Comments on: Renting A Car With Debit Card

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:11:25 +0000

I have rented from enterprise multiple times, they take a hold of whatever the expected total will be plus $200.00. I have called and requested that I keep a car for up to a week longer than the intended length and it was not a problem and I have traveled as far as 4 states away, with thier knowledge and it was not a problem. They do require that you bring a utility bill with your home address and a pay stub with you however.

By: Angie

Angie — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:48:56 +0000

What did you find out about the prepaid Netspend card. That’s what I use now and I’m trying to find a car rental company that will accept those. I’ve been told that their system does not recognize those cards.

By: IW

IW — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 21:27:20 +0000

None of these responses refer to a prepaid debit card through Netspend. I no longer have a checking account or credit cards because of 2 really very bad identity theft scares over the last 5 years. I either pay with cash, m.o. cashiers check or use the prepaid card. I plan to rent a car on a trip and the card will be top heavy loaded for any charges that might occur for the car, airfare etc.

By: R

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 15:35:33 +0000

The amount of money in your checking account has nothing to do with anything. I always have around $2000 in my checking account and it makes no frigging difference. I always have a lot of trouble trying to rent a car with a debit card.

By: Hanuman

Hanuman — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:56:28 +0000

I have a current rental from Deluxe Rent-a-Car in Los Angeles who is charging me $4.99 per day because I’m using my Visa sponsored debit card. There are ample funds in my account and the representative could only explain the charge was simply “company policy” and nothing more – kinda insulting. The car is great, but this charge is bugging me. Bank of America had no explanation either.

By: Jonathan Blakey

Jonathan Blakey — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 03:02:32 +0000

Just rented a car for a week with Avis and the hold was gone before I got off the plane (within about 5 hours).

I did have a reasonable amount of financial “cushion” in the account, which if you are going on vacation, you should probably have anyways because if a plane gets grounded you’ve got extra hotel costs, or if a medical emergency happens, etc.

By: Richard @ Student Scrooge

Richard @ Student Scrooge — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:35:52 +0000

Nice roundup; I’m actually surprised that many chains let you use a debit card at all.

Personally, I would be extremely nervous renting a car on debit card given how open ended the potential for extra charges is — unlike an airline ticket or (under normal circumstances) a hotel room, there are a ton of extra fees that could come into play with a rental car, not to mention the potential for the rental agency to assess (wrongly or rightly) charges for damages. It just seems like its a lot safer to have the consumer protection of a credit card. (I think this is even more true when renting from U-Haul, which is known for some pretty shady practices…)

By: Eden

Eden — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 15:31:58 +0000

I’ve rented a car with a debit card and didn’t have any problems. I think it was with Enterprise, but to be honest it was almost 3 years ago so I don’t remember the details and policies may have changed since then.

Just last week I used my debit card to pay for a hotel and cover the incidentals and whatnot. Again, that was not a problem at all.

I think the important distinction is actually having money in your checking account! If you are cutting it close with bills every month or living paycheck to paycheck you really should use a credit card instead. If you have a float of $1,000 – $2,000 in your checking account you can easily handle rental cars and hotels.

By: Jason H

Jason H — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:56:39 +0000

Just a minor nitpick. National and Alamo are owned by Enterprise now, so the policies may be changing.

By: Vic

Vic — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:44:16 +0000

I’ve rented a Budget car by the month several times and the hold only lasts for 24 hours. When I asked at the bank they told me, yes, in Maryland the hold can only be for a day.

By: FMF

FMF — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:09:34 +0000

“I usually advise against the use of debit cards because the card is linked directly to your debit card.”

Do you mean that the card is linked to your bank account?

By: The Travelin' Man

The Travelin' Man — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 19:04:12 +0000

Hotels are also now instituting similar policies of “holding” an amount in excess of the room charges. The policy seems to vary from hotel to hotel, even within the same chain (i.e. Marriott to Marriott), but most places I have seen with this policy will post something clearly at the front desk – others go so far as to say something when you offer a debit card for payment.

By: Moneymonk

Moneymonk — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 17:54:11 +0000

I have rented cars from all these agencies with my debit card over the past year.

The longest anyone took for 3 days to release the hold.