Skip to main content
Can I Rent A Car?
Check

National US rental rules

National: debit card, deposit, age and IDP rules

National's standard US airport debit route requires a ticketed return itinerary. The exact JFK and EWR branches also publish advance-qualification alternatives for some renters without a return ticket.

Choose your National airport policy

15 airport research profiles. Each policy page has the full field-by-field evidence, review dates and unresolved conditions. Source-reviewed does not mean your rental is approved.

Other airport research coverage

No reviewed National branch profile is available for these destinations. A link is not a claim that this supplier operates there.

National's published US qualification route

National guidance reviewed 2026-09-30; exact airport evidence keeps its individual source dates.

Age
The reviewed MCO branch starts at 21 with $25/day for ages 21–24. JFK starts at 18 with different age-band fees.
Debit card
Visa, Mastercard or Discover; matching home address and a ticketed return itinerary on the standard airport route. A spouse or domestic partner is the only extra driver permitted on the reviewed debit route.
Foreign licence and IDP
Original valid licence throughout rental; IDP recommended for non-English Latin script and required for non-Latin script, with the published professional-translation alternative. Passport or travel documentation may be requested.

National MCO's $400 standard/$850 specialty deposit is attached to renters without a return itinerary. JFK's no-ticket debit alternative has its own $600 deposit and advance in-person qualification. Neither amount establishes a debit renter's deposit when arriving with a qualifying return flight.

National US payment instruments and prepaid bookings

Network guidance does not approve a local debit rental. Match the airport's acceptance, age, vehicle, itinerary and physical-card requirements separately.

Credit networks: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover. Debit networks: Visa, Mastercard, Discover. Rejected at pickup: prepaid/stored-value cards.

  • The pickup card and branch qualifications still apply to a prepaid booking.

National guidance referenced in ATL, DEN, FLL, LAS, MIA, PHX, SAN, SFO, SEA, LAX, EWR, BOS, DFW, MCO, JFK profiles. A separate national payment-source review date is not established. Exact branch decisions keep their own evidence dates.

Payment / document source 1Payment / document source 2

National pickup requirements by reviewed branch

Matching condition lists are shown once. Each airport retains its own evidence state and date; a listed Unknown or Conflict profile does not become approved through this grouping.

ATL · DEN · FLL · LAS · MIA · PHX · SAN · SFO · SEA · LAX · BOS · DFW · MCO

Credit-card pickup

  • Present a qualifying credit card in the main renter's name.
  • Bring a valid physical licence for the full rental period. An IDP supplements the licence and never replaces it.
  • For a non-English licence in a Latin alphabet, an IDP is recommended. For a non-Latin licence, an IDP is required; a professional typed translation is an alternative if an IDP cannot be obtained in the issuing country. A passport may also be requested.

Debit with return itinerary

  • Present a ticketed return travel itinerary and a debit card with Visa, Mastercard or Discover logo.
  • Only a qualifying spouse or domestic partner can be added to a debit rental.
  • For the normal airport debit route, the licence name/address must match the current home address; active-duty military personnel are exempt from the address requirement.

Debit without return itinerary

  • A ticketed return itinerary is required for the reviewed airport debit qualification.

Prepaid card

  • A prepaid or stored-value card can be used for final payment where accepted; it does not qualify as the pickup deposit card.

EWR

Credit-card pickup

  • Present a qualifying credit card in the main renter's name.
  • Bring a valid physical licence for the full rental period. An IDP supplements the licence and never replaces it.
  • For a non-English licence in a Latin alphabet, an IDP is recommended. For a non-Latin licence, an IDP is required; a professional typed translation is an alternative if an IDP cannot be obtained in the issuing country. A passport may also be requested.
  • If booking a 12/15-passenger van at EWR, bring a major credit card for the deposit plus verifiable collision, comprehensive and liability insurance; renters must be at least 25.

Debit with return itinerary

  • Present a ticketed return travel itinerary and a debit card with Visa, Mastercard or Discover logo.
  • Only a qualifying spouse or domestic partner can be added to a debit rental.
  • For the normal airport debit route, the licence name/address must match the current home address; active-duty military personnel are exempt from the address requirement.

