Can You Rent A Car With A PayPal Debit Card? [Answered]

You present the agent with your PayPal Debit MasterCard, and she joyfully places a hold on your account between $100 and $500 greater than the rental fee.

The deposit is instantly refunded to your PayPal account after you return the vehicle. This post tells how you Can You Rent A Car With A PayPal Debit Card?

Can You Rent A Car With A PayPal Debit Card?

Most automobile rental agencies will only take payment from a PayPal account indirectly. Even if you can make a reservation using PayPal, you will eventually need a credit card. You can also pay through the PayPal Debit Card as an alternative.

Anywhere that takes Mastercard-branded debit cards also accepts payments made through PayPal.

To learn where and how to pay for a car rental with PayPal, we contacted customer service agents and looked at the payment procedures for the major car rental firms throughout the United States.

Debit Friendly

Alamo

If the VISA, MasterCard, or Discover mark is on your PayPal debit card, you can use it at the Alamo or Discover logo, but you must present a round-trip ticket (or other proof of one) at the rental desk.

National

At National, round-trip travel tickets (for an airline, cruise, or train) and debit cards bearing the VISA, MasterCard, or Discover Card logos are accepted. However, a credit card is also required.

Enterprise

Debit cards are accepted at Enterprise airport locations with a round-trip air, boat, or train ticket as identification. Debit cards might be accepted elsewhere, but you must check with them first.

Credit Check Likely

Budget

No matter the policy, expect a credit check when renting from a budget rental location that accepts debit cards. The websites for each location detail their policies.

Airport sites will take a round-trip airline ticket, an e-ticket, or an itinerary with the renter’s name and a return date as identification. A passport or military ID, a recent utility bill, or proof of auto insurance are required in some locations.

Dollar 

Per Person Dollar stores have the right to refuse service. Dollar will take MasterCard and Visa debit cards if you pass an Equifax credit screening and debit card check.

You can leave or use your credit card if you don’t have enough. The credential cannot be a credit card small enough to fit on a keychain, like a fuel-and-go card.

Hertz

At the Hertz rental counter, expect to undergo an Equifax credit check. Only those bearing the Visa or MasterCard logo are accepted when a rental site accepts debit cards. Additionally, you will require a credential from a limited list.

Thrifty

You’ll have a credit check at Equifax and a debit card check at Thrifty. If you fail, you’ll need to produce a major credit card. In either case, the local office makes the final decision, so get in touch before making any preparations.

Why It’s Better To Rent A Car With A Credit Card?

It could be time to change if you’re trying to hire a car with your bank account because you still need to get a credit card.

Making renting a car simpler and receiving several extra benefits and perks along the road is possible by applying for a credit card. Why should you pay for your automobile rental with credit rather than debit at rental car agencies?

Here are the main justifications:

Included Rental Car Coverage

Several travel credit cards provide rental car insurance when you use your card to pay for the rental duration.

Primary coverage is a feature of the finest credit cards for rental car insurance, which takes effect before any other coverage you have. In contrast, some of these cards offer secondary rental coverage only after using your insurance.

You might be shocked to learn that credit cards with main rental car coverage have large limits for theft and damage when renting automobiles throughout the applicable periods.

Just remember that liability coverage is never included in the car rental insurance offered by credit cards.

Rewards For Renting A Car

Additionally, many credit cards give incentives for every dollar you spend, whether in the form of cashback, points for travel, or flexible rewards points like Chase Ultimate incentives or American Express Membership Rewards.

While some reward cards offer the same rate on every purchase, others offer tiered rewards and can give you extra points for things like car rentals and other forms of travel.

Elite Status With Car Rental Companies

A few high-end travel credit cards also grant elite status or unique benefits at a few automobile rental companies. With each rental period you successfully finish, this elite status can help you receive free upgrades, discounts on car rentals, and awards you can use as a renter.

For instance, National Car Rental, Avis, and Silvercar offer particular car rental advantages with the well-known Chase Sapphire Reserve® card.

Along with membership in Avis Preferred Plus, additional benefits through the National Emerald Club, and elite benefits when renting a car from Hertz, The Platinum Card® from American Express also has several perks for renting a car.

Hertz President’s Circle® status is automatic with the Capital One Venture X, another high-end travel credit card.

Why Car Rentals With A Debit Card Are Harder?

It’s harder to rent a car with a debit card for multiple reasons. You must first have enough money in your bank account to cover the amount the car rental agency places on hold.

This means that you cannot use that money to cover any expenses or obligations before the period for your rental automobile expires.

You won’t be able to make the payment otherwise, Second, additional procedures and demands exist for those who pay for their rental automobile with debit rather than credit.

Conclusion

Using a PayPal debit card to rent a car can rely on the rules of the rental car company and the particular PayPal card you have. Many large automobile rental companies accept credit and debit cards for bookings and payments, but they can have particular conditions or restrictions on debit cards, including those through PayPal.

It is crucial to determine whether the rental car company accepts PayPal debit cards and what their unique terms and limitations are in advance.

For security reasons, some businesses might demand a credit card be kept on file, while others might accept debit cards but might impose further limitations or holds.

In the end, PayPal debit card acceptance for car rentals may vary. Therefore, contacting the rental company directly is advisable to ensure a simple booking procedure.

Frequently Asked Questions