Rental car deposits and card holds, answered
Every rental starts with the counter blocking — or debiting — a deposit on your card. How that hold works decides how much cash you lose access to, for how long, and how hard it is to claw back when something is disputed.
These answers cover typical amounts at the major companies, the credit-vs-debit gap, release timelines, and what to do when a deposit is withheld or a hold never drops.
How much is a rental car deposit?
Most rental companies hold your estimated rental charges plus a buffer of roughly $200 to $500, or a fixed deposit of around €300 in much of Europe. The exact amount depends on the company, the country, the vehicle class, and whether you present a credit or a debit card at the counter.
| Company | Published deposit approach |
|---|---|
| Hertz | Up to $200 (credit) or $500 (debit) on top of estimated charges |
| Sixt | Rental amount plus a fixed vehicle-group surcharge (+300 standard, +500 premium SUV) |
| Europcar | €300 (£250) on prepaid rentals in Belgium, Germany, and the UK; far more on premium classes |
| Avis | Estimated charges plus about $200; larger debit holds at some airports |
| Enterprise | Varies by location; debit deposits commonly reported around $200–$400 |
A deposit only stays at risk when the company alleges new damage or unpaid extras. Sealing timestamped proof of the car's condition at pickup — what carseal does in about 90 seconds — is what makes reclaiming a withheld deposit quick instead of contested.
Is a rental car deposit a hold or an actual charge?
On a credit card it is an authorization hold, not a real charge: the money is blocked against your limit but never taken. The FTC explains that rental companies simply do not process the blocked amount when you return the car as agreed in your contract.
The hold reduces your available credit immediately, then converts into a charge only for what you actually owe — the rental itself if unpaid, plus fuel, extra days, or fees. See the FTC's guidance on debit and credit card blocking.
Debit cards are the exception: many companies debit the deposit for real and refund it later, which is why the credit-vs-debit choice matters more than the amount itself. Your pickup receipt should say "authorization" or "pre-authorization" rather than "sale" — ask at the desk if it does not.
Related: What is the difference between a credit card and debit card rental deposit?
How long does it take to get a rental car deposit back?
Plan on three to ten business days after return. Sixt, for example, says it releases the authorization within one business day of the car coming back, but your bank then needs roughly 3–10 business days to clear the hold from your account, depending on the card type.
The release is not a refund transaction — the pending amount just disappears, so there is often no line item to look for. Details are on Sixt's deposit help page; other majors follow similar timelines.
Debit deposits are slower because an actual refund has to travel back through the banking system before your balance recovers. Weekends and holidays pause the clock, since releases only process on business days. If nothing has moved after two weeks, treat it as an unreleased hold and escalate.
Related: What do I do if my rental car deposit hold is not released?
What is the difference between a credit card and debit card rental deposit?
With a credit card the deposit is only reserved against your credit limit and released after the rental; with a debit card the money is actually debited from your account and refunded later. Sixt confirms the amount is the same either way — only the mechanics differ.
| Credit card | Debit card | |
|---|---|---|
| At pickup | Amount reserved against limit | Amount debited from balance |
| During rental | Cash untouched | Cash gone from your account |
| After return | Hold released, nothing to refund | Refund must travel back to you |
| If disputed | You block money moving | You chase your own money |
Sixt's UK help center spells out the difference: a credit authorization is held then released, while Maestro/V PAY debit deposits are debited directly and refunded after the vehicle is returned in the agreed condition.
Is it bad to rent a car with a debit card?
It is riskier. A debit deposit removes real cash from your checking account for days or weeks, while a credit hold only reduces a spending limit. The FTC warns that if your balance is low when the block lands, your card can start declining other purchases mid-trip.
Debit renters also face extra friction at many counters — additional ID, proof of return travel at some airports, and larger deposits — and refunds can take well over a week to post. The FTC's renting-a-car guidance covers how blocking works on both card types.
And if damage is alleged, a debit deposit is money already in the company's hands. A sealed, timestamped record of the car's pickup condition — the proof carseal creates — is the fastest way to get it back.
Can you rent a car without a credit card?
Usually yes, with conditions. Visa and Mastercard debit cards are accepted at most major-brand locations in the US, while cash, prepaid cards, and virtual cards are generally refused at pickup. Expect a bigger deposit, possible ID or credit checks, and restrictions on which vehicle classes you can take.
