Car hire credit Card in Ireland
I have booked a hire car from Hertz for pick up in Dublin. It has been paid for on a debit card and money has been taken from the account. That's fine.
In the small print I am required to bring the debit card I booked on (not a problem) and a credit card in the same name as the driver/debit card booked on
This is where the problem lies, I don't have one. My partner who I will be with has a credit card but is not a named driver on the car hire. Will that suffice or does it have to be a credit card in my (the drivers) name?
Best Answer
Personal experience in Ireland (and generally with car hires, but not with Hertz Ireland) says: the credit card must be in the name of the driver and not be a prepaid one.
There's three options to possibly get around that:
- Ask the company to take the money that would usually be only be "reserved" on your credit card from your debit card and refund it once you return. (Note that this means having a debit of about €1500 from your account, so make sure there's sufficient funds. Also this is accepted only rarely, so read on.)
- Get your wife added as second driver, that will in most cases cost you some money, but might get her card accepted. (Note: this does not work for all rental companies, so no guarantee. Also your wife needs to meet all the age/license requirements of the company.)
- Take out the additional insurance that reduces your excess to zero - more costly than the other options, but gives you peace of mind completely and usually rental companies then accept to have a debit card only (If get have an agent who doesn't like you - there's no guarantee for this either..)
Effectively there's no guarantee that either of those will be accepted by the company - some pleading and asking nicely may go a long way and especially if you take out the full additional insurance companies usually are quite happy to give you the car without a credit card.
Pictures about "Car hire credit Card in Ireland"
Do you need a credit card to hire a car in Ireland?
What documents do you need to hire a car in Ireland? You need a valid drivers licence and a credit card (some companies accept debit cards). If you've booked online in advance, you'll need your booking confirmation number.Can I rent a car with a debit card in Ireland?
All debit or credit cards must be in the name of the renter and present at the time of rental. Renters wishing to use a debit card must hold an Irish licence and will be required to bring additional documentation and will be subject to additional checks.Can I borrow a credit card to rent a car?
At the time of rental, a credit card must be presented with available credit, in the renter's name. In addition to the anticipated cost of the rental, an additional security deposit may be required. To find out the cost of the security deposit, you will need to contact the location directly.Do you need a credit card to rent a car in Dublin?
As you can see, car rental at Dublin Airport with no credit card is not an option for providers. Cards have to be in the name of the main driver and some companies also require presenting a recent bank statement along with the credit card. Also, we are often asked if you can hire a car for cash.Tips for choosing a rental car in Ireland - Podcast Episode #155
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Tim Samuel, Pixabay, energepic.com, Pixabay