Quick Summary:
- Ask to be charged in USD, not your home currency, every time.
- On the terminal, choose “USD” and decline any “guaranteed exchange rate”.
- Check the receipt line shows USD, plus a $ amount, not £.
- If DCC is applied, request a reversal and re-run in USD.
When you pick up a car hire in San Francisco, you will often pay a deposit or authorisation on your card at the counter. This is a normal part of renting, but it is also a moment when dynamic currency conversion, often shortened to DCC, can quietly add a cost. DCC happens when the card terminal offers to charge you in your home currency rather than in US dollars. It can look convenient, but the exchange rate and mark-up are usually worse than your bank’s rate.
The good news is that avoiding DCC is usually straightforward once you know what it looks like and what to say. The key is to ensure the transaction is processed in USD at the point of sale, and then confirm on your paperwork that it actually happened.
This matters at major pickup points like the airport. If you are collecting at San Francisco Airport (SFO) car rental desks, queues and tired travellers can make it easier to tap through prompts without reading them. Taking ten extra seconds can prevent an avoidable fee.
What DCC is and why it can cost more
DCC is a service offered by some payment processors that lets you pay in the currency linked to your card, for example GBP or EUR, even though you are in the United States. The terminal converts the amount from USD into your currency on the spot, shows you the converted figure, and asks you to accept it.
What you effectively accept is the exchange rate set by the DCC provider. That rate commonly includes a margin, sometimes described as a “mark-up”, on top of the wholesale exchange rate. Your bank, or card issuer, typically provides a better rate, even after any foreign transaction fees. With many travel cards, foreign transaction fees may be low or zero, which makes DCC even less attractive.
With car hire, it can be especially expensive because deposits can be substantial. Even if the deposit is an authorisation rather than a completed charge, some terminals still present DCC choices. If you accept DCC, it may apply to the final charge at return as well, depending on how the rental company processes the completion.
How DCC appears at the terminal in San Francisco
Terminal wording varies, but the patterns are recognisable. In a San Francisco car hire location, you might see:
1) A “Choose currency” screen
This typically lists “USD” and your home currency. The home currency option often includes wording such as “guaranteed rate”, “fixed rate”, or “best rate today”. The screen may also show a conversion rate and a percentage mark-up in smaller text.
2) A question framed as convenience
Examples include “Pay in GBP?” or “Would you like to be charged in your home currency?” The terminal may default to the home currency option, or it may highlight it more strongly.
3) A receipt line that signals DCC
If you later see an extra line like “DCC”, “Currency conversion”, “Mark-up”, “Exchange rate applied”, or an amount in GBP/EUR rather than USD, that is a red flag. Sometimes the receipt will show both the original USD and the converted total, with language such as “Cardholder currency”.
4) A staff prompt before handing you the terminal
You may be asked, “Do you want to pay in pounds or dollars?” This is your cue to say dollars, and to keep watching the screen until you see USD confirmed.
What to say, politely and clearly
You do not need a long explanation. A simple, specific sentence works best because it signals you understand the choice and you are not asking for advice. Try one of these:
“Please charge me in USD, and decline any currency conversion.”
“I want the transaction processed in dollars, not in my home currency.”
“If the terminal offers conversion, I will select USD.”
If a staff member insists that paying in your home currency is cheaper or safer, keep it neutral and repeat your preference. You are not disputing their process, you are choosing the billing currency. If you are using a credit card for the deposit, it is fine to add: “My card issuer will handle the exchange rate.”
At locations handling international travellers daily, such as car hire at San Francisco SFO, staff will generally recognise this request immediately.
Step-by-step: how to avoid DCC at the counter
Step 1, ask before the card is inserted or tapped. DCC can sometimes be triggered as soon as the terminal detects a foreign card. Ask for USD billing before the transaction begins.
Step 2, read the screen, do not rush the prompts. The most common DCC “trap” is clicking the highlighted option without reading. Look specifically for “USD” and select it. If the choice is between “Continue” and “Accept conversion”, choose the option that keeps USD.
Step 3, watch out for language that sounds positive. “Guaranteed” and “locked-in” sound reassuring, but they describe the DCC provider’s rate, not your bank’s. Your goal is not a guaranteed rate, it is the best overall cost, which is usually achieved by paying in USD.
Step 4, confirm the terminal shows USD at the moment of approval. Right before you approve, most terminals show a summary. Make sure the currency code is USD and the amount has a dollar sign.
Step 5, keep the merchant receipt. For deposits and authorisations, your receipt is the easiest evidence of the currency used. If you later need to question the charge, it helps to have it.
