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Unlock the Secrets: Rent a Car Without a Credit Card in 2023, No Credit Card Needed! Hassle-free Solutions Revealed. Say Goodbye to Limits! Discover Easy Rentals Now!
You’ve undoubtedly believed for as long as you can remember that a credit card is a requirement in order to hire a car. That’s not the situation anymore.
All of the main U.S. rental vehicle businesses provide the option of making a reservation using a debit card, though the specifics of what you’ll need to provide in addition to your standard driver’s license can differ somewhat from one company to the next.
If you pick up your rental at an airport, most rental companies need proof of your next destination. Many run credit checks on applicants before approving a debit card. Some request numerous forms of ID and recent utility bills.
If you have a choice of multiple rental vehicle agencies, it’s a wise idea to compare their policies to see which one best suits your needs and your vacation when renting a car without a credit card.
Rental companies that let you rent a car without a credit card
Thrifty
For automobile rentals, Thrifty will take select debit cards bearing the VISA, MasterCard, or Discover logo. When you pick it up, hold charges for the entire rental amount plus a refundable deposit are immediately imposed on the card.
Two kinds of identification, one of which is your driver’s license, are also required at Thrifty’s airport rental facilities in addition to evidence of a return ticket. Except when the debit card is already listed on your Blue Chip profile, debit card rentals are only available for Compact through Full-size automobiles.
Payless
As long as you have documentation of a return ticket, the majority of Payless airport sites allow debit cards for car rentals; however, you are restricted to certain vehicle classes. These typically include luxury vehicles and SUVs, but you should contact the rental agency in advance to be sure.
When you take up the car, a hold charge for the full rental price plus a refundable deposit will be put on your debit card. Before approving a debit card, Payless may also verify your credit history.
Hertz
Debit cards bearing the VISA, MasterCard, or Discover logo are accepted by Hertz for car rentals. In order to rent a vehicle at an airport location, you must present two forms of identification and evidence of a return ticket. If you make a reservation at least 24 hours in advance, are at least 25 years old, have two forms of identification, and can provide evidence of a return ticket, you can use a debit card at non-airport sites.
Luxury and high-end vehicles are typically not available for rental. However, you can use that card to rent even premium and luxury cars if you already have a Hertz Gold Plus Rewards account to which you have attached a debit card.
Dollar
Dollar makes it simpler to rent a car using a debit card than some other major rental firms. If you make the reservation at least 24 hours in advance, no additional paperwork is needed. Debit cards bearing the VISA, MasterCard, or Discover logo are accepted by Dollar.
You can still hire a car with a debit card if you can’t reserve the vehicle that far in advance; you’ll just need to show two pieces of identification, including your driver’s license, and evidence of a return flight. Even if you did make a reservation 24 hours in advance, you still need to provide these extra documentation to hire a luxury or premium vehicle. Additionally, using a debit card results in the addition of hold fees and a refundable deposit.
Avis
At “most U.S. locations,” Avis will take debit cards bearing the VISA or MasterCard logo as long as you’re at least 25 years old. You can’t rent a luxury or premium car using a debit card, so your options are little more constrained than if you were using a credit card. And as soon as you pick up the car, hold charges are put on the debit card.
As you probably inferred from the word “most” above, some Avis rental locations do not accept debit cards. Canada, the New York Tri-State region, Philadelphia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Hartford (CT) are a few locations that don’t accept debit cards during pick-up. But when you return the automobile, you can pay with a debit card.
Alamo
Along with the standard credit cards, Alamo also takes cash and debit cards for car rentals (prepaid cards are not accepted). The VISA, MasterCard, or Discover logo is required on the card. If you pay with a debit card, hold charges are instantly applied to the card when you pick up the vehicle, which may limit your ability to access cash while you’re traveling.
Various restrictions apply depending on where you pick up the vehicle. If you’re using a debit card, for instance, airport rental counters will want evidence of a return ticket, and not all rental places will even accept cash. The Discover logo is also not recognized in Canada.
