Yes — for almost all rentals booked through our site you need a physical credit card in the main driver's name at the pickup desk. The card is used to place a refundable security-deposit hold; prepaid cards and cards in someone else's name are not accepted. The rental itself can often be paid at pick-up, but the deposit hold must go on a credit card.
Why the desk insists on a credit card
The deposit is an authorisation hold, not a charge. The rental company blocks an amount on your card to cover the insurance excess, fuel and any tolls or fines, then releases it after the car comes back in order. Holds like this only work reliably on credit cards, which is why desks are strict about it.
What the card must be
- Physical and in the main driver's name — the name on the card must match the driver's licence.
- Enough available limit to cover the deposit shown in your booking terms.
- Generally not accepted: prepaid cards, virtual cards, and someone else's card — even a spouse's.
Booking online vs paying at pick-up
When you search cars on our site, the booking is completed on our partner's secure engine, and many rates let you pay for the rental itself at pick-up. Either way, the deposit hold at the desk still needs that credit card, so check the rental conditions shown before you confirm — the exact deposit amount is always stated there.
Only have a debit card?
A few local suppliers accept debit-card deposits on selected cars, usually with stricter terms — the rate conditions will say so explicitly. If the conditions don't mention debit cards, assume credit-only. More money questions are covered in payments & account help, and the rest of the pick-up checklist lives in car rental help.