Hiring a car in Spain and the credit card

A hire car in Spain and the credit card

This is the surprise that causes the most arguments at the desk. In Spain almost every company asks for a credit card in the main driver’s name, not for the rental itself but for the deposit. No credit card usually means no car, even when everything has been paid in advance. Below is why that is so, what exactly is not allowed, and the three ways around it.

Why that credit card is there

The deposit is not a payment but security for the local hire company, against damage, theft, fraud or negligence. The amount is blocked on the card rather than debited. If it stays a block, Sunny Cars says it can take up to thirty days before it is released; if it has actually been taken, it is refunded within ten days.

Bear that in mind with your credit limit: the blocked amount comes off your available balance while you are on holiday.

What is not allowed

• Somebody else’s card. The deposit must be paid by the person named as main driver, and that person must also be the cardholder.
• A prepaid credit card. Sunny Cars is brief about this: it is not possible.
• A card with too little room on it. The terms require a sufficient credit limit.

The three ways around it

1. Cash. On some cars the deposit may be paid in cash at pick-up. That is set out per car in the specific rental terms, so you cannot count on it without checking.
2. A suitable debit card. Allowed at selected destinations. This is not a general rule either.
3. The No Deposit service. Sunny Cars then stands guarantee with the local company itself, and you do not have to show a credit card at pick-up. Two deadlines: you book the car with that service at least five days before the rental period starts, and you register through the link on your voucher at least 48 hours beforehand. Forget that and you will still be empty-handed at the desk.

What that service costs is not published by Sunny Cars; you see it per car when you book. That is why no amount is given here.

What Sunny Cars says about Spain itself

On the Sunny Cars page for Spain it reads: a credit card is usually required in the name of the main driver for payment of the deposit, unless you pay the deposit in cash or with a debit card. “Usually” and “unless” are the key words: it depends on the car and the local hire company, and that is set out in the terms with your booking.

How high is the deposit?

There is no fixed amount. Sunny Cars says the level differs per car and is usually equal to the excess on that car. The exact amount is in the specific rental terms of your booking. We deliberately give no figure here, because any figure would be right for one car and wrong for another.

What to take to the desk

• Your driving licence — a licence from an EU or EEA country is valid in Spain and you need no International Driving Permit. If yours was issued elsewhere, check before you travel
• Identification
• The credit card in the main driver’s name, unless you have arranged one of the three alternatives
• Your voucher or booking confirmation
• Every driver in person: anyone who wants to drive must be there to sign, with a licence and identification. If someone drives later who is not on the contract, damage is not covered.

See hire cars at Alicante Airport

More on car hire on the Costa Blanca

What the all-inclusive price covers and how the refund works is on the excess. The full overview is at car hire on the Costa Blanca, and where you collect the car at Alicante Airport.

Coming to Moraira? We rent out an apartment and a penthouse in the centre ourselves, within walking distance of the beach, the harbour and the terraces, with a shared pool and garden. At prices and availability you choose your dates and see the price straight away — you book directly with us, with no middleman and no booking fee.