Car rental in Switzerland without a deposit: a debit card usually works

Short answer: As a rule, we don't hold a deposit. Our GTC apply, including checks before your first pickup. As a rule you don't need a credit card either; a debit card usually works. You pay by card, TWINT, Apple Pay or Google Pay, and we may decline certain payment methods for a booking, in particular prepaid or debit cards. Our cars are in and around Zurich, and on rentals of two days or more we can hand the car over at Zurich Airport.

At the rental desk a deposit is held on your credit card before you get the keys, at Europcar the rental amount plus at least CHF 350 by its own policy.

Why the rental desk asks for a deposit and a credit card

If you've picked up a rental car anywhere, you know the drill. Before you drive off, the company puts a hold for a deposit on your credit card. The money does not change hands, it sits blocked, often for days after you bring the car back, until your bank releases it. On a credit card that eats into your available limit. On a debit card it eats into your balance, because your bank sets aside real money for it. That is where the credit card rule comes from: a rental company needs a payment method that can carry a large amount parked on it for the whole rental, and a debit card or a prepaid card is a poor fit for that. If you just moved to Zurich and your Swiss bank only issued you a debit card so far, this is the wall you keep hitting.

How much deposit Europcar and Sixt hold in Zurich

Classic rental companies in Zurich almost all block an amount on your card, and how much varies widely. Here is what their own terms say, sources at the end of the article:

If you are also weighing a peer-to-peer platform, our Turo alternative comparison walks through that trade-off.

Paying by debit card, TWINT or Apple Pay: what gets charged, and when

You can pay by card, TWINT, Apple Pay or Google Pay. As a rule you don't need a credit card; a debit card usually works. We may decline certain payment methods, in particular prepaid or debit cards.

If your rental starts more than 24 hours after you book, nothing is charged when you book: your payment method is saved and the rental is charged 24 hours before the start. With TWINT, CHF 1 is charged when you book and counted towards the rental. If the rental starts sooner, you pay when you book. The checkout shows which applies to your booking.

What can still come after you return the car, and your ceiling

For costs after the rental, the payment method you save can only be charged after the return. For damage to the car, the most that can be charged is the deductible you booked: CHF 200, CHF 2,000 or CHF 5,000. Other costs such as fuel, fines and fees are not limited by it. Extensions you confirm are rental costs and do not count towards that cap.

Every rental comes with damage protection, and the deductible is the part of a damage that stays with you. Comfort, CHF 2,000 deductible, is preselected. For a daily fee shown at checkout, you can lower it to CHF 200 under Premium. Basic, CHF 5,000, costs nothing, but it requires your own comprehensive cover, whose policy you send to [email protected] beforehand.

Damage is only charged after we have explained it to you by email, with photos. Missing fuel or charge, extra kilometres and late-return fees are charged with the final settlement, itemised by email at the latest when they are charged. If a fine reaches us after your rental, we pass it on with a handling fee.

At pickup and at return, take 4 photos of the car with your phone, on your rental page in the browser or in the app: front, right, back and left. Do it within 30 minutes at pickup. The photos protect you if a damage question comes up.

Disagree with a charge? Write to [email protected].

Visiting Switzerland: what you need instead of a credit card

A deposit needs a credit card. As a rule we don't hold one, so the card question mostly goes away, and three other things count.

• A valid driving licence for the category you book. A foreign licence must meet Swiss recognition requirements (section 3.1 of our renter terms, GTC version 2026.28).
• Age 21 or older. Some vehicle categories require a higher minimum age, which is shown on the car's page (section 3.2).
• An ID we can accept. The terms ask for a residence in Switzerland or Liechtenstein, or otherwise an ID we can accept (section 3.3). We check licence and identity digitally, once, before your first pickup. You can book and pay before that.

Not sure whether your licence qualifies? Write to [email protected] before you book.

For payment, a debit card supported by Stripe is usually enough, and Apple Pay and Google Pay work too. We may decline certain payment methods, in particular prepaid or debit cards. If a card is declined at checkout, try another one or Apple Pay or Google Pay.

