Renting a car in the US with a deferred debit card

Hi everyone, I’m traveling to Los Angeles and would like to rent a vehicle at the airport. However, I have a Boursobank Ultim deferred debit card, so I’d love to know if it’s possible for those who’ve experienced this recently. Thanks for the info!

Hi there,

What’s making you hesitate? On paper, everything looks good: a Premier card with deferred debit, so no hold on the deposit, and no foreign transaction fees... It should definitely be possible to rent a car in the US with this card, just like anywhere else. That said, there’s always a chance the rental company might not accept it on the day, or some unexpected issue could block the transaction. My answer isn’t a guarantee, but then again, neither would be the experience of another traveler who rented a car in the US with a similar card.

Michel

Hi,

During my two car rentals in Thailand last November, both agencies required a "credit" card—meaning a deferred debit card. They refused "debit" cards, which are immediate debit cards.

Fred

Hi there, No matter the country, most rental companies require a deferred debit card—what we commonly call a credit card. A direct debit card (or debit card) is accepted much less often. Since you have a deferred debit card, you shouldn’t run into any issues renting a vehicle. I’ve never had trouble renting a car, whether in the US or elsewhere, since I’ve always had a deferred debit card—MasterCard, Visa, or others.

I’m asking because Boursobank is an online bank, and I’ve done some research too, but I haven’t found an answer.

Thanks everyone for your replies

I’m asking because Boursobank is an online bank, and I’ve done some research but haven’t found an answer.

Thanks to everyone for your replies.

Sometimes online banks are refused. Sometimes they’re not.

I also use a card from an online bank and I’ve rented in lots of countries without any issues. It’s been a while since I’ve been to the US to check, though!

Your card needs to say "CREDIT" and not "debit," otherwise there’s a good chance the rental will be denied.

Hello,

Yes, absolutely. Whether the bank is an online bank makes no difference at all; what matters is that the deposit can be blocked, so the card must be deferred debit—with a "Credit" mention.

An Ultim Boursobank deferred debit card has all the features to be accepted without any issues. Plus, it has no foreign transaction fees.

Michel

Alright, thank you!

Have a great rest of your day.

I have a platinum deferred debit card from an online bank, and I’ve never had any issues renting a car in the US with it—I go there regularly (last trip was this past October) 😉

Which agency did you rent from? Is it a Boursobank card?

Which agency did you rent from? Is it a Boursobank card?

I'm with Monabanq, and I've mainly rented from Alamo, but also Avis, Hertz, and Sixt, always at an airport (Florida, Montana, Arizona, and Nevada).

I opened a bank account with Crédit Agricole for the Visa Premier card with deferred debit, so at least in theory I’m set. I’ll use my Boursobank account for purchases, so I won’t have any fees.

I opened a bank account with Crédit Agricole for the Visa Premier card with deferred debit, so at least normally I’ll be fine. I’ll use my Boursobank for purchases, so I won’t have any fees.

With a Visa Premier, no fees.

Hi there,

The potential absence of foreign transaction fees for payments outside the eurozone has nothing to do with the card’s tier—whether it’s Premier, Gold, or otherwise. Some Visa Premier cards don’t charge fees for non-euro payments, like Boursobank’s Ultim card, while others do, such as Monabanq’s lower-tier account versions. It all depends on the bank’s fee structure. I’m not sure about Crédit Agricole, though.

Michel

Hello,

The potential absence of foreign transaction fees for payments outside the eurozone has nothing to do with the card's tier—Premier, Gold, or otherwise. Some Visa Premier cards don’t charge fees for non-euro payments, like Boursobank’s Ultim card, while others do, such as Monabanq’s cheaper account versions. It all depends on the bank’s fee structure. I don’t know about Crédit Agricole, though.

Michel

It’s mentioned that our forum member used a Crédit Agricole Premier card, so no fees. Reread the post. No fees for CE’s Premier card either. And no fees for the online bank Hello Bank! It works for me in Europe, the States, and Israel.

You’re being a bit much with your comments.

Hello,

It is said that our forum member used a Premier card from CA.

At Crédit Agricole, things like withdrawal fees abroad outside the eurozone depend on the regional branch of the cardholder. If I run a simulation with the regional branch I would belong to, there’s no mention of fee-free withdrawals outside the eurozone. Online press, on the other hand, suggests that fees would apply—around 3 € to 4 € per withdrawal + 2%, and around 2% for payments. So maybe your local branch offers this perk, or maybe you negotiated it with your banker, but you can’t generalize like that, nor blame me for sticking to the facts. My only connection with CA is an old-model Premier BForBank card, and fees are also charged for payments and withdrawals outside the eurozone.

Michel

Hello,

It is said that our forum member used a Premier account from CA.

At Crédit Agricole, things like withdrawal fees abroad outside the euro zone depend on the regional branch of the cardholder. If I run a simulation with the regional branch I would belong to, there’s no mention of fee-free withdrawals outside the euro zone. Online press, on the other hand, suggests that fees would apply—around 3 to 4 euros per withdrawal + 2%, and around 2% for payments. So maybe your local branch offers this perk, or maybe you negotiated it with your banker, but you can’t generalize like that, nor blame me for sticking to the facts. I only have a Premier BForBank card (old model) with Crédit Agricole, and fees are also charged for payments and withdrawals outside the euro zone.

Michel

Still talking nonsense. Online press, oh yeah, what a great reference. Do I look like someone who negotiates with a banker?

I’m simply calling you out for constantly spouting nonsense. How many trips have you taken outside the euro zone to back up your baseless claims?

Hi Michel,

Go to the CA online site, check what’s offered after entering your postal code, and you’ll see that there’s no general waiver for payments and withdrawals outside the eurozone with a Visa Premier. Here’s a search engine that seems really handy for evaluating those fees for payments and withdrawals outside the eurozone: https://www.moneyvox.fr/tarif-bancaire/comparatif/achat-carte-bancaire-etranger.php Enter CA, your department, your card, and you’ll get the fee details—just note the search engine is in the middle of the page, so you’ll need to scroll down a bit to find it.

Also, I spent about two months outside the eurozone this year—plenty of time to figure out which cards to use or avoid.

Michel