Car Rental Companies With No Deposit? Official Policies (2026)

Most people searching for a no-deposit car rental really want to know one thing: how much money will be tied up at the counter, and can they avoid it. We read the official policy and help pages of Enterprise, Hertz, Avis, Budget, National, Alamo, Sixt, Thrifty, Dollar and Turo on October 12, 2026 and put what each page actually says side by side. We state an amount only where the page states one, and we make no claim about any company beyond its own published words.

Understanding Car Rental Deposits: Why They Exist

A rental deposit is usually a hold, not a charge. The FTC guide to renting a car says most rental companies place a hold on your debit or credit card for more than the agreed rental cost, so the company can be sure there is enough money or credit available for the final bill, including any extra charges. If you return the car as the contract requires, the held amount is not processed. The same guide warns that if you are near your credit limit, or your bank balance is low, the hold can cause other purchases to be declined.

Hertz and Avis both state on their own pages that held funds are not available for your use while the hold is active, while National and Alamo describe the debit-card case plainly: charges placed on a debit card reduce the available funds in the linked account, and the renter is responsible for any overdraft fees.

Beyond the base rental, extra charges under the rental contract can include fuel, late returns and tolls. Our guide to paying tolls in Austin with a rental car shows how one of those extra costs works in practice.

Which Car Rental Companies Do Not Require a Deposit? What Each Official Page Says

The table below is limited to what each company publishes about U.S. rentals, read on October 12, 2026. “Not stated” means the page we read gives no figure; it does not mean there is no hold. Amounts are as the page words them and can differ by location and vehicle class.

Company	Deposit or hold per its official page	Card type	Source (read Oct 12, 2026)
Enterprise	A deposit is required for U.S. rentals; the amount depends on the pickup location and is shown when you start a reservation. For renters with no ticketed return itinerary, a credit card covering the rental plus a deposit of $200 to $850, depending on location and vehicle class.	Credit card; debit cards accepted at some locations (see below)	Enterprise help pages: deposit FAQ and accepted payment methods
Hertz	Authorization hold of the estimated charges plus a set amount: up to $200 by default for credit cards (higher for some classes: $300 small SUV, $400 standard SUV, $500 utility, $750 large SUV, $850 Dream Car, $900 Prestige SUV). Debit cards: $500.	Credit and debit, with different amounts	Hertz rental terms page (payment)
Avis	Authorization hold for the estimated rental charges; the page states no dollar amount and says Avis may request extra at its discretion.	Credit; debit at most U.S. locations with conditions	Avis debit card policy page
Budget	Typical hold is roughly the estimated total rental cost, but it can be higher or lower; minimum debit hold of $100 (usually insurance replacement or prepaid rentals).	Credit; debit with conditions	Budget help page on renting with a debit card
National	If you have no ticketed return itinerary, a credit card covering the estimated rental plus a deposit of $300 to $400, depending on location and vehicle class. Cash is not accepted as a deposit at the start of a rental.	Credit; debit with conditions	National payment methods help page
Alamo	Debit card deposits at airports accepted only with a ticketed return itinerary; without one, a credit card for the rental plus a deposit of $300 to $400, depending on location and class.	Credit; debit with conditions	Alamo help page on renting with debit cards
Sixt	Deposit pre-authorized at pick-up. In the U.S. the surcharge on top of the rental amount is $200, $300 or $400 for standard vehicles depending on location, with minimums of $500 (mid-range or premium SUV), $1,000 (premium) and $2,500 (sports and luxury).	Credit; debit at most U.S. locations with conditions	Sixt help center: deposits article and U.S. no-credit-card article
Thrifty	Estimated charges plus an incidental hold of up to $200 for credit cards and $500 for debit cards.	Credit and debit, with different amounts	Thrifty debit card policy page (no policy date shown)
Dollar	Estimated charges plus an incidental hold of up to $200 for credit cards and $500 for debit cards.	Credit and debit, with different amounts	Dollar debit card policy page (no year shown)
Turo	Not a rental counter. A refundable security deposit applies to some U.S. trips: $200 if Turo selects the trip, $250 for the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles, $500 for a vehicle located in New York, and $750 for certain Deluxe and Super Deluxe Class bookings.	Not stated on the deposit page	Turo help: security deposits (US), last updated April 21, 2026

