William Lipovsky
Most car rental companies, including Alamo and Enterprise, take debit cards. However, their rules and restrictions vary.
Below, we have the list of places where you can rent a car with a debit card, plus what you need to know before renting a car with your debit card.
Important Things to Know About Car Rentals That Accept Debit Cards
- If you’re paying with a debit card, you’ll often be required to show proof of round-trip travel, whether by airplane, train, or cruise ship. Be sure you have documentation for the return leg of your journey when you arrive at the rental office.
- Many companies require a credit check — which may reduce your credit score — before allowing you to pay by debit card. If you have less than stellar credit, you may not be allowed to rent using a debit card.
- If you do rent with a debit card, expect to put up a significant deposit — typically in the range of $100 to $350. While you’re using the rental, the company will place a hold for the required amount on your card, and you won’t have access to these funds until you return the car.
- Some rental car companies accept prepaid debit cards, but these often come with additional restrictions. See more about using a prepaid debit card for car rentals in our article on rental companies that accept prepaid cards.
The List
The following businesses do accept debit cards as payment for car rentals.
Specific guidelines, restrictions, security deposit amounts, and age requirements are provided in our outline below.
ACE Car Rental
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa or Mastercard logo; note that some locations do not accept debit cards under any circumstances, so it’s best to check the policy at the location where you’re planning to rent.[1]
- Restrictions: Must provide proper travel documentation if you’re from out of town or proof of residency if you’re a local, such as a utility bill.[1]
- Security deposit: Varies by location; generally $250 to $300[2][3]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[4]
- Book a car
Alamo
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Mastercard, or Discover logo[5]
- Restrictions: Must show proof of a round-trip travel ticket. Without the proof of round-trip travel, you’ll have to use a credit card to reserve the car and will only be able to use the debit card as payment when returning the car.[5]
- Security deposit: Without proof of round-trip travel, you must provide a credit card with enough credit available to cover the rental amount as well as a $300 to $400 deposit. These funds will be released after the car is returned.[5]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[6]
- Book a car
Avis
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa or Mastercard logo[7]
- Restrictions: Debit cards are accepted online but may or may not be accepted for paying the deposit hold in person. Be sure to verify the policies at the relevant location before picking up the vehicle. Also, some cars aren’t available for rental with debit card payment.[7]
- Security deposit: About $200 to $250[8]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 25[7]
- Book a car
Budget Rent a Car
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, American Express, Discover, or MasterCard logo[9]
- Restrictions: Debit cards are accepted online but may or may not be accepted for paying the deposit hold in person.[9]
- Security deposit: The typical hold is the estimated total costs; there’s a $100 minimum.[9]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 25[9]
- Book a car
Dollar Rent A Car
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, American Express, Discover, or Mastercard logo[10]
- Restrictions:
- Only compact through full-size vehicle classes are eligible.
- Paying by debit card requires a hard pull credit check (which can lower a consumer credit score by roughly 3-5 points).
- Must provide valid photo ID[10]
- Security deposit: Up to $500[10]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: Certain Off-Airport locations require you to be 25 to use a debit card. Otherwise, renting with a debit card does not affect the minimum age, which is 20.[11][10]
- Book a car
Enterprise
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Discover, or Mastercard logo[12]
- Restrictions: Must provide proof of round-trip travel at airport locations; must provide a valid ID with current name and address[12]
- Security deposit: Varies by location; $200 to $850[12]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[13]
- Book a car
Hertz Car Rental
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Discover, or Mastercard logo[14]
- Restrictions:
- Cannot be used on Adrenaline or Dream collection vehicles at the time of rental, though a debit card can be used at the time of return.
- Paying by debit card requires a hard pull credit check (which can lower a consumer credit score by roughly 3-5 points).[14]
- Security deposit: A hold of up to $500 may be placed.[14]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 25[14]
- Book a car
National Car Rental
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Mastercard, or Discover logo[15]
- Restrictions: Must provide proof of a return journey ticket (airline, cruise or train) at airport locations[15]
- Security deposit: Without proof of round-trip travel, you must provide a credit card with enough credit available to cover the rental amount as well as a $300 to $400 deposit. These funds will be released after the car is returned.[15]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[16]
- Book a car
Payless Car Rental
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Discover, American Express, or Mastercard logo[17]
- Restrictions:
- Accepted when renting from the Economy, Compact, Intermediate, Standard, Full-Size, Premium, SUV and Minivan categories only.