Budget publishes its debit-card rules, and each brand's requirements differ by location — some airport counters ask for a return travel itinerary before accepting debit. Check the specific location's policy before you fly.
If no card in the main driver's name can cover the hold, the desk can refuse to hand over the car even on a fully paid booking. Prepaying online softens the hit, because only the deposit — not the whole rental — then needs to fit on your debit card.
Related: Why was my card declined for the rental deposit at the counter?
Can you use a prepaid card for a rental car deposit?
Almost never. Prepaid and gift cards are rejected for deposits because the company cannot reliably charge them again later for fuel, tolls, tickets, or damage. Avis, for example, lists prepaid debit and gift cards as unacceptable credit identification at pickup — a credit card or bank debit card is required.
The rule is about open credit, not the balance on the card: a deposit needs a reusable payment instrument the company can re-authorize after you leave. See Avis's debit card policy for a typical example.
The common workaround: secure the deposit with a credit or bank debit card at pickup, then many locations will let you settle the final bill with the prepaid card at return. If a prepaid card is all you have, call the exact branch before booking rather than risking a refusal at the desk.
How much does Enterprise hold on your card?
There is no single flat figure: Enterprise says the deposit varies by location and vehicle, and debit-card renters commonly report deposits in the $200–$400 range on top of the rental cost. With debit, the rental plus deposit is charged upfront and the deposit portion refunded after return.
Because branches set their own thresholds, the reservation flow or the branch itself is the only reliable source for your exact number — Enterprise documents the policy in the deposits and payments FAQ on enterprise.com.
Credit-card rentals are held rather than charged, so nothing needs refunding. Debit-deposit refunds typically post within about 5–10 business days, and that timing depends on your bank rather than on Enterprise — a Friday return often takes longest to unwind because banking days pause over the weekend.
How much does Hertz hold on your credit card?
Hertz says it may place an authorization of up to $200 on a credit card — or up to $500 on a debit card — on top of your estimated rental charges. The exact hold is disclosed at the time of rental and varies by location and rental details.
The policy is published on Hertz's authorization hold page. After you return the car, Hertz submits the final charge and the remainder of the hold lapses — how quickly depends on your card issuer, not on Hertz.
Note that estimated charges include prepaid fuel, extras, and taxes, so anything added at the counter raises the hold as well as the bill. The same page warns there can be a delay between Hertz submitting the final charge and your card company releasing the hold.
How much is the deposit at Avis or Budget?
With a debit card, Avis typically authorizes your estimated rental charges plus about $200, rising to estimated charges plus $350 at some airport locations; credit-card holds run in a similar range but are only reserved, never debited. Budget, its sister brand, follows the same debit rules — and both brands refuse debit cards outright at certain city locations.
Avis's debit card policy notes debit is not accepted in a few metro areas, such as the New York Tri-State region, so a credit card is the only safe assumption there. Longer rentals can also carry a larger authorization.
Funds under hold are unavailable for the entire rental, so budget for the full amount when traveling on a debit card. Prepaying online reduces the estimated charges left to authorize, which shrinks the total pending amount at the desk.
How much deposit does Sixt take?
Sixt calculates the deposit as your rental amount plus a fixed surcharge by vehicle group: plus 300 for standard cars and plus 500 for mid-range cars and premium SUVs, in your local currency — EUR, CHF, or GBP; US locations use different amounts. Your rental agreement states the exact figure.
The structure is published in Sixt's help center: higher-value groups carry higher surcharges — an even larger fixed surcharge applies to the top premium groups — and the authorization is placed at pickup to cover potential extras such as missing fuel or a late return.
You can see the authorization details for your booking on the Sixt website or in the app once the rental starts. Because the surcharge is fixed per group, a longer rental raises the deposit only through the rental-amount half of the formula.
How much is the Europcar deposit?
For Belgium, Germany, and the UK, Europcar blocks €300 (or £250) on prepaid rentals; book without prepaying and the rental price is authorized on top of that. The deposit is blocked, not debited — and with Online Check-In it can be blocked up to 48 hours before pickup.
Buying protection that reduces the damage excess shrinks the deposit too — in some countries down to €100 with a zero-excess package. Country-by-country amounts are listed in Europcar's deposit policy.
