Good to know, thanks. I'm fairly sure we tried National at the time and they said they wouldn't accept a debit card. Maybe they've changed policy (desperation due to the economic downturn perhaps?) or its just a question of being lucky and speaking to the right person on a good day.

I should have posted earlier but the booking made through Avis UK with a debit card was accepted at the Avis Dublin desk on arrival without any trouble at all - despite having phoned them in advance to see if it would be OK and having been told by them that they wouldnt take a debit card. My son & wife didn't question it there in case the desk woke up to it being a Visa debit card and not a Visa credit card. If they did realise the difference but overwrote their normal policy then I guess Avis UK must have pulled some strings to make it happen - in which case thanks Avis UK!

I know this is a bit late now - but i've just been in the exact same position. I dont have a credit card and needed to hire a car for a trip to a wedding in Ireland, from Dublin airport, at short notice (only because i left it till the day before!).

I can advise that i've just booked a hire car online, and paid with my Visa Debit card, which 4 other companies had refused. The company i'm going with is National. Its costing maybe 10% more than the others i tried (Avis / Hertz etc) but they have accepted my payment.

Just thought i'd let people know that there is a company out there that'll do it.

Thanks - the additional card holder idea sounded v hopeful but they've told me that because there is already one additional holder they cant allow another, and even if they could bend the rules a courier delivery would not be possible by next day -it takes 3 working days with no facility to go and collect.

Anyway, a nice lady at Avis has kindly set up a booking for which she has said they will accept a debit card, so hopefully the panic is over. We just hope that the Avis desk at Dublin agrees on Sunday... If we get to hear the outcome (its just possible the honeymooners might have more immediate priorities than calling home!) I'll post it here.

Thanks again for each of the suggestions - much appreciated..

Hi Gilby

Even with CashPlus from a local store you won't get the card that is suitable for use with a hire car by the weekend...the cards that you get from the merchants are not properly embossed as they are only temporary cards which work in ATMs. As it is your son will still need to send off by snail-mail copies of documents to CashPlus to get the card verified and suitable for use with car hire. You might try phoning your own credit card company and see if you can get your son added as an additional card holder on your account...and see if they can Fed-Ex a card out by the weekend. This is probably only likely if you are a Platinum AmEx card customer or equivalent.

I was in the same situation a couple of years back when I had a car booked to pick up in the USA. I read somewhere (or heard from someone at Avis like you did) that a debit card would be ok. I phoned the rental location to verify and was told that this is only ok if you have an existing relationship with Avis and a rental history with them and one of their privilege cards. Luckily I had a few weeks notice so my travelling companion was able to get me signed up as an additional card holder.

Probably just best to invest the time, energy and resources in taxis and public transport...or see if there is a car hire facility at a local garage there that will take a debit card or cash. When your son returns, perhaps he can look to set up a new relationship with another bank that moves a bit quicker than his current one! Good luck!

Hope it works - should have said you'll need to arrange this with Cashplus customer services if you decide to use them! ;)

Thanks both - if Avis decide they wont accept a debit card after all we'll sound them out about Cashplus and the Post Office card and see if either of them ticks the right box.

Hi,

I think the Cashplus prepaid card allows you to hire cars although you have to arrange this with customer services first. If you apply online I don't think it will arrive on time but some shops do a card for you on the spot. Try The Money Shop I think they do Cashplus cards - they're actually quite handy for travelling...

Good luck,

Lex

Thanks. We have tried several car hire places but they all want credit cards - even with cash up front they want a credit card to cover damage or other additional expenses you might incur.

We did find one department at Avis who have said they will accept a debit card if we ring back to arrange it in the morning, but this was after Avis Dublin told us they wouldnt accept anything other than a credit card - so we just have to find out in the morning which department has the biggest say.

Thanks anyway.

You wont get a credit card in a couple of days. They need to be printed and posted to the confirmed address. When I was filling up at Asda's petrol station, a girl signed me up for their card and issued me with a temporary card on the spot but the temporary card was just for using at Asda.

Your best bet is to contact the hire car company and ask them what other form of deposit would be acceptable. Some do prefer credit cards but if one isn't available I expect that they will accept a debit card and/or a wad of cash rather than lose the customer. If not, google for "hire car Dublin" and look for another company that can manage without a credit card.

My son has been let down badly by Abbey - he needs a credit card within the next 48hrs to be able to pick up a hire car at Dublin Airport for his honeymoon this weekend. The car hire company won't allow him to collect the car without producing a credit card. He's never had one but in anticipation of this booking he applied some weeks ago with Abbey who he has been with for 15 years for savings and a mortgage. They've told him today it will still take another couple of weeks at least before they send the credit card - too late.

Does anyone know a way he can either get a credit card from anywhere else within a couple of days, or how he could hire a car in Dublin without one? The car and romantic remote cottage have been booked but it looks like they wont be able to get there now -or if they have to use a taxi they will be marooned there for the week. (OK, I know, but they did want to explore more than just each other sometime during the week...)

Thanks