- Paying by debit card may require a hard pull credit check (which can lower a consumer credit score roughly 3-5 points).[18]
- Security deposit: $300[17]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[17]
- Book a car
Rent-A-Wreck
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Discover, American Express, or Mastercard logo[19]
- Restriction: Must provide current valid insurance. Without valid insurance, you’ll need to purchase a Collision Damage Waiver from Rent-A-Wreck and provide three forms of ID. If your license is from a different state than the rental location, you’ll need to provide proof of a return trip (airline, cruise, or train).[19]
- Security deposit: $200[20]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[19][20]
- Book a car
Sixt Rent a Car
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card with proper identification[21]
- Restriction:
- Security deposit: $200 plus the cost of the rental[21]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 21[21]
- Book a car
Thrifty Car Rental
- Debit cards accepted: Any debit card bearing the Visa, Discover, or Mastercard logo[23]
- Restrictions:
- Paying by debit card requires a hard pull credit check (which can lower a consumer credit score by roughly 3-5 points).
- Cannot be used for premium, luxury, or convertible vehicles if booked within 24 hours of the rental.[23]
- Security deposit: Up to $500[23]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 20[23]
- Book a car
Turo
- Debit cards accepted: Most domestic and international credit cards issued by major financial institutions and debit cards linked to a checking account with a Visa or Mastercard logo[24]
- Restrictions: The name on the card must match the name on your Turo account.[24]
- Security deposit: Varies based on the chosen vehicle and location[25]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: 18[26]
- Book a car
Note: If you’re unfamiliar, Turo is like the Airbnb of rental cars. You and the vehicle’s owner can arrange pickup and drop-off arrangements (even at the airport).
U-Save
- Debit cards accepted: Vary by location, but many franchises do accept debit cards either for a deposit or at the time of return. Check with the location where you’ll be renting for more details.[27][28]
- Restrictions: Vary by franchise
- Security deposit: Varies by franchise
- Age requirement for using a debit card: Varies by franchise
- Book a car
Note: You can use U-Save’s contact form to inquire about debit card policies if you have any specific questions.
Zipcar
- Debit cards accepted: Zipcar accepts all debit cards issued by major financial institutions.[29]
- Restrictions: There are no additional restrictions for debit card users in the U.S.; rules and restrictions may vary outside of the U.S.[30]
- Security deposit: None required[31]
- Age requirement for using a debit card: There is no minimum age for debit card use. Memberships are available for 18- to 20-year-olds affiliated with a college or university; all other applicants must be 21 or older.[29]
- Book a car
The List of Car Rentals That Don’t Take Debit Cards
The majority of the rental companies we contacted do accept debit cards at some or all of their locations and/or online, but the following companies don’t accept debit cards as payment:
- car2go: Only accepts credit cards, as noted in the car2go terms and conditions (and confirmed by corporate customer service)
- Europcar: Only accepts Maestro and Visa Electron debit cards, which are not available in the US, according to the Europcar booking terms and conditions.
You may also be interested in our article on rental companies that take cash.
I am trying to rent a car in the state of Vermont using a debit card only. I tried out the Enterprise in St. Johnsbury with no luck. Do you know of any that will? I am trying to head South to visit my brother who is in the hospital and this is starting to become very discouraging. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Hi Brandon,
I found several rental locations in Vermont for companies on our list, but all in Burlington. Avis, Alamo, Budget, Dollar, National, and Thrifty all have locations in Burlington, mostly at the airport. You could try searching for local car rental companies closer to St. Johnsbury. There are small, local rental companies out there, we just can’t cover services that local because we get so many requests.
hello ,
I am travelling tomorrow to Munich ,
I have no credit card only debit card .. so anxious they might not accept it .. although my debit card has available funds and visa logo ..
last year , I used it with enterprise.. and It worked and everything was fine and ran smoothly but this year I am so afraid .. my question is if I go to the same company and ask them to hire a car by using the same debit card .. will they allow me to rent a car as long as I have dealt with them before ?
What do you think ??
