Debit Cards
 

Why don't rental car companies accept debit cards. Can't they verify amount avalaible on the card.

Some do, but most do not. Some will require a credit check first, as anybody can get a debit card, but they assume not everybody can get a credit card.

It's harder to enforce a hold on a debit card (if not impossible), people don't like the fact it could be weeks before the hold comes off of the debit cards, so there's lots of customer service issues there, so it's just easier for them not to deal with it.

Hertz does accept debit cards at many locations, but of course that significantly depends on the local policy at that location.

Many will require additional restrictions (you need to pass a credit check, they put a larger hold on the card, they require you to take out the insurance, etc)

Can I use my Debit Card or Bank Card to reserve a Hertz car?

At most Hertz locations, debit cards (sometimes called check cards) issued under a VISA or Mastercard logo which draw funds directly from the cardholder's account may be used to qualify for rental. However, prepaid or stored value cards which have a VISA or Mastercard logo are not accepted to qualify for rental. Debit cards must have available funds for the estimated amount of the rental charges plus up to $140 to cover any incidental charges in order to secure the rental. Both debit cards and prepaid or stored value cards issued under a VISA or Mastercard logo may be used as a form of payment when you return the vehicle. Please contact your local Hertz Reservations Office if you have a question about whether Hertz will accept a certain card.

Many car rental and hotels that will not accept a debit card for booking will accept it for payment, thus the common hotel checkout question "will you be paying with the saem card you used to book?" I do that often with both hertz ans Sixt.

While there are some that choose not to use credit cards there are plenty of others where they do not have the option. If a bank is willing to extend a credit card to someone then why would Hertz want to hand over the keys to a car?

I have never had any issue using my visa debit card with Hertz and have done lots of rentals using it

Works exactly the same as using a credit card

Dave

I checked with Alamo for FLL, they say they take debit cards but you must have a round trip airline ticket from the airport you rent the car from. If not you have to have a credit card but can have the charges taken from the debit card when you retuen the car.

^ Hertz doesn't have a problem with debit cards. 200+ rentals with debit cards all over the US. As Dave said, it works exactly the same as a credit card, and the hold amount isn't any different, either.

Might be different internationally. Btw., Avis doesn't care if you use a debit card, either.

100% correct. Just like for an insurance company, risk assessment and reduction is one of the core jobs of a rental operator. All of the statistics show that customers who only have debit cards present significantly higher risks to the rental company. Therefore, the additional qualifications most companies and locations require in order to use a debit card are there to provide two functions: 1) to encourage customers to use a credit card instead of a debit card and 2) screen out the riskiest customers.

While there are some people who use only debit cards as a matter of choice, the majority of people with only debit cards tend to fall on the lower end of the socioeconomic scale. They usually have bad credit because of bad decisions, a bad choice of lifestyle, or an inability to handle money well. These people are also the most likely to do things such as steal cars, piece parts off of cars, keep cars for long periods of time and accrue an unpayable balance, damage cars and not have good enough (or any) insurance coverage with which to cover such damage, or violate the law while operating the car (resulting in impoundment, total loss, or potentially even adverse legal action against the rental company).

Screening out debit card users is not a perfect solution to these problems, and yes, there are occasional false positives caught in the rules, but this practice vastly reduces the chances of these things happening. I speak from personal observation.

Hertz ANC (corporate) requires the customer to submit to a credit score evaluation, which shows up as a hard inquiry on the customer's credit report. Avis ANC (franchised) does not allow debit cards at all. I do not know other cities' policies intimately because I personally do not attempt to rent with a debit card. All other companies in ANC require a return flight itinerary plus a substantial deposit; one requires proof of insurance on top of that.

I tried to use a debit card with hertz nce an hour ago after reading comments here. No success they will not accept even my French debit card. They did upgrade me to an mb e class so I cannot feel too bad.

I always use my debit card with Hertz. Never had any problems. The debit card does need to be listed in your profile.

I never had a problem using my Debit card at Hertz. Even when they told me that the hold for a debit card would be 7-10 days versus 24 hours with a CC...I have always had the hold released after 2 days and never a day longer. Hertz just wants it money like any company.