Car rental: use a credit card, not a debit card!

Renting a car in Ireland can be a tricky business, with a few pitfalls… Nothing too insurmountable, but enough to spoil your vacation fun! We reassure you: it is possible to avoid obstacles, as long as you follow our advice below… and think ahead! Here’s an overview of what you need to know to rent a car in Ireland with peace of mind!

Rent a car in Ireland: use the right payment card!

Credit or debit card: there’s a big difference!

In Ireland, when it comes to renting a car, you need to sign a contract in the name of the main driver… and present a payment card. So far, nothing too shocking or unusual…

But be careful! This is where many a traveller falls foul of a very important subtlety!

Most car rental agencies in Ireland require you to present a credit card bearing your first and last name. But many travellers present a debit card!

The difference may seem insignificant… but not in Ireland! In fact, the nuance, although fine, can change the charges on your rental at all, because :

the credit card is a deferred payment system (no need for a funded account, within a certain limit).
The debit card operates on the principle of immediate payment (within the limit of the funds available in the account).

Don’t be fooled by the fact that you have a Visa or Mastercard: these cards can exist as debit or credit cards…

To find out how much you have, you’ll need to take out your card and look at the front left, vertically. The words “debit” or “credit” appear in small white letters, giving you an indication of the status of your payment card.

What if you don’t have a credit card?

Assuming you only have a debit card, and not a credit card, there are two possible scenarios:

If the agency allows you to do so (as is the case with Hertz, Sixt and Europcar), you can still present your debit card… but you’ll have to take out a no-deductible insurance policy. It costs around €30 per day, which will literally blow your rental budget out of the water!
If the agency doesn’t allow this option, you won’t be able to rent your car… Worse still: if you have prepaid via the Internet, you may never get your money back! That’s enough to turn your very first day in Ireland into a nightmare… and force you to turn to another agency, with new rental charges and, of course, the payment of an insurance excess!

We prefer to warn you: rental agencies are rather strict on this issue and don’t really make exceptions. Even if you have incredible negotiating skills, you can already bring yourself to accept their rules.

The solution: the credit card

So what can you do to avoid this hassle? The solution is simple, but requires some forethought. We recommend that you contact your bank a few months before your departure… to ask for a credit card.

The process may take a few weeks, but it doesn’t take long to complete.

Once in your wallet, this card will be a precious key to a successful vacation in Ireland: freedom and your rental car… with no unpleasant surprises and no extra costs!

Now it’s up to you to enjoy the wild Irish roads!