Hi Haifa,
You should be able to use the debit card abroad with a rental company that accepts debit cards. And yes, going with the same company that has accepted your debit card before would be the safest bet. You should also call your bank ahead of time, to make sure that they know you are traveling. To prevent theft, some banks will put a hold on your card when they see it used somewhere where you usually aren’t. Also, while most cards have chips these days and this isn’t likely to be a problem, if your card is old and doesn’t have a chip it might not be accepted abroad.
Hello! We are renting a car with budget from Reagan National Airport in D.C, driving to Houston Airport where we are flying home to Europe. We only have a debit card bearing the VISA logo. Do you think this will be alright? What should we have in mind?
Hi Kristina,
Yes, you can use your debit card to reserve a rental car. However, keep in mind that they will put a security deposit hold on your debit card, usually for about $200. This means that you will not be able to access this money while the hold is in place.
Debit card accepted at hertz in Orlando national airport for a convertable?
Hi Nick,
We contacted Hertz at Orlando International Airport. Yes, they do allow debit cards for any rental, provided you have a return airline ticket that coincides with the return date of the rental vehicle. Hertz will place up to a $200 hold on your debit card. You must also present a second form of ID at the time of rental. This can be a driver’s license, your social security card, or another debit card.
This article is completely false and a complete waste of time. Whoever, wrote this article should’ve taken the time to call each individual company and got the correct information!
Hi Pat,
We are sorry you didn’t find the article useful. We strive to maintain articles that are accurate, which is why we provided links that take the reader directly to the debit card policies for each of the companies listed. What about the article did you find inaccurate?
HI, the companies you specify also receive international debit cards from tourists who come from outside the US?
Hi Pol,
Good question. An international debit card is usually accepted if it has the Visa or MasterCard logo on it. But it’s always a good idea to check with the company beforehand.
Hi, a friend and I are trying to rent a car in Las Vegas form May 16th – May 18th. I have looked at fox rent-a-car and they seem like the best bet, considering we are 19 and don’t have a credit card, however I don’t want to get there and be turned away because we are under 21 and without a credit card.
We are from London so cannot ring or email fox, is there anyway you could double check for us?
Thank you
Phoebe,
Unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive, we are not able to help with specific, individual requests. You should be able to email Fox internationally with no problem at customerservice@foxrentacar.com (there’s no additional charge or restriction on sending an email anywhere in the world at any time). I hope this helps!
I’m a 20 year old trying to find a rental place in Las Vegas that will allow me to rent and pay with a debit card. Anyone?
Hi Jaylyn,
Unfortunately, there aren’t many places that will rent to 20-year-old drivers paying by debit card. One option to try would be Fox Rent A Car; typically, Fox’s corporate locations allow drivers to be as young as 19, and many will accept a debit card as payment. I would recommend contacting the Fox office in Las Vegas to verify that there won’t be any problems before you make the reservation. You can reach the Las Vegas office at (800) 225-4369 (open 24 hours). Hertz is another company that typically accepts debit cards and rents to drivers as young as 20 years old. To confirm that you would be able to rent with Hertz, you can reach the Las Vegas Hertz office at (702) 262-7700 (also open 24 hours). I hope this helps!
Hi,
Is it possible to rent a luxury car with a debit card? I just tried Budget and they told me it was credit card only. I have more than enough cash in my bank account, however I don’t qualify for a credit card that isn’t secured (I’m rebuilding my credit after being stupid in my young adult years). I’d like to rent a nice car when I go home and see my family in Maine this summer – but it seems like it’s absolute impossibility to rent a luxury car at Portland International Airport without a credit card. Any advice on potential companies that accepts debit cards for luxury car rentals in that area?
Hi Sam,
Unfortunately, Budget’s policy is fairly common; customers who pay with debit cards are often limited in the type of cars that they can rent. Alamo does have a location at the Portland International Airport, and the company’s debit card policy doesn’t specifically restrict the types of vehicles that can be rented with non-credit card payment methods. You can reach the office for that Alamo location at (888) 826-6893. Enterprise is another company with a Portland International Airport location and no specific restriction on vehicles available to customers paying by debit card; the phone number for that office is (207) 615-0030. Again, you’ll want to get in touch with these locations to find out for sure whether it will be possible to rent a luxury car with a debit card, but these two companies will be some of the most likely candidates. I hope this helps!
Hi there. Are there any companies in Montreal that would accept debit cards in order to rent a car?
