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CS Without Credit Card Bulgaria Car Hire
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With a massive choice from the biggest brands, Enjoy the best way to find the best prices for Without Credit Card car hire.
- Huge choice of cars to suit every budget
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- 10 years experience in car hire
Can I Rent a Car Without a Credit Card in Bulgaria?
When driving in Bulgaria, in larger cities like Sofia, driving is easy as roads are well maintained and in better condition. Driving in rural areas can pose some challenges to more inexperienced drivers, and drivers might struggle to navigate the roads. The difficult driving conditions can also risk damage to the hire car. However, the scenery makes it worth it. While Bulgaria has efficient public transport, you might hire a car to get you around more freely and conveniently. Car hire is popular from Sofia Airport, but can also be available in other cities or downtown areas.
When hiring a car in Bulgaria, you might wonder whether you can rent your car without a credit card. Alternative forms of payment are available with select companies depending on a few conditions. Let’s take a look at the different ways you can pay for your car rental in Bulgaria.
We understand that not everybody has access to or owns a credit card, and we want car hire to be as accessible as possible.
Car hire without a credit card is usually acceptable with most car hire suppliers in Europe, with most accepting major debit cards as valid alternatives. However, cash and prepaid cards are usually less accepted, and if accepted are usually only valid for payment of the rental and not the security deposit. This is why it’s a good idea to use a credit card when paying for your car rental, as it will save a lot of time and unwanted hassle.
Prepaid cards are probably the least accepted form of payment, as they are hard to track and trace back to an account. Cash is another method that is rarely accepted, but where it is acceptable it is usually for payment of the rental and not the security deposit. Withdrawing large amounts of cash can pose a lot of financial risks and may be flagged for fraud, so be wary of this.
While Bulgaria does not have an abundance of car hire suppliers, you can still hire a car easily and efficiently with some of Europe’s top suppliers. Hiring your car from downtown Sofia or Sofia Airport may allow you a wider range of car hire suppliers, with whom you may be able to use alternative payment methods or at least discuss options available to you.
What are the benefits of renting a car in Bulgaria without a credit card?
You might be used to using your debit card for payments, which would naturally make you inclined to use it for car hire. If you’ve booked car hire with a prepaid card or debit card online, you can save time and a lengthy process as your car will be readily available. If you plan to use a debit card, you must ensure that you have the funds available in your account to cover the cost of the security deposit and car rental amount. Using a debit card usually means you can bypass any lengthy security or credit checks that are associated with credit cards.
What are the common policies for car hire in Bulgaria?
As with much of Europe, it’s required that you are aged 18 or over to be able to drive in Bulgaria. You must be aged 21 or over to be able to hire a car with most of the main car hire companies—with some, you may be able to hire a car aged 18, but this is uncommon. Drivers under the age of 25 may be liable to pay a young driver surcharge. UK driving licences are generally accepted in Bulgaria without the need for an IDP (International Driving Permit).
What alternative payment options are available for car hire in Bulgaria?
You can expect most major car hire suppliers to accept debit cards as a means of payment for car rental. However, some do not allow debit card payments for the security deposit. The same goes for cash or prepaid cards—they are generally accepted for the car rental amount but not for payment of the security deposit.
How can you rent a car in Bulgaria without a credit card?
As discussed, debit cards, prepaid cards, and cash are alternative payment methods that some Bulgaria car hire suppliers allow for payment instead of credit cards. These payment methods may only be accepted in certain conditions or by certain suppliers, so bear this in mind.
How can you rent a car with a prepaid card in Bulgaria?
Some car hire companies accept prepaid cards or cash cards for payment when booking your car rental online or in advance, when paying for additional services or top-up insurance, or for the car rental amount. This can differ between suppliers, so check this is acceptable before using a prepaid card.
How do you rent a car using cash in Bulgaria?
Cash is accepted by car hire suppliers for payment of the car rental amount, but not for payment of the security deposit which can reach up to £2000 (around 4,600 Bulgarian Lev). Large cash withdrawals may pose financial or security risks, so be wary when choosing to use cash.
Can I use a debit card to pay the security deposit in Bulgaria?
Usually, debit cards can be accepted to pay the security deposit, provided you have sufficient funds in your account and your debit card is valid, in date, and either a Mastercard or Visa. The usage of debit cards for the security deposit may differ depending on the supplier.
When should you consider renting a car without a credit card in Bulgaria?
If you’d prefer to pay with a travel card instead of a credit card to avoid high currency exchange rates or markups, you may not want to use a credit card. Also, if you don’t have access to or own a credit card, or you don’t want to make the booking process lengthy or face a credit check, you may choose not to use a credit card to pay for car hire.
Why do some car hire companies in Bulgaria require a credit card?
A credit card is simply required for ease and to avoid any hassles or complications when booking. A credit card allows for more secure payments that are easily tracked or registered to an account, and they also allow you to have the funds to cover the security deposit if you don’t have the funds available in a debit card account. There are also fewer security or fraud risks when using a credit card as opposed to cash, debit, or prepaid card payment methods.
Why is it important to understand security deposits?
Security deposits are in place to protect both you and the rental company. Security deposits do what they say—offer security to all parties involved in the transaction. Companies may use the deposit to pay for any damages sustained to the car during the rental period. The security deposit amount is usually blocked upon payment of the rental and refunded after the rental period has ended so long as the car is returned in the same condition as when it was picked up.
Why should you check local policies and restrictions?
Not every car hire supplier in Bulgaria offers the same services or rates. Do your research and check the rates, security deposit amounts, and extras available to you when hiring your car with a certain company to ensure that what they offer aligns with your expectations.