Two things stand out when the pages are read together. First, the credit-card figures on the Enterprise, National and Alamo pages are written around a specific situation, a renter with no return itinerary, so they should not be read as a flat deposit for every rental. Second, Hertz, Thrifty and Dollar all put the debit-card extra at $500 versus up to $200 for credit, which is the clearest published example of debit renters tying up more money.

Renting With a Debit Card: What the Official Pages Say

Most of these companies accept some debit cards, but each attaches conditions. The list below reflects only what the pages say.

• Card logo: Enterprise, National and Alamo define an eligible debit card as a non-credit card bearing a Visa, Mastercard or Discover logo, and say prepaid cards without one of those logos are not accepted.
• Airports: Enterprise, National and Alamo say debit card deposits at airports are accepted only with a ticketed return travel itinerary. Hertz, Thrifty and Dollar also ask for proof of a return flight or travel ticket, plus two valid forms of ID.
• Credit check: Hertz, Thrifty and Dollar say a credit check is usually run for debit-card renters, and the rental can be declined if approval or ID is not provided.
• Vehicle class: Hertz limits debit use at pickup to certain car and small SUV classes; Thrifty and Dollar say compact through fullsize only; Avis says debit cards are not acceptable to pick up premium cars such as its Select Series.
• Age: Avis and Budget say renters should be at least 25 (18 in New York) to use a debit card.
• Additional drivers: Enterprise, National and Alamo say only a spouse or domestic partner may be an additional driver on a rental secured with a debit card.
• Not everywhere: Avis says some locations, including Northern and Central New Jersey and the Philadelphia area, do not accept debit cards at pickup for any vehicle. Sixt says debit cards are not accepted for sports and luxury vehicles or certain higher categories.

Because these rules are partly set at branch level, the safest source is the location page for your pickup address, which is why every company page we read tells renters to check the pickup location.

Prepaid and Pay Now Reservations: Does Paying Ahead Remove the Deposit?

A common assumption is that prepaying removes the hold at the counter. None of the pages we read says that, and some say the opposite.

Company	What the page says about prepaid or pay-ahead bookings
Enterprise and National	Prepaid gift cards with a Visa, Mastercard or Amex logo are accepted at the end of a rental, not to secure one. Enterprise and National state the same logo rule for debit cards and say prepaid cards without a logo are not accepted.
Hertz	For prepaid (PayNow) rentals, debit cards are not accepted and a major credit card must be used.
Dollar	PayNow rentals do not accept debit cards; a major credit card is required.
Avis	For Pay Now reservations, the card presented at the counter must match the card used online, and a card used to pay online may not be accepted at certain locations.
Budget	You can prepay online with a debit card, but some locations may still require a credit card at pickup; prepaid rentals are subject to the $100 minimum debit hold.
Sixt	Apple Pay and PayPal are accepted for prepaid bookings at selected branches, but a physical credit or debit card in the main driver’s name is still required at pick-up for the authorization.
Thrifty	The debit card policy page states no prepay rules and links to a separate Prepay page, which we did not rely on.

How to Minimize or Avoid a Car Rental Deposit

There is no published way to skip the hold at the major brands, but the pages describe several ways to shrink it or avoid surprises.

1. Use a Credit Card in the Renter’s Name

Enterprise, National, Alamo and Hertz all describe a credit card as the standard way to cover a hold, and Hertz lists a lower default hold for credit than for debit. A credit card hold ties up borrowing room rather than cash in your bank account.

2. Bring a Return Itinerary if You Plan to Use a Debit Card at an Airport

Several pages make a ticketed return itinerary the condition for a debit-card deposit at airports. Sixt asks for a return ticket booked at least 24 hours before pick-up.

