Rent a car without a credit card? This is what you need to know

Renting a car can be a convenient option in the Netherlands, but also when vacationing abroad. Many car rental companies ask their renters for a deposit. This deposit must be paid with a credit card. However, can you also rent a car without a credit card? In some cases, car rental without a credit card is also an option. In this blog we explain in which situations you can pay a deposit without a credit card and what renting a car abroad without a credit card looks like.

Why do you have to pay a deposit by credit card when renting a car?

Just like when you book a hotel or a holiday home, you may have to pay a deposit. With a deposit, you give the rental company the certainty that you have sufficient financial resources and that you will handle the rental car responsibly. If you handle the car with care, you will get that deposit back from the rental company. The advantage of paying a deposit with a credit card is that it is not immediately debited from your account. With a credit card, you reserve the deposit amount, as it were. If you return the rental car without damage, the reserved amount will be released again within a few hours after the period.

Can you rent a car without a credit card?

How to create a rent a car without credit card is less practical, but it is possible within the Netherlands. After all, it may be that you do not have a credit card. If you do not have a credit card, a valid debit card is sufficient. The debit card must be in the name of the main driver of the car. This provides additional guarantee about who the main driver is in the event of damage. In addition, the debit card must be accompanied by a valid ID and driver's license. You cannot pay your deposit in cash.

All car types available for rent without a credit card?

Which cars can you rent now without a credit card? This depends on which rental company you rent your car from. At Adrem Limburg you can rent our small and rent compact cars without credit card, such as the Peugeot 108. Our vans and passenger buses can also be rented with just a debit card. For the middle class and larger cars, you can only pay the deposit with a credit card.

Is it possible to rent a car abroad without a credit card?

Can you now rent a car without a credit card abroad? Renting a car abroad is with a Dutch debit card is difficult. The Dutch debit card is a unique means of payment that is not so well known abroad. Some rental companies are willing to accept a cash deposit, but there are only a few of them. You can often contact the rental company by phone and explain the situation. Especially when you take out comprehensive insurance without a deductible, a rental company may turn a blind eye.

Sometimes rent a car with a prepaid credit card

Another option to rent a car without a credit card abroad is to rent with a prepaid credit card. A prepaid credit card offers a number of practical advantages:

• You can also purchase this without a fixed income.
• You put an amount on the card yourself and can not spend more than this reserved money. This way no debts arise.
• You do not need a BKR check.

For rental companies, the prepaid credit card does cause some problems, since they do not know how much money you have put on the card. They do not know whether you are financially capable, for example if you drive damage. Not every rental company accepts this prepaid card for that reason.

Want to rent a car without your own credit card?

Finally, can you rent a car with a valid credit card in someone else's name? If you are the main driver on the credit card, you must cancel the reservation and have the other driver rebook as the main driver. You cannot pay the deposit with someone else's credit card while you remain the main driver of the rental car.