Everyone has a different reason for not wanting to use a credit card. Whatever your reason is, not using a credit card can make it more difficult to rent a vehicle. However, there are still a few ways to rent a car in Las Vegas without a credit card.
As a general rule, most rental car companies in Las Vegas accept more than one form of payment. However, many companies will require customers who don’t use a credit card to meet additional rental requirements, including credit checks.
There are three ways to rent a car in Las Vegas without a credit card:
- Debit card
- Cash
- Pre-paid card
It’s not impossible to rent a car without a credit card in Las Vegas. In this article, I’ll cover all of the alternative payment methods you can use to rent a car. I’ll also let you know which companies are best for each form of payment and if they require additional paperwork.
Debit Card Car Rentals
Most major rental car companies accept debit cards. However, the security deposit for debit card customers will be higher than the security deposit for credit card customers. Depending on the company, it’s usually $100-$300 more. You’ll get your deposit back at the end, but they will put a hold on your card until the rental vehicle is returned.
If you plan on renting a car with a debit card, be prepared for a credit check. Many rental companies will require a credit check for all customers using a debit card. They do this to ensure that you can pay for the car if something goes wrong.
However, not all rental car companies in Las Vegas require credit checks. Here are a few places where you can rent a car in Las Vegas with a debit card without a credit check:
- Dollar
- Alamo
- Enterprise
- National
- Ace
- Rentheim
- AAA Car Rentals
- Global Autos
Debit Card Requirements When Renting a Car
When you rent a car with a debit card, there are usually a few additional hoops you have to jump through. Every company has different qualifications that need to be meet. These are a few of the major ones:
- Credit Check
- Provide a second form of identification (in addition to driver’s license)
- Show a return plane ticket at airport locations (if not local)
- Show current utility bill that matches the address on your driver’s license at airport locations (if local)
Not all rental companies impose these additional requirements, but many do. If you want to make your rental experience as pain free as possible, check out the article I wrote here about the best places to rent a car in Las Vegas with a debit card. In that post, I compare the prices of each major rental company and cover everything you need to know their rental process.
Cash Only Car Rentals
Many people prefer to pay for everything in cash since it’s easier to track what you spend. Cash only rentals are more difficult to find that than debit card rentals, but there are a few rental companies that accept cash in Las Vegas. They include:
- Rentheim
- AAA Car Rentals
- Global Car Rentals
All of these companies are local to Las Vegas and are much smaller than the national chains. Some of them also have extremely mixed reviews online.
If you want to use cash to pay for your rental car while in Las Vegas, check out the post I wrote here about renting a car with cash. I review each of the companies that offer cash rentals in that post. I also mention some of the risks connected to renting a car with only cash.
Cash Requirements When Renting a Car
There are very few requirements to rent a car with cash. The only requirements are that you have a valid driver’s license and have proof of insurance (if you don’t have insurance they will make you take one of their plans).
You don’t even have to be 25 years old. All of the cash rental car companies in Las Vegas will rent to drivers under the age of 25.
Pre-paid Card Car Rentals
Using a pre-paid card that isn’t attached to a bank account is another way to pay for your rental car. Only two rental car companies currently accept pre-paid cards as an initial form of payment:
- Rentheim
- AAA Car Rentals
Most people aren’t going to try to rent a car with a pre-paid debit card, but it’s an option if you’re in a pinch. There are also a few major rental companies that accept pre-paid cards, but only as a final payment once the car is returned. Those companies include:
- Alamo
- Enterprise
- Hertz
- Payless
- Fox
It’s important to note that not all locations for these chains accept pre-paid cards, but most do.
Best Way to Rent a Car Without a Credit Card in Las Vegas
As a general rule, the best way to rent a car in Las Vegas without using a credit card is to use a debit card. Debit cards give you the ability to dispute charges if there are issues with the car you get.
This is especially important since you’ll have to leave a $200-$500 security deposit with the rental company. If you use 100% cash and there’s a dispute, it’s not likely you’ll be able to get your security deposit back.
If you’re not sure which company to go with, check out the article I wrote testing all of the rental car companies at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. Every company has a different level of service, so picking the right one could help you avoid waiting in long lines for hours at a time.