Hi Ovi,
Unfortunately, many rental car companies don’t publish the individual policies of each location online, so you may need to get in touch with a few companies’ service centers in Montreal to find one that will accept a debit card. For example, many Budget locations accept debit cards, and this company does have a Montreal location; you can reach that service center at 514-636-0052. Avis also has several locations in Montreal. The Avis service center at the Trudeau International Airport can be reached at (1) 514-636-1902. The Trudeau Airport location of Alamo can be reached at (514) 633-1222. Policies about renting with a debit card can be very specific, so it’s best to get in touch with a representative directly to see if a debit card would be accepted for your specific situation. I hope this helps, and please let me know if I can answer any further questions!
Are there any places in Milwaukee Wisconsin that takes debit cards as a deposit or cash as a deposit
Hi Monique,
Ace Rent A Car will accept debit cards, with notable exceptions, at both the Milwaukee International Airport and Brown Deer Rd locations. For more information, visit the Ace Rent A Car locations page, choose either of the Milwaukee locations, and then select “Location policy” on the right hand side for full details. Alamo also has a location at the Milwaukee Airport and accepts debit cards with proof of round trip travel. Since Milwaukee does have an international airport, there are several more companies on our list that will accept debit cards with locations in Milwaukee, but these are two of the most popular choices. I hope this helps!
Hi I’d like to know are there car rental companies that would accept prepaid credit cards? thanks! I’m really having a hard time looking for one.
Hi,
While there aren’t many of them, there are a few rental car companies that will allow you to rent with a prepaid card. Thrifty Car Rental is one, although you’ll be limited in the range of vehicles you can choose, and you’ll want to check with the specific location that you plan to rent from, as policies do vary by service center. Enterprise Rent-A-Car may be willing to let you rent with a prepaid card, or even with cash, depending on the individual location. Again, you’ll want to get in touch with the specific locations of these companies in the city where you’re planning to rent to ensure that there won’t be any problems. I hope this helps!
This information was very helpful! Thanks. It is very hard trying to get a rental in Philadelphia, Pa without a credit card 🙁 but I ended up going with Advantage.. it was a very long process but I had no choice I needed a rental for the weekend and didn’t have credit card . The total cost of rental for the wknd Fri-Sat was $109.. but because I was using debit they had to put a hold on my card also for $350.. they also call your insurance company to make sure you have full coverage .. if you don’t you will not be able to rent with them AND they also check your credit (soft Inquiry) .. after all of that you are good to go ..about 45mins later I was finally out of there Also they’re selective with what kind of car you can get .. I advise if you can get a credit card or use one you have go that route.. it will save you a lot of time and hassle
Sorry meant to put i rented the car Fri- Sun!
Hi S.,
Thanks for sharing your experience! That’s great advice for people in a similar situation. We’re glad you found the post helpful and thanks for writing in!
Mr Lipovsky , hello my name is Mr Summerville I resides in Atlanta ga and I enjoy the Car rental so I can reserve my car mileage. However I normally rent with a credit. But I want to rent with debit . Do Avis , or Alamo rent with debit or could you share a list ? that only requires 100,or 200 hold ?
Hi Mr. Summerville,
I’m checking in for Will to help out with the comments!
The short answer about whether Avis rents with a debit card is maybe. Their policy is that renting with a credit card typically requires a $200 hold, while renting with a debit card only requires a $100 hold — but the catch is that not every Avis location accepts debit cards. It sounds like you’ll have to contact your Avis location directly to find out whether they’ll accept a debit card (it must have the Visa or MasterCard logo on it). You can find the contact information for your local Avis through the Avis location finder.
Visa, MasterCard or Discover debit cards are accepted by Alamo with proof of a round-trip ticket. If you don’t have a round-trip ticket, debit cards are only accepted as a form of payment (not for the hold) when the car is returned. The FAQs page has more information about Alamo’s debit card policy. I hope this helps!
Wvhat about Vegas?im goin next week,only need a car for about 4-5 days, can u give an “estimate” on how much id need on my Visa debit…car could b a Chevette, i dont care! Lol…
Hi Chad,
You’ll need anywhere from $100-$400, depending on the company. Debit cards sometimes only work on lower-priced rental cars so it’s a good thing you’re looking to rent something cheap. Have fun!
