Renting a car can be a convenient option in the Netherlands, but also when on holiday abroad. Many car rental companies ask their renters for a security deposit. This deposit must be paid with a credit card. However, can you also rent a car without a credit card? In some cases, renting a car without a credit card is also an option. In this blog, we will 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 security deposit with a credit card when hiring a car?
Just like when you book a hotel or a holiday let, you may have to pay a deposit. With a deposit, you give the landlord the assurance that you have sufficient financial resources and that you will handle the rental car responsibly. If you handle the car carefully, 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. When you return the rental car undamaged, the reserved amount will be released again within a few hours after the period.
Can you rent a car without a credit card?
A Car hire without a credit card is less practical, but it is possible within the Netherlands. It may be the case that you do not own 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 extra assurance about who the main driver is in the event of damage. Furthermore, the debit card must be accompanied by a valid form of identification and driving licence. You cannot pay your deposit in cash.
All car types to rent without a credit card?
Which cars can you currently hire without a credit card? This depends on which rental company you hire your car from. At Adrem Limburg you can hire our small and Hire compact cars without a credit card, such as the Peugeot 108. Our vans and minibuses can also be rented using only a debit card. For mid-range and larger cars, however, the deposit can only be paid with a credit card.
Is it possible to rent a car abroad without a credit card?
Can you hire a car without a credit card abroad now? Hiring a car abroad difficult with a Dutch debit card. The Dutch debit card is a unique payment method that is not widely known abroad. Some rental companies are occasionally 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 if you take out comprehensive insurance without an excess, a landlord may occasionally turn a blind eye.
Sometimes hiring a car with a prepaid credit card
Another option for renting a car abroad without a credit card is to do so using a prepaid credit card. A prepaid credit card offers a number of practical advantages:
- You can also purchase this without a fixed income.
- You load a sum onto the card yourself and cannot spend more than this reserved money. This prevents debt from occurring.
- You won't need a BKR check.
For landlords, the prepaid credit card does present some problems, as they do not know how much money you have put on the card. Therefore, they don't yet know if you are financially capable, for example, if you were to cause damage. Not every rental company accepts this prepaid card for this reason.
Hiring a car without your own credit card?
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. Therefore, you cannot pay the deposit with someone else's credit card while remaining the main driver of the rental car.
