Most rental companies only accept internationally recognised and fully-fledged credit cards with a credit line such as Visa, MasterCard or American Express for the deposit. The card must always be issued in the name of the primary driver.
By contrast, debit, prepaid or Electron cards are usually insufficient, and Diners credit cards are often rejected because they do not have a credit limit. Even if you load these cards with sufficient credit, the rental company is not sufficiently covered. Finally, your credit may have changed by the time you return the car. The acceptance of such cards ultimately depends again on the rental company or rental location.
If you are unsure whether your credit card is suitable, simply ask your bank. They can give you information about the type of credit card, the credit line, any foreign blocking or daily limits.
When booking through the operator AutoEurope and all direct bookings with a rental company – for example with AVIS, Budget, Hertz or Europcar – the payment and the deposit on site must be made with the same credit card.