Hi, does this apply to one way journeys with these companies? We’re trying to find somewhere that will let us rent a car to drive from LA to San Francisco but it looks like some places only accept debit cards if you’re dropping off in the same location – not sure if they actually apply this rule or not though. Any ideas? 🙂
Hi Sarah,
What you can do is cross-reference this post with this post: http://firstquarterfinance.com/car-rental-companies-that-offer-unlimited-mileage/. That linked post shows which car rental companies let you drop off at a different location.
I once hired a car with cash deposit in Dubai airport (Al Wefaq Rental car ), was supposed to be given back in 40 days (which would be after i left the country). Never got it back.
Hi Alma,
The good news is that you’re entitled to that money – no matter if you’ve you’re still in the country or not.
First, make sure the $40 wasn’t deducted from your bill. If not, go to http://www.alwefaq.com/ and open up a chat with a representative. Explain the situation. Be ready to provide proof of your purchase. If this method doesn’t work, send a detailed email explaining the situation here: http://www.alwefaq.com/Home/Contact. Issuing the refund will only take a moment.
If you have any other questions, Alma, just respond back!
Great write up! My girlfriend and I are taking a trip to Myrtle Beach and finding the right rental car company is hard.. especially since we only have debit cards and our credit sucks.. we are working on getting it back.. so far Fox rent a car had the best deal with no credit check and around 400 for the week with the deposit
I’m glad it was helpful, Mike! And thanks for commenting. Some people will likely read your comment and go straight to Fox. Let me know if there’s anything I can help with.
HI im trying to rent a car from rome on 24th May and zurich 27th may. but I don’t have any credit card. I have a visa debit with enough money. The terms and conditions are really confusing in website. My euro trip is on the line because these renting are really important.
Hi Adeeb,
You can rent a car using a debit card in Italy. Call the exact company/location you choose before you land just to give yourself peace of mind. You shouldn’t have any issues.
I had a hassle with Hertz at JFK airport the other night. I paid a booking agency the full rental amount in advance with a debit card. The money was taken from my account as I had expected. When we arrived from Europe to pick up the car at JFK, Hertz told me that if I wanted the hire car I would have to pay them an extra US$300 in CASH. Luckily, between my wife and I we had US$300 on us and paid this security. Hertz proudly told us they would refund the CASH, if they had the cash available or otherwise they would issue a cheque, when we returned the car in good condition. What use is US$300 cash to me when I return to Australia? I have to pay a conversion fee to change it into Australian dollars
It’s certainly not impossible to rent a car without a credit card, it is obviously more of a hassle. Unless you have no other option, using a credit card can really save time, money, and, perhaps, your sanity.
It is easier with a credit card. No doubt. Though it’s nice to know that one is unnecessary. Young people, recovering credit card-aholics and Dave Ramsey followers have options.
Hi! This article is not up to date!!! I called most of the big companies that the article listed, and actually noone accepts a Debit, everywhere a credit card is required for the deposit that the company takes!!!
Hi Dora,
I definitely apologize for any frustration that this article has caused. Your comments have prompted a full review of the article and we’ll be verifying and updating all the information in it very shortly. Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention, and again, our sincere apologies for the inconvenience.
Hi Dora,
I wanted to let you know that we have thoroughly reviewed the article and verified with each company listed that at least some locations will accept debit cards for both the actual payment and the reservation deposit. That isn’t necessarily true of all locations, so it’s definitely possible that the service centers in the particular city where you were looking to rent may not offer this option. We have updated the article to clarify the restrictions on paying by debit card as well as to include the security deposit required for paying by debit card at each company. If you have any further questions or comments, please let us know and we’ll do our best to help!
I called every single location in a major city and none are 21. All are 25.
Hi Janie,
I definitely apologize for any frustration that the article has caused! Based on your comment, I went ahead and verified the policies at the companies in our article, and I did find that a few of the policies stated by the companies are somewhat ambiguous, so I’ve reached out to these companies to clarify and will update the article accordingly. The majority of the companies that I reviewed (including Ace, Advantage, Sixt, Enterprise, and Fox, among others), however, did not indicate that renting with a debit card affected the minimum age. This may absolutely vary by location, as most service centers can set their own policies in this regard — so unfortunately, to some degree, it does come down to the city you’re traveling to and the available options in that area. If you’d like to provide me with the city you’ll be visiting, I’d be happy to take a look and see if I can find anything that might work for you.