Why is the deposit not visible immediately?
You have returned the car, handed over the keys and finished your rental. But the deposit still does not appear as an available amount on your card.
This is one of the most common questions after a car rental. And it is completely understandable: when a significant amount is temporarily unavailable on your card, you want to know what is happening.
In most cases, this does not mean there is a problem with the refund. Very often, the deposit has already been released by the rental company, but the customer’s bank has not updated the card balance yet.
Deposit: pre-authorisation or charge?
The first important point is that a car rental deposit can be processed in two different ways.
1. Pre-authorisation
A pre-authorisation is a temporary hold on your card. The money is not actually charged, but it becomes unavailable during the rental period.
After the car is returned and the rental agreement is closed, the rental company releases the hold. From that moment, the time it takes to appear again depends on the bank that issued your card.
2. Actual charge
In some cases, the deposit may be charged to the card. This can happen, for example, with longer rentals or when using a debit card, if this is allowed under the selected package.
After the rental is completed, the amount is refunded to the same card. This type of refund may appear as a standard refund transaction and can sometimes take longer than a simple release of a pre-authorisation.
How does it work at SOLO rent a car?
At SOLO rent a car, the way the deposit is processed depends on the rental duration, the card type and the selected package.
- For rentals of up to 12 days, the deposit on a credit card is usually blocked as a pre-authorisation.
- For rentals of 13 days or more, the deposit may be charged to the card.
- If a debit card is accepted under the selected package, the deposit on a debit card is usually charged rather than only blocked.
Please note: the card used for the deposit must be a physical card in the name of the main driver. Virtual cards, third-party cards, prepaid cards, cash deposits, bank transfers or payment links for the deposit are not accepted.
Why is the amount still not showing on my card?
Even if the car was returned without damage and the contract was closed, the deposit may not appear immediately.
The bank has not processed the release yet
Once the rental company releases the deposit, the bank must update the status of the transaction. Processing times vary depending on the bank.
There may be no separate refund transaction
If the deposit was a pre-authorisation, you may not see a separate incoming refund. The hold simply disappears and your available balance increases.
Weekends and holidays can slow down the process
Banking timeframes are usually counted in business days. If you return the car on Friday evening, Saturday and Sunday may not count as processing days.
The card was issued in another country
International banks and cards in another currency may take longer to process releases or refunds. Small differences may also appear because of exchange rates or bank fees.
How long does it take to receive the deposit back?
In many standard cases, the amount becomes available again within a few business days.
However, according to the rental conditions, the return of the deposit may take up to 30 days from the end of the rental, provided there are no incidents, damages or breaches of the rental agreement.
If there was an incident, damage, fine, lost key, missing fuel or another open issue during the rental, the deposit may be held until the case is reviewed and the final costs are calculated.
When should you contact SOLO rent a car?
Please contact us if:
- the car was returned without damage, but the deposit is still not visible;
- your bank asks for confirmation of the release or refund;
- you see an actual charge and do not understand the reason;
- the returned amount is different from the deposit amount;
- you have a question about the closing of your rental agreement.
We can check the status of your rental agreement and, if the deposit has already been released from our side, provide confirmation from our system.
When should you contact your bank?
If SOLO rent a car confirms that the deposit has already been released or refunded, the next step is to contact the bank that issued your card.
Your bank can check the status of the authorisation, refund or blocked amount on your card.
In short
If your car rental deposit has not appeared on your card immediately, it does not always mean there is a problem.
In most cases, the reason is bank processing: the rental company has already released the amount, but the bank has not shown it as available yet.
If you are unsure, contact SOLO rent a car first. We will check the status of your contract and let you know whether the deposit has already been released from our side.
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