Quick Summary:
- Insurance upgrades, especially SLI and CDW, often trigger the biggest hold increases.
- Prepaid fuel, fuel service fees, and upgrades can add extra authorisation.
- Additional drivers and young-driver fees can raise holds and daily totals.
- Toll plans and premium roadside options may increase the hold at pick-up.
At a United Estates car hire counter, the deposit hold, also called a pre-authorisation, is the temporary amount your card issuer locks until the rental closes. It is not a charge, but it reduces your available credit, which can matter if you are travelling with a lower limit card. What catches many drivers out is that the hold is not based only on the base rate. It often reflects the expected rental total plus a buffer for fuel, tolls, damage excess, and administrative fees, and that total can jump the moment you accept optional extras.
This guide breaks down which add-ons usually push the hold highest, why they do it, and what to check before you sign. If you are comparing options for car hire in the United States, it helps to think of the pick-up conversation as a financial decision as much as a coverage decision.
Why add-ons change your deposit hold
Rental companies set a hold to protect themselves against costs they might need to recover quickly. When you add extras, two things typically happen. First, your estimated rental total increases, so the authorisation increases to match. Second, certain add-ons change the risk profile for the supplier, for example higher-value vehicles, higher liability exposure, or drivers with less experience, and that can prompt a larger buffer.
Holds vary widely by supplier, location, vehicle class, and payment type. Debit cards, if accepted, may require a bigger hold or more restrictions. Credit cards are usually simpler. Regardless of payment method, ask the agent to show the authorisation amount before finalising, and keep a screenshot or printed copy of what you agreed to.
Add-on category 1: Insurance upgrades that can raise holds the most
Insurance is often the biggest contributor to a higher pre-authorisation because it can dramatically change the total daily cost. Even when an insurance upgrade reduces your excess, the supplier may still authorise a larger amount simply because the rental total, including insurance, is now higher.
Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) or Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) can be costly per day in the United Estates, especially on longer rentals. At the counter it is frequently presented as “full protection”, but what matters for the hold is that the daily line item can double or triple the base rate on some classes. That new expected total is then used to calculate the hold.
Supplemental Liability Insurance (SLI) can also push holds up. Liability is about third-party claims, not damage to the rental car, and the daily cost can be significant. Some counters bundle SLI with other products, which makes the overall total, and therefore the hold, rise quickly.
Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) and Personal Effects Coverage (PEC) are usually smaller add-ons, but they still raise the total. On their own they rarely cause the single biggest jump, but combined with CDW and SLI they can push you into a higher authorisation band.
If you want predictable costs, you can compare coverage and inclusions before you travel using supplier pages such as Alamo car rental in the United States and National car rental in the United States, then decide whether the counter offer is actually improving your position.
Add-on category 2: Vehicle upgrades and class changes
Upgrades are not always framed as add-ons, but they can be the fastest route to a bigger deposit hold. Moving from an economy model to a larger saloon, SUV, or premium class usually increases the daily rate, and suppliers often apply a higher buffer to higher-value vehicles.
An SUV upgrade can be especially impactful because the base price and the perceived replacement cost are higher. If you are considering a larger vehicle for luggage or road-trip comfort, it is worth understanding that the hold may increase even if you decline all other extras. For comparison by type, see SUV hire in the United States.
Also note that adding optional equipment like a child seat, GPS, or Wi-Fi can increase the total, but these typically add smaller amounts than a class upgrade or insurance package. The exception is when equipment shortages lead to premium pricing at certain airports.
Add-on category 3: Additional drivers and age-related fees
Adding an additional driver is a common convenience, but it can increase both the expected total and the supplier’s risk calculation. Many US locations charge a daily fee per additional driver, with some waivers for spouses or corporate rates depending on the supplier and state rules.
The bigger hit can be young driver surcharges, typically for drivers under 25. This is sometimes not presented as an add-on, but it functions like one, because it raises the rental total significantly. A higher total generally means a higher authorisation. If you have a younger driver in your party, clarify whether they must be listed, and what that does to both the daily cost and the hold.
Practical check at the counter: ask for the new total with the additional driver included, then ask, “What will the authorisation be on my card today?” Getting both numbers helps you separate price from the temporary cash-flow impact.
Add-on category 4: Toll products and convenience plans
Toll roads are common in parts of the United Estates, and rental companies offer toll products under various names. These can affect your deposit hold in two ways. First, some plans have a daily fee that increases the total. Second, some suppliers authorise an extra buffer to cover toll usage that posts after you return the vehicle.