Budget
The majority of Budget rental outlets in the United States accept debit cards from customers who are at least 25 years old. If you’re going to a place, Budget advises finding out in advance whether they accept debit cards. If you take up the automobile at a place where debit cards aren’t allowed, you can still pay for the rental with a debit card when you return the car.
You should be aware that at airport rental counters, a debit card and proof of a return ticket may be required. When you hire a car, hold charges, which may include a refundable deposit, are automatically added to the debit card.
Enterprise
Although Discover is not recognized in Canada and prepaid cards don’t count, Enterprise facilities at airports do accept debit cards bearing the VISA, MasterCard, and Discover logos for car rentals. When you pick up the automobile, the rental counters at the airport charge your debit card for a hold fee and a refundable security deposit, along with evidence of a return ticket.
It’s wise to contact ahead because not all non-airport outlets accept debit cards for car rentals. Also keep in mind that if they do take debit cards, they can also demand a number of other pieces of paperwork, such as numerous utility bills, a recent pay stub, evidence of insurance, and even personal references.
National
Although Discover is not recognized in Canada and prepaid cards are excluded, you can pay for your National vehicle rental with a debit card bearing the VISA, MasterCard, or Discover logo. Debit cards are not accepted at any National rental counters outside of airports unless you can provide identification and a return ticket.
When you pick up the automobile, hold costs will be applied to your debit card, which reduces the amount of cash you have available for use while traveling. When picking up a rental automobile, National does not accept cash as a deposit, and some sites do not even accept cash as payment when returning the vehicle.
SIXT
The majority of SIXT sites accept debit card payments for car rentals, although the conditions and automobile types that qualify differ depending on whether you’re an in-state or out-of-state renter.
A return ticket and two kinds of official identification are required if you’re renting from an airport location and you’re not a local (locals cannot use debit cards at airport locations at all). Two kinds of identification and an original of a recent utility bill are required if you’re a local renting from a non-airport location.
Turo
Turo offers more alternatives to using credit cards than the majority of the major rental agencies. Prepaid or reloadable cards are excluded, however you can use VISA or MasterCard debit cards, including some linked to online banks like Chime and Ally. On mobile devices, Turo also takes Apple Pay and Google Pay in addition to debit cards. While Google Pay is exclusively accepted in the United States and Canada, Apple Pay is accepted everywhere that rents out items.
When you submit your request, you’ll be charged for the full rental price if you’re using Apple Pay or Google Pay. (If the host rejects the request, it will be refunded.) When you submit the request with a debit card, you will only be charged a $1 authorization fee. If you select the “Book Instantly” option, you will be charged the full amount either 40 hours following permission or one hour before to the start of the trip, whichever occurs first.
Tips for renting a car without a credit card
Make sure your account has enough money. When you pick up the automobile, you’ll need to pay the full amount of the rental as well as the security deposit (typically $200–300). This not only means you’ll have less money to spend during your trip but also that you can incur overdraft fees if any auto-payments are made while you’re away. Even though the security deposit is refundable, it may take a few days for the money to return to your account after you return the automobile.
Check the requirements for travel documentation. To hire a car with a debit card at most airport car rental sites, you must present proof of onward or return travel (and the dates must coincide with the rental period). This might be a ticketed itinerary, a boarding pass, or even a cruise reservation.
Be ready to have your credit checked. Although many indicate they can opt to do so before permitting use of a debit card, not all rental companies need a credit check for every debit card rental. Additionally, your credit score may be affected each time your credit history is examined.
Verify that you are of legal age. No matter how you pay for the rental, certain rental car businesses require that you be at least 25 years old in order to do so. Similar age limitations apply when renting with a debit card in other places.
Conclusion
The days of simply accepting credit cards as payment for car rentals are long gone.
Although most of the major automobile rental businesses now accept debit cards, there are still other things to take into account in each case. You might be subject to a credit check as part of the acceptance process, additional paperwork is sometimes needed, and you’ll frequently be charged for the entire rental amount up front—along with a security deposit.
It might be better to use the car-sharing website Turo since it has some of the most lenient policies on hiring a car without a credit card.
