Quick Summary:
- Assume Wise or prepaid cards may be declined for deposit holds.
- Bring a true credit card in the lead driver’s name.
- Check whether your card is coded credit, not just labelled.
- Carry backups: second card, ID, and proof of return travel.
Travelling to Orlando and planning car hire can feel straightforward until you reach the rental counter and discover your payment method is not accepted for the deposit. This is where Wise cards and many prepaid travel cards commonly cause problems. You might be able to pay the rental charges with them, but the deposit hold, sometimes called the security authorisation, is where many US desks draw a hard line.
This article explains why that happens, what rental agents mean by “credit” versus “debit”, how deposit holds work in practice, and which backup options reduce the risk of being turned away at the counter. While policies vary by supplier and location, the underlying payment rules are consistent across much of the US, including Orlando International Airport.
If you are comparing options for arriving flights and pick-up locations, you can review Orlando choices on Hola Car Rentals Orlando MCO and the airport overview on car hire airport Disney Orlando MCO.
Why desks often refuse prepaid cards for deposit holds
A rental deposit is not the same as a payment. At pick-up, the desk typically places an authorisation hold against your card for a set amount. That hold is there to cover potential additional costs, such as fuel differences, tolls, late return fees, damage excess, cleaning fees, and sometimes an extra buffer for extensions. The hold reduces your available balance until it is released after return.
Prepaid and many travel cards are frequently declined for that hold because the rental company cannot rely on them in the same way it relies on a traditional credit line. Even if the card has enough funds today, a prepaid balance can be spent elsewhere immediately after pick-up if the hold is not supported properly by the card scheme rules, or if the card does not allow the specific type of authorisation used for car rental.
There are also fraud and dispute-management reasons. Rental firms prefer products that support robust identity, address verification, and predictable chargeback processes. Some prepaid programmes have tighter restrictions on “card present” authorisations, offline authorisations, or incremental authorisations. Car hire authorisations are not always a single fixed amount, they may be adjusted up or down depending on the vehicle category, optional extras, or extensions. Cards that cannot accept incremental holds can be rejected at the point of rental.
Finally, some prepaid or travel cards are issued in ways that do not clearly present the cardholder details the desk is expecting, or they do not match the main driver’s documentation precisely. When the desk is already applying strict rules, any mismatch can trigger a refusal.
Wise cards, travel cards, and what “prepaid” means in the US
Wise cards are typically debit cards linked to a multi-currency account. In practice, many US rental desks treat anything that is not a mainstream credit card as higher risk for deposits. Even where a Wise card is not technically “prepaid”, it can still be processed as a debit product, and many airport locations require a credit card for the main driver for higher categories, one-way rentals, or certain insurance selections.
Travel money cards marketed as “prepaid” are the most likely to be refused for deposits. Some may work for the final rental charges, especially at return, but the key moment is pick-up. If the desk system flags the card as prepaid, the agent may be unable to override the rule even if you can demonstrate a sufficient balance.
It is also common for travellers to assume that if a card has a Visa or Mastercard logo, it will be accepted. The logo confirms network compatibility, not deposit eligibility. Deposit eligibility depends on the card type, the product coding, and the supplier’s policy at that location.
Credit vs debit checks, what the desk is really looking at
When a rental agent says “we only take credit cards for the deposit”, they are not talking about the word printed on the front of the card. They are referring to how the card is coded in the payment system. Some debit cards are processed “as credit” for everyday purchases, but still register as a debit product when the desk runs the deposit authorisation. Conversely, some cards can appear credit-like at a merchant terminal but fail a car rental authorisation because of restrictions on holds, incremental authorisations, or international usage.
In the US, rental companies often run a card type verification. This can identify prepaid products and certain fintech-issued cards. If the system returns “prepaid” or “debit”, the desk may apply additional requirements. Those requirements can include:
1) a higher deposit amount, 2) extra identification, 3) proof of onward travel, 4) a local address, or 5) a credit card requirement for certain vehicle groups.
For Orlando, where many rentals are airport pickups with tourists who do not have US billing addresses, desks often default to the simplest risk rule: accept a credit card in the main driver’s name for the deposit.
How deposit holds behave, and why “enough money” is not enough
A deposit hold reduces available funds, not just the current balance. With debit, Wise, and prepaid cards, that can immediately affect your holiday budget. A typical hold can be several hundred dollars, sometimes more depending on vehicle group, optional coverages, and local policies. Even if you loaded enough funds, a second hold, for example for a vehicle upgrade or an extension, may be declined if your available balance is tight.
Release times matter too. After you return the car, the rental firm sends a release, but your bank or card issuer controls when the funds become available again. With some prepaid programmes, releases can take longer than with mainstream credit cards. This is another reason desks prefer credit, because it does not trap your spending money in the same way.
