Quick Summary:
- An incidentals hold is a temporary pre-authorisation, not a final charge.
- In Los Angeles, holds often rise for tolls, fuel, upgrades, and extras.
- Check your rental agreement for “Estimated Charges” and “Deposit” lines.
- Ask for a receipt showing pre-authorisation amount and card last four digits.
When you pick up a car hire in Los Angeles, the counter agent may mention an “incidentals hold” or “deposit hold”. This can look like money leaving your account, but it is usually a temporary pre-authorisation placed by the rental company on your card. The hold exists so the supplier can collect certain costs that are not fully known at pick-up, such as tolls processed later, refuelling, upgrades, and optional extras added at the desk.
The key point is that a hold is different from a payment. A payment (or “charge”) is captured money. A hold is a reservation of funds on your card’s available balance. It typically reduces how much you can spend until the hold is released or converted into a final charge when the vehicle is returned and the invoice is closed.
This matters in Los Angeles because driving patterns can create post-rental costs, for example pay-by-plate tolling on certain roads, parking charges you might incur, or fuel policies that can trigger refuelling fees. Even if you plan carefully, a hold can still be higher than you expect because the supplier is protecting itself against those unknowns.
If you are comparing options for pick-up at the airport, the deposit and hold rules can vary by supplier and vehicle category. Hola Car Rentals’ local pages, such as Los Angeles LAX airport car rental and California car rental at LAX, help you review options, but the hold itself is always applied by the rental supplier at the counter according to the rental agreement you sign.
What “incidentals hold” means in practice
An incidentals hold is a pre-authorisation on your debit or credit card, placed at pick-up. The amount is usually based on a combination of:
Your estimated rental charges (the base price and taxes/fees expected for the rental period).
A security deposit (an additional amount to cover potential extra costs).
Optional items you add, such as a child seat, additional driver, or roadside assistance.
A buffer for variable costs that may be processed after return, such as tolls and some penalties.
The hold is typically shown on your banking app as “pending” or “authorisation”, not “posted”. Some banks display it immediately, others take several hours. Importantly, the hold can reduce your available balance even if it is not a completed charge.
Why deposit holds can increase at pick-up in Los Angeles
People often expect the hold to match the price they saw when arranging their car hire, but the amount can rise at the desk. In Los Angeles, the most common reasons fall into a few predictable categories.
Tolls and toll programmes
Southern California uses a mix of toll roads and express lanes. Depending on where you drive, tolls may be billed electronically and then processed after your rental ends. Some suppliers offer a toll programme where you pay a daily fee plus tolls, or you pay an administration fee per toll event. Because the final total is unknown at pick-up, suppliers may apply a buffer in the authorisation.
If you plan to use tolled roads, ask how tolls are handled and what fees apply. On paperwork, look for a line referring to “Toll program”, “e-Toll”, “PlatePass”, “Admin fee”, or similar wording. Even if you decline a toll programme, pay-by-plate tolling can still generate charges later if you use toll lanes.
Fuel policies and refuelling risk
Fuel is one of the biggest drivers of unexpected final invoices. If your agreement is “return full”, the supplier expects the tank to be refilled before you bring the vehicle back. If it is not full, they can charge for missing fuel plus a service fee. That possibility is part of why a hold exists.
Some desk upgrades include prepaid fuel or a fuel service option. These can change the expected final invoice and can increase the authorisation immediately. On your agreement, check the fuel section carefully and confirm whether it states “Full to Full” (or similar) versus prepaid or “Full to Empty” type options.
Upgrades, vehicle category changes, and premium locations
Los Angeles has high demand periods. If the vehicle category you selected is unavailable, you might be offered an upgrade, sometimes paid, sometimes operational. A paid upgrade increases estimated charges and can increase the hold. Even when the daily rate changes only slightly, the authorisation can rise because the deposit can be linked to vehicle value or category.
Picking up at LAX can also involve additional airport-related fees already included in the base rate, but optional changes made at the desk may be priced with local taxes and surcharges. To see supplier-specific details for LAX, you can review pages like National at Los Angeles LAX, which can help you understand what is typical for that provider, while remembering the final hold is set at pick-up based on your signed agreement.
Extras and add-ons that increase the hold
Extras are a very common reason holds rise. Typical add-ons include:
Additional driver, often charged per day. The authorisation can rise because the daily estimate rises.
Child seats and boosters. These are usually charged per day with a cap, affecting estimated charges.
GPS or Wi-Fi devices, if offered, which increase the daily total.
Protection products such as excess reduction or other optional cover sold at the counter.