There are two broad models. A toll pass or unlimited plan charges a daily rate and can cover tolls without per-toll charges. A pay-per-use plan may charge administrative fees each time a toll is recorded, which can be unpredictable. Even if the hold does not rise much at pick-up, you may see delayed charges later if tolls post after the rental closes.
If your route has few tolls, it can be cheaper to pay tolls directly where possible, but that depends on the roads you will use and whether cash lanes exist. The key deposit-hold point is predictability. A daily toll plan adds a known amount, which the supplier may incorporate into the authorisation.
Add-on category 5: Fuel options and why they can inflate holds
Fuel is one of the most common sources of confusion at car hire pick-up. The hold can increase because fuel products change the expected cost, and because suppliers may authorise a buffer in case you return the car with less fuel than agreed.
Prepaid fuel lets you return the car empty or partially full, depending on terms, and you pay upfront. This increases your rental total immediately, so the hold can rise. It can be good value if you truly return close to empty, but many travellers overpay by returning with a quarter or half a tank.
Pay on return (fuel service option) can be even more expensive because it typically combines a per-gallon price with a service fee. Some suppliers authorise extra to cover the potential refuelling cost. If you choose this, ask what fuel price per gallon is being used and whether there is a service surcharge.
Return full is usually the most predictable for cost control, and it often supports a lower hold because there is less uncertainty about fuel charges. To make it work, keep the final fuel receipt in case of disputes about the gauge reading.
Add-on category 6: Roadside assistance and protection bundles
Roadside assistance sold at the counter can include towing, jump starts, lockout service, and tyre help. By itself it may not create the largest hold increase, but it can contribute to a higher authorisation when bundled with insurance upgrades and toll plans.
Be careful with bundles that combine multiple products into a single daily rate. Bundles make it harder to see which line item is driving the increase in the hold. If you are trying to keep the authorisation down, request an itemised breakdown and remove products one by one to see how the hold changes.
What typically raises the hold most, ranked
While the exact order varies by location and supplier, the biggest deposit-hold jumps at United Estates pick-up most often come from the following:
1) Insurance upgrades that add large daily costs, especially CDW or LDW combined with SLI. This can materially increase the estimated total and therefore the authorisation.
2) Vehicle class upgrades, especially into SUVs, premium, or specialty categories. Higher rates and higher buffers can apply.
3) Young driver surcharges and multiple paid additional drivers, because they can add substantial daily fees.
4) Fuel products that prepay or add service fees, which increase the immediate total and sometimes add uncertainty buffers.
5) Toll plans and roadside bundles, usually smaller individually, but impactful when stacked.
How to keep your card hold under control before signing
First, go into the counter knowing what you are willing to accept. If you have already compared options for car rental in the United States, you can more easily spot when a counter package is simply increasing the total without adding value you need.
Second, ask for three numbers, in plain language: the daily rate, the total amount due, and the authorisation amount to be held on your card today. If the agent cannot provide the authorisation figure, ask a supervisor. This is a standard part of the payment process.
Third, watch out for stacking. A small add-on may look harmless until it is combined with an upgrade, an extra driver fee, and a toll plan. The hold usually reflects the whole bundle, not each item separately.
Fourth, consider the impact of vehicle size on budgets. If you are aiming to minimise the hold, choosing a modest class and skipping costly counter insurance can help. If price matters most, comparing lower-cost segments through budget car hire in the United States can make the deposit-hold equation easier, because lower base totals often mean lower authorisations.
Finally, keep your card limit in mind. Even if you can afford the rental, the hold can cause card declines for hotels, fuel stations, or other travel costs. If your limit is tight, consider using a card with a higher limit for the authorisation, and keep a second card for day-to-day spending.
FAQ
Which add-on most commonly increases the deposit hold at US car hire pick-up? Insurance upgrades are the most common cause, because they can add large daily costs that raise the estimated total used for the authorisation.
Does adding an additional driver always increase the hold? Often yes, because it can add a daily fee and change the expected rental total. Some locations waive fees for certain drivers, so the impact varies.
Can a vehicle upgrade raise my deposit hold even if I decline all extras? Yes. Higher vehicle classes typically have higher rates and may attract a larger buffer, so the authorisation can increase without any insurance or toll products.
Do toll plans affect the hold or only the final bill? They can affect both. A toll plan may add a daily fee included in the authorisation, and some toll charges can post after return as separate transactions.
How can I confirm the exact authorisation amount before I sign? Ask the agent to show the pre-authorisation figure on the payment screen or receipt, then keep a copy. This is the best way to avoid surprises.
