the extra funds to cover this hold.
That’s a deposit that they hold back until you return the car.
The deposit can exceed $200.
When the company puts the hold on the account, it means that those funds will not be available for your use.
Holds on your card can last as many as 14 days.
You will need to have enough money in your account to cover the entire cost of the rental and deposit.
Some international locations might not accept debit cards at all.
Check with the credit card company to find out where debit cards are accepted.
Some rental car companies only accept debit cards at some non-international locations too. , Some car rental companies, but by no means all of them, will accept prepaid cards.
You can buy these cards at many grocery and department stores.
For example, Enterprise does accept prepaid cards.
Other car companies only accept prepaid cards when you return the car.
You will still need a debit or credit card to rent it in the first place.Some companies (but not most) accept personal checks on return or at corporate locations.
Some accept money orders (Avis is one that does).
This is rarer though, so check around.
You might need to make a cash down payment in order to use a debit card at some companies.
About the Author
Isabella Gonzales
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow practical skills tutorials.
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