Also note that hotels and fuel stations may place their own holds, so a “debit style” travel card can end up with multiple simultaneous holds during an Orlando trip. That combination is exactly what rental desks are trying to avoid when they insist on credit for deposits.
What to bring to Orlando to avoid counter surprises
If you want the smoothest pick-up experience, plan for the strictest interpretation of the rules. In practice, that means turning up with a true credit card that can accept a sizeable authorisation, in the name of the lead driver, plus sensible backups.
Bring a primary credit card for the deposit. Ideally, it should be from a mainstream issuer, not a prepaid programme, and have enough available credit above your expected hold. If your limit is low, the hold can be declined even if you have never missed a payment.
Bring a second card as a fallback. This can be another credit card if possible. A second card is valuable if the first one triggers an issuer fraud block because of a foreign transaction pattern. If your only backup is a debit or Wise card, you may still face restrictions, but it is better than having no alternative.
Ensure your driving licence and passport match the lead driver’s booking name exactly. Name mismatches create extra friction, and desks are least flexible when the payment method already looks unusual.
Keep proof of return travel accessible. Some desks ask for an outbound flight itinerary when a debit card is used, or when the renter is a visitor without a local address. Having it ready can reduce delays, even if you end up using a credit card anyway.
If you are planning a larger vehicle, supplier policies can be stricter for SUVs and vans because of higher replacement costs and higher risk exposure. You can review vehicle group options like SUV rental Disney Orlando MCO and van rental Disney Orlando MCO to get a sense of what you might be hiring, then plan the deposit method accordingly.
Practical steps to check your card before you fly
Start with your card issuer. Ask whether your card is coded as credit, debit, or prepaid in the Mastercard or Visa system, and whether it supports car rental security deposits and incremental authorisations in the US. Many support agents can see the product type and typical merchant category restrictions.
Next, confirm your available credit or available balance. Remember that the desk may authorise more than the headline deposit if you add extras at the counter, choose a different fuel option, or if the location applies a higher hold for debit-style cards.
Set travel notifications and enable international transactions in your banking app. Some declines are not policy-based, they are simple fraud-prevention blocks triggered by an airport rental desk transaction. A quick in-app confirmation can sometimes resolve that, but you are better off preventing it by preparing in advance.
Finally, do not assume that one successful rental elsewhere guarantees acceptance in Orlando. Policies can vary by location even within the same brand, and airport branches often apply tighter rules than neighbourhood branches.
What if you only have Wise or a prepaid travel card?
If Wise or a prepaid travel card is your only option, you should plan for a higher chance of refusal for the deposit. In that scenario, the most reliable mitigation is to add an additional driver who has an acceptable credit card, but note that most desks still require the payment method to be in the main renter’s name, so this is not a guaranteed fix. Another approach is to ensure you have other acceptable forms of payment available in your party, and to be ready to switch the lead driver if the supplier permits it and your documentation supports it.
Also be aware that some rental desks may accept debit cards with additional conditions, but you should treat that as conditional acceptance, not a promise. Conditions can include a credit check, extra deposit, proof of accommodation, proof of return flight, and limits on vehicle categories. If you are set on using a debit-style product, avoid last-minute changes, and keep your documentation organised to reduce the chance of a rejection based on missing paperwork.
Does supplier choice matter in Orlando?
Yes, because policies and enforcement can differ. Even when two suppliers have similar written policies, the desk workflow and the way the payment terminal identifies card types can lead to different outcomes. If you are comparing suppliers for Orlando International Airport, you can read about options such as Hertz car hire Disney Orlando MCO and Thrifty car rental Disney Orlando MCO. The key is to treat card rules as a deposit-risk question rather than a brand-loyalty question.
Whichever supplier you choose, the lowest-stress approach is consistent: use a conventional credit card for the hold, keep enough headroom on the limit, and keep a backup card available.
FAQ
Can I pay for car hire in Orlando with Wise? Sometimes, yes for the rental charges, but many desks still refuse Wise for the deposit hold because it is processed as a debit-style product.
Why does the desk say my card is prepaid when it looks like a normal card? Rental agents rely on card network coding, not the printed design. Some travel cards and fintech cards are flagged as prepaid in the authorisation system.
What is a deposit hold and when is it released? It is an authorisation that reduces your available funds or credit at pick-up. Release starts after return, but your issuer may take several days to free the amount.
If I only have a debit card, what extra checks might apply? Some locations may request additional ID, proof of return travel, and a higher deposit. They may also restrict vehicle categories or refuse entirely.
What is the safest backup plan if my payment is declined at the counter? Carry a second credit card in the lead driver’s name and keep your documents consistent. This is usually faster than trying to fund a prepaid card on the spot.