3. Choose an Eligible Vehicle Class

Debit rules often stop at premium vehicles, so a compact or mid-size car is more likely to qualify. Sixt and Hertz also list higher holds or minimums for larger SUVs and luxury classes.

4. Ask About a Debit Card Already on Your Loyalty Profile

The Thrifty and Dollar debit card pages say a debit card can be used regardless of vehicle type if it is already saved in your Blue Chip (Thrifty) or Express (Dollar) profile. Ask the branch how that works with the hold before relying on it, and read the program terms.

5. Ask About the Cash Route at Hertz

Hertz publishes a Cash Deposit ID Card process for renters without a card: applicants must be 21 or older (18 in Michigan and New York) and the application process can take approximately 30 days. It is still a deposit, and it is not a same-day option, so apply well before you travel.

The Risks of “No Deposit” Rentals

If a listing or site promises no deposit, ask what replaces it. A missing deposit may be offset elsewhere, such as a higher rate, extra fees or charges made after the rental, so compare the total cost and the contract terms, not just the deposit line. Turo is a useful example of why the label matters: its help page describes a refundable deposit on some trips and not others, and it says the deposit is refunded only if no damage is reported, no reimbursement invoices are unpaid and no roadside costs apply.

• Read the rental contract before you sign, not after.
• Ask the branch what amount will be held and when it will be released.
• Take dated photos of the car at pickup and keep your return receipt.
• Book through the company’s own channel, and be wary of anyone who offers to remove a deposit by phone or message.

Step-by-Step Guide to Finding No-Deposit Rentals

Use these steps to find the lowest-hold option that is actually available, since no official page we read guarantees a rental with nothing held.

1. Open the company page for your pickup location and read its debit card and payment sections.
2. Compare the stated hold for credit and debit cards, and note any vehicle class limits.
3. If you plan to pay by debit card at an airport, have a ticketed return itinerary ready.
4. Call the branch to confirm the amount held, how long it takes to release, and whether a credit check applies.
5. At pickup, keep your license, card and itinerary together, and check that the card name matches your reservation.

If you are checking a smaller or lesser-known operator rather than a national brand, our vetting guides show how we read an operator’s own policy pages: see Routes car rental, NU car rental and Priceline car rental. For another angle on this topic, see our companion guide on car rentals that do not require a deposit, and what rental companies check in your license.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all car rental companies require a deposit?

Not every booking has one, but none of the major company pages we read on October 12, 2026 promises a rental with no deposit or hold. Enterprise states that a deposit is required for U.S. rentals, and Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty and Dollar describe authorization holds. Turo charges a refundable deposit on some trips only. Confirm the amount with your pickup location.

Can I rent a car with a debit card without a deposit?

The pages we read describe debit-card rentals as having a hold or deposit, with extra conditions. Hertz, Thrifty and Dollar state a debit-card hold of $500, compared with up to $200 for credit cards, and Budget states a minimum debit hold of $100 in certain cases. Airports often also ask for a ticketed return itinerary.

What happens if I don’t have a credit card?

Several companies accept a debit card at some locations with conditions such as a credit check, a vehicle class limit, an age minimum and proof of a return ticket. Prepaid cards without a card-network logo are not accepted by Enterprise, National or Alamo, and cash is not accepted as a deposit at National. Hertz publishes a Cash Deposit ID Card process. Call the branch before you travel.

Does Turo charge a security deposit?

Sometimes. Turo’s help page says a refundable security deposit applies to some U.S. trips, with listed amounts of $200, $250, $500 and $750 depending on the trip, and that the cost is shown at checkout before you book. It is refunded 80 hours after the trip ends if no damage, unpaid invoices or roadside costs apply.

Policies change and vary by location. This page reflects the official pages named above as read on October 12, 2026. It is not legal or financial advice, and we have no affiliation with any rental company named.