Most rental car providers generally prefer credit card payments, however, depending on which provider you go with—as well as your location and choice of vehicle—alternative payment methods may be accepted. As always, we suggest getting in touch with your prospective rental provider to find out what payment methods are accepted at your chosen depot.
Rental providers in New Zealand—including Apex, Avis, Budget, East Coast, Enterprise, Europcar, GO Rentals, Hertz, Sixt, and Thrifty—accept Visa and Mastercard credit cards, with many also accepting American Express and Diners Club credit cards. Whichever credit card you use, you will need to ensure that enough credit is available for all of your rental charges, including the security bond, the amount for which will be held for the duration of the rental period.
Furthermore, the credit card used must be in the name of the primary driver; if you’re paying for a rental car that has been booked under your name, the credit card will also need to have your name on it. If you’re unable to present an accepted credit card to the depot staff when you arrive to collect your rental car, you may not be permitted to proceed with the booking.
Check out our page on credit cards for more info.
Most major rental providers in New Zealand accept debit cards, however it will need to display either the Visa or Mastercard logo. If you do wish to pay using debit card, you may also be required to pay an increased security bond amount.
The location of the depot and type of vehicle could determine whether you’ll be able to use your debit card. If in doubt, reach out to your prospective rental provider to ask about their accepted payment methods.
Some rental providers may accept cash payment, though a higher than normal security bond will likely be required; this can be upwards of $1,000. There may also be instances—depending on your provider—where you’ll be required to purchase additional products, such as loss-damage waivers, if you wish to pay for your rental car using cash. Any amounts paid in cash must be issued in New Zealand Dollars. In many cases, you’ll still be asked to present a valid credit or debit card upon collection for security purposes, and amounts paid in cash must be in New Zealand Dollars.
You’ll need to coordinate with the rental provider directly if you’re planning to pay in cash. Our booking system will only allow for payments to be made in credit or debit card.
Rental providers typically require payment from the primary driver—the person whose name is attached to the booking—as they will be the one signing the rental agreement. Some locations may allow someone else to pay, but in these instances, the payment will still need to be made at the rental counter, and the person paying must present a valid photo ID. If you are needing someone else to pay for your rental car on your behalf, or you are looking to pay for someone else, you should contact the rental provider prior to the collection date to find out what their requirements are.
An easy way around this is to place the booking under the name of the payer, then, upon collection of the vehicle, have the intended driver be added to the rental agreement as an additional driver.
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