Young driver fees, which can be significant and raise the estimate and therefore the hold.
Even if you do not add extras, some suppliers apply higher deposits for certain groups, for example younger drivers or renters using certain card types.
Debit card vs credit card differences
While both can be accepted depending on supplier rules, debit cards can feel harsher because the hold reduces real available funds. Credit card holds reduce available credit limit instead. In both cases, the hold can last several days after return, depending on how quickly the supplier releases it and how fast your bank processes the release.
If you are using a debit card, plan extra headroom for your trip, including accommodation, food, and any other pre-authorisations (hotels in particular). If you are also hiring in nearby areas outside Los Angeles, note that policies can differ by location and supplier, so it helps to compare terms, for example via car hire California LAX.
How to spot the incidentals hold on your paperwork
To avoid confusion, focus on the specific lines on your documents rather than the headline price. At pick-up you will usually receive a rental agreement, sometimes printed, sometimes emailed. Look for these fields:
“Pre-authorisation”, “Authorisation”, or “Deposit”. This is the hold amount. It may be shown as a single figure or as part of a total.
“Estimated Charges”. This is what the supplier expects you will owe based on the planned rental length and selected items.
“Deposit + Estimated Charges”. Some agreements show the authorisation as the combined amount, which can look surprisingly high. If so, ask the agent to confirm the deposit component versus the estimated rental cost component.
“Optional items” section. This lists extras added at the counter, and each item can affect both estimated charges and the hold.
Fuel policy and any prepaid fuel choice. This can change what you pay now versus later.
Toll and traffic violation handling. Often a separate paragraph. Even if not part of the authorisation figure, it explains what can appear later.
A practical check is to request or keep a card receipt that shows the pre-authorisation amount and the last four digits of your card. That makes it easier to match the hold to your bank’s pending item and reduces uncertainty if you use more than one card while travelling.
What happens at return, and when the hold is released
At return, the supplier calculates the final invoice. If you return on time, with the agreed fuel level, and without added fees, the final charge may be close to the original estimate. The supplier then captures the payment and releases any remaining hold. The release timing varies:
Supplier processing. Some close the contract immediately, others batch process.
Bank processing. Your card issuer may take a few business days to remove the pending hold from your available balance.
Post-rental items. Tolls and some administrative charges can be billed after return. This is why it is useful to keep your agreement and return receipt.
If the hold is not released after a reasonable period, compare your return receipt and final invoice to the pending items in your bank app. If the agreement clearly shows a pre-authorisation that should have been released, you can contact the supplier with your contract number and the authorisation details shown on the receipt.
How to reduce surprises from deposit holds
You cannot always eliminate an incidentals hold, but you can make it more predictable.
Confirm the deposit policy before arrival. Make sure you understand whether the authorisation is deposit-only or deposit plus estimated charges.
Keep your extras intentional. If you do not need an add-on, confirm it is not selected on the agreement. Small daily add-ons can noticeably raise the authorisation.
Plan your toll approach. If you will drive tolled routes, understand the toll programme and fees so post-rental charges do not feel random.
Return fuel exactly as required. Keep a fuel receipt from near the return location when possible, as it can help if there is a dispute.
Allow headroom on your card. For debit card users especially, remember that the hold reduces available funds during the trip.
Finally, remember that “deposit”, “incidentals hold”, and “pre-authorisation” are often used interchangeably in everyday conversation at the counter, but the paperwork should state which amounts are authorisations versus charges. The clearest approach is to read the lines labelled “Deposit” and “Estimated Charges”, and to keep the receipt showing the authorisation amount.
FAQ
Is an incidentals hold the same as paying a deposit?
It is related, but not identical. The hold is usually a pre-authorisation that reserves funds, while a deposit can be used loosely to describe that hold. Your final charges are calculated at return.
Why is my pending amount higher than the price I expected for car hire?
The authorisation can include both estimated rental charges and a deposit buffer. It can also increase if you add extras, accept an upgrade, or choose a toll or fuel option.
Will tolls in Los Angeles definitely be taken from the hold?
Not always. Many tolls are billed after the rental ends, sometimes with administration fees. The hold is mainly to ensure funds are available, but post-rental billing is common.
How can I check the hold amount at pick-up?
Look for “Pre-authorisation”, “Authorisation”, or “Deposit” on the rental agreement, and keep the card receipt that shows the authorised amount and card last four digits.
How long does it take for the hold to be released?
Often a few business days after the contract is closed, but timing depends on the supplier and your bank. Debit card holds can feel slower because they affect your available balance.