How to confirm you were charged in USD
There are three checks you can do in under a minute.
Check 1, your receipt currency and wording. Look for “USD”, “$”, and the amount. If the receipt displays your home currency prominently, or it lists an exchange rate, that suggests DCC was applied.
Check 2, your card app pending transaction. Many banks show pending authorisations quickly. If you see a pending item in GBP/EUR rather than USD, or you see an unusually high effective exchange rate, call it out immediately while you are still at the counter.
Check 3, the rental agreement totals versus the card slip. The rental agreement may list estimated totals in USD, but the card slip shows what was actually processed. The card slip is the key document for DCC.
If you are comparing providers for a San Francisco pickup, note that processes can differ by brand and franchise. If you are renting through a known desk like Hertz at SFO, still rely on the terminal display rather than assumptions, because DCC is typically handled by the payment terminal configuration rather than the rental brand policy alone.
What if DCC was applied anyway?
If you notice immediately, you have the best chance of fixing it on the spot. Ask for a reversal and a re-run in USD. Use plain wording:
“This was processed with currency conversion. Please reverse it and charge in USD.”
Do this before you leave the counter. Many merchants can void a transaction or cancel an authorisation while it is still in the same day’s batch. If you only discover it later, contact the rental location first, then your card issuer. Card issuers may treat DCC disputes differently depending on what was accepted on the terminal, so it is better to resolve it at the desk when possible.
If the charge has already been completed, keep screenshots of your card app, a photo of the receipt, and the rental agreement. Ask the merchant to provide the transaction record showing the selected currency. If you did not knowingly choose your home currency, explain that you requested USD and the conversion was not authorised.
Extra tips that reduce DCC risk on car hire deposits
Use a card with clear multi-currency support. Some cards identify as UK-issued or EU-issued even when they can hold USD balances. The terminal can still offer DCC. The key is not the card type, it is always selecting USD at the terminal.
Pay attention to contactless flows. Tap payments can move quickly. Some terminals still show a currency choice on screen, but it can appear briefly. If the staff member initiates the transaction and holds the terminal, ask to see the currency selection before you tap.
Be cautious if you prepay extras at the counter. Child seats, additional driver fees, toll programmes, and fuel options may be processed as separate transactions. You may need to decline DCC more than once during pickup.
Remember that deposits are often authorisations. Even if the terminal says “Deposit” or “Pre-authorisation”, currency selection still matters. Ensure the authorisation is in USD so your bank, not the terminal, controls the conversion.
Stay consistent if your trip includes other Bay Area locations. If you are also arranging a pickup or drop-off near San Jose, the same DCC rules apply. For comparison planning, see car rental at San Jose (SJC), but keep the payment approach identical: always choose USD on US transactions.
Common misconceptions about DCC at US car hire desks
“DCC protects me from my bank’s fees.” DCC does not remove foreign transaction fees if your card has them, it changes the exchange rate source. You can end up paying the DCC mark-up and still pay a card fee, depending on issuer terms. Paying in USD typically gives you the bank’s exchange rate, which is often better.
“If it is only a deposit, it does not matter.” It matters because a deposit authorisation can be large, and because the same terminal settings might be used later when finalising the bill. Also, a DCC-authorised amount in your home currency can complicate comparisons when you reconcile your travel spend.
“The staff will automatically pick the best option.” Staff may not know your card’s fee structure. Some terminals default to DCC prompts. Treat it as your choice and watch the screen.
FAQ
What is dynamic currency conversion on a car hire deposit in San Francisco?
DCC is when the payment terminal offers to bill your card in your home currency instead of USD. The terminal applies its own exchange rate, which is often worse than your bank’s rate.
What should I press on the terminal to avoid DCC?
Select “USD” or “Pay in dollars” whenever you are given a currency choice. Decline options mentioning “guaranteed rate”, “conversion”, or “charge in GBP/EUR”.
How can I tell if my deposit was charged in USD?
Check the merchant receipt for “USD” and a $ amount, and look at your banking app’s pending authorisation. If you see GBP/EUR amounts or an exchange rate line, DCC may have been applied.
Can I reverse DCC if I accepted it by mistake?
Often yes, if you notice immediately at the counter. Ask the agent to void or reverse the transaction and re-run it in USD. If you discover it later, contact the rental location and then your card issuer.
Does DCC affect the final car hire charge as well as the deposit?
It can. Some locations may process the deposit and the final charge through the same terminal settings, so decline DCC at pickup and stay alert when settling any remaining balance at return.
