Authorisation Hold Explained
Paying with credit card?
We will take an authorisation hold on your credit card for the duration of the rental. Here is how the authorisation hold works:
When collecting the car
• Avis requests your bank to reserve a temporary authorisation hold against the funds of your card.
• Your bank will usually present this as a pending transaction that reduces the money you have available to spend.
• This might appear as a debit on your statement, but it is not.
• No funds are debited from your bank account.
• This temporary authorisation hold will be the estimated cost of your rental (including a security authorisation and any extras accepted) less any amount paid in advance. An additional location specific / weekend authorisation hold may apply.
When returning the car
• Once your bank account has been debited with the invoice amount, the temporary authorisation hold will be released by your bank.
• As this was a temporary authorisation hold and not debited, the release will not be shown as a transaction on your bank statement, instead your available balance will increase.
• The time to release the temporary authorisation hold is dependant on your bank, and in certain instances it may take up to 30 days before it is released.
Please contact your bank for any authorisation hold queries.
Please Note: Your bank account could reflect two amounts before the temporary authorisation hold is released. The initial temporary authorisation hold as obtained at vehicle collection and the actual debit for the invoice amount.
Additional Authorisation Check
A standard authorisation hold is taken for all rentals over and above the estimated rental cost on your payment card for the duration of the rental. The average holding amount for this authorisation (excluding the rental cost) is R3,500, but may vary according to your specific rental.
An additional authorisation hold, over and above the standard authorisation, may also apply.
| ADDITIONAL AUTH AMOUNTS | ||||
| Group | Limited Cover | Super Cover | ||
| A | R 6,150.00 | R 1,150.00 | ||
| B | R 6,550.00 | R 1,750.00 | ||
| C | R 9,250.00 | R 3,150.00 | ||
| D | R 9,950.00 | R 3,550.00 | ||
| E | R 9,850.00 | R 3,450.00 | ||
| F | R 23,150.00 | R 10250.00 | ||
| G | R 31,750.00 | R 13,750.00 | ||
| H | R 28,150.00 | R 12,750.00 | ||
| I | R 29,050.00 | R 13,250.00 | ||
| J | R 29,050.00 | R 12,850.00 | ||
| K | R 18,450.00 | R 7,850.00 | ||
| L | R 21,750.00 | R 9,550.00 | ||
| M | R 14,050.00 | R 5,650.00 | ||
| N | R 28,150.00 | R 12,750.00 | ||
| O | R 9,750.00 | R 6,750.00 | ||
| P | R 10,450.00 | R 4,250.00 | ||
Additional Authorisations Explained
Additional Weekend Authorisation
Applicable for rentals at all locations, except the locations mentioned below.
If you are renting over a weekend (Between Thursday 00h01 and the following Monday 23h59) an additional "weekend authorisation" will be taken for the duration of the rental as follows:
- Coastal Branches - R3,500 (on all car groups)
- Inland Branches - R7,500 on Car Groups A-E and R10,000 on Car Groups F - N
The additional weekend authorisation will be waived from airport locations upon presentation of a valid airline boarding pass/e-ticket printout and for all Avis Preferred customers.
Rentals in the Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, North-West Province, Limpopo and Mpumalanga
If you are renting a vehicle from one of the following branches, whether during the week or over a weekend, a new authorisation hold of up R37 200 may be held on your payment card – depending on the car group booked. This authorisation replaces the weekend authorisation mentioned above.
- Amanzimtoti
- Ballito
- Bethlehem
- Bloemfontein Airport
- Bloemfontein Downtown
- Centurion
- Durban Downtown
- East London Airport
- East London Downtown
- Emalahleni
- Empangeni
- Harrismith
- Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport
- Isando
- Jeffreys Bay
- King Shaka International Airport
- King Williamstown
- Kokstad
- Krugersdorp
- Kruger Mpumulanga Airport
- Ladysmith
- Lanseria Airport
- Lephalale
- Mmabatho Downtown
- Margate
- Menlyn
- Midrand Grand Central Airport
- Mondeor
- Mthatha Airport
- Musina
- Nelspruit
- Newcastle
- OR Tambo International Airport
- Oribi Airport
- Phalaborwa Airport
- Pinetown
- Polokwane Airport
- Port Alfred
- Port Elizabeth Airport
- Port Elizabeth Downtown
- Potchefstroom
- Pretoria Downtown
- Richards Bay
- Rustenburg
- Sandton Gautrain
- Secunda
- Soweto
- St Lucia
- Sunninghill
- Thohoyandou
- Tzaneen
- Ulundi Airport
- Umhlanga
- Vereeniging
- Vryburg
- Vryheid
- Welkom
This applies to all rentals and will only be waived for Avis President Club members or upon presentation of a valid airline boarding pass for the same day as the rental and in the same name as the renter.
Avis Luxury Car / Prestige Rentals
Please note that Avis Luxury Car (Prestige) rental incur a different authorisation hold which includes the rental amount, all extras, fuel deposit and the applicable liability amount for the vehicle being rented.