The blocked amount settles any extras — missing fuel, extra days, one-way fees — and the remainder releases after invoicing; release times vary with how you paid. Keep the pickup invoice: the blocked figure printed there is what you compare against your banking app when checking the release.
Why is the deposit so high on luxury and premium rental cars?
Because your potential excess is higher. Europcar in Portugal, for example, sets a €1,000 deposit on Special (SIPP code X) categories and €3,000 on Premium and Luxury (P, U, L, W) classes — dropping to €500 and €1,000 respectively when you buy protection that reduces the damage excess to zero.
Portugal goes further still: Europcar there requires two physical credit cards for those categories regardless of protection purchased, per its deposit policy. Check the SIPP code on your voucher before travel so a two-card rule cannot surprise you at the desk.
A four-figure hold also means a four-figure exposure if damage is alleged at return. On high-value classes especially, sealing independent, timestamped proof of the car's condition at pickup — carseal's 90-second walk-around — is cheap insurance against an expensive argument.
Do young drivers pay a higher rental car deposit?
Not usually as a separate line: published deposit formulas key off vehicle group and payment method, not the driver's age. Sixt, for instance, names vehicle category as the deciding factor. But young-driver surcharges raise your estimated charges — and most holds are calculated on top of estimated charges.
So an under-25 fee indirectly inflates the authorization even when the deposit buffer itself is unchanged; see Sixt's deposit factors.
Young renters are also commonly excluded from the premium groups that carry the biggest deposits, which caps the hold — check each company's age policy for the classes you can actually book. And bring a credit card: young driver plus debit card is the combination counters refuse most often, especially at airport locations.
Why is the hold on my card bigger than my rental quote?
Because companies deliberately authorize more than the quote. The FTC notes that most rental companies block more than the agreed-on rental cost so the final bill — fuel, extra days, tolls, tickets — is covered without a second authorization. Your quote is the floor of the hold, never the ceiling.
Two other multipliers: pay-at-counter bookings get the rental price authorized alongside the deposit (Europcar's policy authorizes rental price plus deposit on non-prepaid bookings), and counter add-ons like upgrades or protection raise the estimated charges before the buffer applies. Background: FTC on card blocking.
Ask the desk to state the exact authorization amount before you sign the agreement, and if the pending figure still looks wrong the next day, have the branch confirm the authorized amount in writing before disputing anything.
Why do I see two deposit holds from the rental car company?
A second authorization was taken before the first one dropped off. Hertz, for example, states it obtains additional holds if the car is not returned at the agreed date and time or if the rental terms change — while your bank can keep showing the original hold for days.
Extensions, upgrades, currency re-processing after a declined transaction, and late returns are the usual triggers; the policy is on Hertz's authorization hold page.
The stale authorization expires unclaimed — you are not charged twice — but if the double block is squeezing your account, ask the branch for a release confirmation your issuer can act on, and keep both receipts so you can match each pending amount to a real authorization.
What do I do if my rental car deposit hold is not released?
First confirm with the rental company that your agreement is closed and no charges are pending, and ask for an authorization release (reversal) confirmation. Then call your card issuer: unclaimed holds expire on their own, but a car-rental authorization can sit for up to about 30 days before dropping.
Card-network rules allow merchants to keep car-rental authorization holds for up to 30 days, so issuers often will not intervene early without the merchant's reversal reference — get it in writing from the branch.
If the company refuses to send a release confirmation, escalate in writing to its customer service and keep the thread; that paper trail is exactly what your issuer will ask for. Log the date the agreement closed — the 30-day clock and your issuer's patience both start there.
Related: Can I dispute a pending rental car hold with my bank?
Can I dispute a pending rental car hold with my bank?
Generally no — banks can only dispute posted transactions, not pending authorizations. Once a deposit actually posts as a charge you did not agree to, protection kicks in: for US credit cards, your written Fair Credit Billing Act dispute must reach the issuer within 60 days of the first statement showing the error.
| Card | US law | Key deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Credit | Fair Credit Billing Act | Written dispute within 60 days of the first statement with the error |
| Debit | Regulation E (12 CFR 1005) | Bank investigates, generally resolving or provisionally crediting within 10 business days |
Note the asymmetry: credit disputes freeze money on the bank's side, while debit disputes chase money already gone. Either way, the sequence is: wait for the hold to post or expire, then dispute the posted amount with your evidence attached.