Arriving at Zurich Airport

If you land at the airport, the same rule applies: As a rule, we don't hold a deposit. Our GTC apply, including checks before your first pickup. On rentals of at least 3 days (72 hours), booked at least 24 hours before you land, we hand over an instantly bookable car at the airport on request, with no counter and no queue. Share your flight number, and right after landing you receive the exact pickup point. You can read more on our page for car rental at Zurich Airport. For a shorter rental, you pick the car up in Zurich itself.

Two questions worth asking any rental company

Europcar holds an amount on your card, at Sixt the amount depends on category and booking, and GoMore can ask for a deposit whose amount depends on vehicle type, rental length and age. With us the rule above applies, and you need no membership. Mobility avoids a card hold too, but through a membership rather than through day rental.

If you're comparing companies right now, two questions settle it: does this company block an amount on my card during the rental, and how much can it charge me after I hand the car back? Both of our answers sit at the top of this page. With other companies, look in the rental terms, usually the section on deposit and deductible. You can book a car in Zurich on the web or in the app, or compare the best car rental options in Zurich first.

Frequently asked questions

Can I rent a car in Switzerland with a debit card?

As a rule, yes: a debit card supported by Stripe is usually enough. As a rule, we don't hold a deposit. Our GTC apply, including checks before your first pickup. We may decline certain payment methods, in particular prepaid or debit cards. Apple Pay, Google Pay and TWINT work too. Our cars are in and around Zurich.

Do I need a credit card to rent a car in Zurich?

As a rule, no, a debit card usually works. You can pay by card, TWINT, Apple Pay or Google Pay. In individual cases we may ask for a credit card before handover, and we may decline certain payment methods, in particular prepaid or debit cards.

Is there a security deposit?

As a rule, we don't hold a deposit. Our GTC apply, including checks before your first pickup. What you choose is your deductible, CHF 200, CHF 2,000 or CHF 5,000, which is the ceiling for damage to the car. Other costs such as fuel, fines and fees are not limited by it.

Can tourists rent a car without a credit card?

As a rule, yes. You need a valid driving licence for the category you book (a foreign licence must meet Swiss recognition requirements), you must be at least 21, and you identify yourself with a document we can accept. We check licence and identity digitally, once, before your first pickup. If you are unsure whether your licence qualifies, write to [email protected] before you book.

Which car rental in Zurich does not require a deposit?

At DRAIV: As a rule, we don't hold a deposit. Our GTC apply, including checks before your first pickup. Europcar blocks the rental amount plus at least CHF 350 according to its own deposit policy, Sixt only shows the amount during its own booking process, and GoMore can request a variable deposit. Mobility charges no deposit, but requires a membership.

What can DRAIV charge after the rental, and how do I learn about it?

Damage is only charged after we have explained it to you by email, with photos. Missing fuel or charge, extra kilometres and late-return fees are charged with the final settlement, itemised by email at the latest when they are charged. If a fine reaches us after your rental, we pass it on with a handling fee.

When is my card charged?

If your rental starts more than 24 hours after you book, nothing is charged when you book: your payment method is saved and the rental is charged 24 hours before the start. With TWINT, CHF 1 is charged when you book and counted towards the rental. If the rental starts sooner, you pay when you book.

Sources

All sources retrieved on 25 August 2026.

• Europcar Switzerland: deposit policy, CHF 350 Mini to Fullsize Elite, CHF 1000 Premium/Luxury, CHF 2500 Luxury Elite/Oversize/Special
• Sixt: deposit, blocks automated fetches (HTTP 403), no figure taken from Sixt
• GoMore: rental deposits, amount depends on vehicle type, rental length and age, refunded automatically 4 days after the rental ends
• Mobility: terms and conditions, clause 18 lit. i and j, effective 15 April 2026: no deposit, deductible up to CHF 3000 per damage case, plus up to CHF 1000 more for new and young drivers
• DRAIV renter terms, sections 3.1 to 3.3: driving licence, minimum age 21, residence or acceptable ID. GTC version 2026.28, read on 29 September 2026