Debit without return itinerary

  • Reserve at least 72 hours before pickup and qualify in person at least 48 hours before pickup.
  • Present an original utility bill with no past-due balance plus a current paystub/paycheck or insurance declarations page; applicable documents must be dated within 30 days and show the current address.
  • The qualifying exception has limited car, minivan and intermediate-SUV groups; confirm the selected vehicle.

Prepaid card

  • A prepaid or stored-value card can be used for final payment where accepted; it does not qualify as the pickup deposit card.

JFK

Credit-card pickup

  • Present a qualifying credit card in the main renter's name.
  • Bring a valid physical licence for the full rental period. An IDP supplements the licence and never replaces it.
  • For a non-English licence in a Latin alphabet, an IDP is recommended. For a non-Latin licence, an IDP is required; a professional typed translation is an alternative if an IDP cannot be obtained in the issuing country. A passport may also be requested.
  • At JFK, ages18–20 are limited to Economy through Intermediate cars; a broad 'car' selection does not verify a Full-Size or other booked group.
  • If booking a 12/15-passenger van at JFK, bring a major credit card for the deposit plus verifiable collision, comprehensive and liability insurance; renters must be at least 25.

Debit with return itinerary

  • Present a ticketed return travel itinerary and a debit card with Visa, Mastercard or Discover logo.
  • Only a qualifying spouse or domestic partner can be added to a debit rental.
  • For the normal airport debit route, the licence name/address must match the current home address; active-duty military personnel are exempt from the address requirement.

Debit without return itinerary

  • Reserve at least 72 hours before pickup and qualify in person at least 48 hours before pickup.
  • Present an original utility bill with no past-due balance plus a current paystub/paycheck or insurance declarations page; applicable documents must be dated within 30 days and show the current address.
  • The qualifying exception has limited car, minivan and intermediate-SUV groups; confirm the selected vehicle.

Prepaid card

  • A prepaid or stored-value card can be used for final payment where accepted; it does not qualify as the pickup deposit card.

National credit vs debit authorization examples

Credit card

$400; $850 for listed specialty classes

Specific branch scenario · JFK: no ticketed return itinerary

The JFK branch publishes these deposits for credit-card renters without a ticketed return itinerary. The $850 amount applies only to the source's named higher-tier groups. The ordinary return-ticket credit deposit is not stated; do not reuse this figure for that itinerary.

Additional to the rental charges that remain due, subject to the stated scenario.

Official credit evidenceChecked 2026-09-30

Debit card

$600 for the qualified no-return-ticket exception

Specific branch scenario · JFK: advance in-person qualification required

This JFK debit exception requires a reservation at least 72 hours ahead and in-person qualification at least 48 hours before pickup, with the branch's original supporting documents. It does not describe the ordinary airport debit route with a return ticket; that route's additional deposit is not published.

Additional to the rental charges that remain due, subject to the stated scenario.

Official debit evidenceChecked 2026-09-30

An authorization figure does not establish card acceptance or the total funds required by every booking.

Compare deposit scenarios across all nine suppliers

Which terms should you confirm with the branch?

Give the operating location the rental dates, age at pickup, licence issuing country and language, current residence, card type, vehicle and return itinerary. Ask it to identify any missing or conflicting rule and the total pickup authorization for that exact setup.

Keep national guidance, branch evidence and a selected-rate capture distinct. A return itinerary can satisfy one payment condition without approving a restricted vehicle; a prepaid rate can pay the price without approving the card required for the hold.

If another person will drive, verify their age and original licence, permitted relation and additional-driver charge. Cardholder-name checks still apply to the main renter. An extra driver or relative's booking payment does not automatically permit a different pickup card.

Check the actual tripCardholder-name rulesForeign licence and IDP guide

National official sources

Use the airport policy directory for locally reviewed evidence. Report an applicable new rule with its official source and exact branch or reservation scope.

Report a National policy correction

National rules by topic

Car rental comparison

Compare options with Discover Cars

Pick your pickup airport to see its rental prices and available suppliers.

Check your chosen supplier’s card, deposit, age and pickup requirements. A booking remains subject to the supplier’s terms and checks at pickup.