At the rental companies we investigated, it is not possible to rent a car without a credit card. However, some local rental companies offer this as an option. Would you like to make use of that option? Then first ask to see the car you’re taking on your trip. Also read the terms and conditions carefully before you sign an agreement.
In this article, we would like to explain a bit more about the possibilities of renting a car in Italy without a credit card.
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start searchRent a car with credit card in someone else's name
If you cannot provide a credit card in your name when picking up the car as main driver, you will not get the car. Is there a second driver? Does he or she have a credit card? Then you have two options:
- Cancel the booking on the spot and make a new booking with the other driver as main driver;
- The owner of the credit card will be the main driver and you will be the second driver.
Both options may incur additional charges.
Can you rent a car in Italy without paying a deposit?
It is possible to rent a car from a single local rental company without a deposit. Generally, rental companies require a credit card to charge a deposit.
With a credit card, they have security in case of any damage to the rental car, and they know for sure that the rental amount will be paid. The companies hope that renters will be more careful with a rental car if they run the risk of losing their deposit.
Also, a single local rental company will accept a cash deposit, as long as the amounts are not too high. In general, the car rental companies will not accept cash at airport locations. At the city offices, it is sometimes accepted.
This is what a (prepaid) credit card looks like.
Rent a car and pay the deposit in Italy with a prepaid credit card
A prepaid credit card can be a solution if you don't want or don’t have a credit card. If you rent a car in Italy with a prepaid credit card, there are a number of advantages for you compared to a normal credit card:
- You do not need a fixed income;
- You deposit an amount to the card and cannot spend more than that amount. So you do not build up any debts;
- A prepaid credit card does not require a review of your credit score or approval from the creditor. However, this is necessary for a normal credit card, as it is seen as a loan.
For a rental company there are some drawbacks to the prepaid card:
- They do not know how much money is on it, so it is uncertain whether the rent will be paid;
- In the case of costs due to damage, they also have no certainty that they can be paid.
Therefore, rental companies do not always accept the prepaid credit card. If you find a rental company that accepts the prepaid credit card as payment and for the deposit, please read the terms and conditions carefully before signing.
Do you want to rent a car in Italy with credit card?
If you decide to rent a car in Italy with a credit card, after reading the information provided here, please pay attention to this:
- The deposit (excess) is deducted from the spending limit on your credit card;
- Some credit cards include insurance with car rental. Please check with your credit card company if this is the case for you and what benefit this will bring you.
Which rental companies can I contact?
You now know what’s it like to rent a car in Italy without a credit card. In the meantime, you probably want to explore Italy as soon as possible in the perfect rental car! At Roadtripcar.com we have made this a lot easier for you.
With our online tool, you can compile an overview of rental companies where you can rent the car you need and want. Within minutes, you will find the ideal rental company.