The rental company kept my deposit for damage — what can I do?
Demand their proof in writing before accepting the loss: pickup and return inspection reports, dated photos, and an itemized repair invoice. A company withholding your deposit for damage has to be able to show the damage happened during your rental — and weak claims usually collapse when you ask.
If the evidence does not hold up, dispute the posted charge with your card issuer, and report the company at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to your state attorney general, as the FTC advises for rental car problems. Keep every email — that thread becomes your chargeback evidence later.
These disputes are decided by whoever holds better timestamped evidence. A carseal record sealed at pickup — cryptographically timestamped before you drove off — shows what was already there, and that typically ends the argument.
Related: Is the rental car deposit the same as the excess or deductible?
Is the rental car deposit the same as the excess or deductible?
No. The deposit is a temporary hold covering rental extras; the excess (deductible) is the maximum you owe if the car is damaged or stolen. Sixt states it plainly: the deposit covers outstanding rental items like fuel or late returns, while damage claims are handled separately under your protection package.
Two practical consequences, per Sixt's deposit page: getting your deposit back does not mean no damage claim can follow, and a damage claim is not capped at the deposit — it is capped at your excess. Ask at the counter which figure is which; agents often quote the two interchangeably.
Whatever your excess level, a claim still has to be proven. Sealed, timestamped pickup evidence — what carseal exists for — is what decides whether an excess ever gets charged.
How does the deposit work when I book through a broker like DiscoverCars or Rentalcars.com?
The rental supplier at the counter — not the broker — takes the deposit. DiscoverCars explains that the supplier requires a credit card in the main driver's name and releases the deposit within 30 days of return, provided the car comes back with no new damage, fines, or missing fuel.
Your broker prepayment covers the rental price only; the deposit amount, accepted cards, and excess all live in the supplier's rental conditions attached to your voucher — read them before travel, per DiscoverCars' help center.
If a deposit issue arises after return, you deal with the supplier first; the broker can mediate, but it never held your money. Screenshot the rental conditions when you book — supplier terms sometimes differ from what the counter claims later.
Should I pay the rental deposit in local currency or my home currency?
Choose the local currency. When the terminal offers to convert the deposit into your home currency — dynamic currency conversion (DCC) — the rate is set by the DCC provider with a markup, almost always worse than the rate your card network would apply automatically.
In the EU, Regulation (EU) 2019/518 forces terminals to disclose the DCC markup as a percentage over the European Central Bank's reference rate — if you see that screen, decline and pick local. Here is how DCC pricing works.
It matters for deposits because a hold can later become a real charge — late fees, fuel, damage — and a DCC choice made at pickup locks the bad rate into that charge. The same prompt appears at fuel stations and hotels; the answer is always local currency.
Related: Why did I get less money back than my rental deposit?
Why did I get less money back than my rental deposit?
Usually exchange rates, not a hidden fee. If a foreign-currency deposit was actually debited rather than just held, the refund converts back at a different day's rate, and your bank may add its own conversion fee — so the amount landing in your account rarely matches to the cent.
DiscoverCars warns explicitly that it cannot cover shortfalls caused by exchange-rate movement on charged (rather than held) deposits.
First rule out a real deduction: compare the refund against your final invoice for fuel, toll, or fee line items. If the gap is pure exchange-rate drift, a credit-card authorization would have avoided it — nothing converts until something is actually charged. Differences of a few percent are normal on converted refunds; larger gaps deserve an invoice-level query with the company.
Related: What is the difference between a credit card and debit card rental deposit?
Why was my card declined for the rental deposit at the counter?
Three usual culprits: the card is not in the main driver's name, it is a prepaid or virtual card, or the available balance or credit limit is smaller than the authorization. Suppliers commonly require a physical credit card in the main driver's name — brokers like DiscoverCars state the requirement outright.
See DiscoverCars' deposit requirements. The fixes: make the cardholder the main driver on the booking, free up limit before travel, or bring a second card as backup.
Digital-wallet-only cards are another quiet failure mode — some counters still need a physical card to insert, not a phone tap. A declined deposit means no car, even on a fully prepaid booking, and counters rarely retry a failed authorization — so check your limit before you fly.
Related: Can you use a prepaid card for a rental car deposit?