Per-vehicle amounts
Scale the deposit to the value at risk — one number for the fleet, or a custom amount per listing.
Features/Security deposits
Deposits & protection
Protection on the card, not cash in an envelope
Fleetwire places a refundable security deposit as a card authorization on every booking — real coverage for you, no awkward cash or Venmo for the renter. The hold releases automatically when the trip ends clean.
14-day free trial · No credit card · Included on every plan
Why it matters
A deposit only protects you if it's actually there
Cash deposits get argued over. Venmo and Zelle leave you chasing a refund and holding no real recourse. A card authorization puts a genuine hold on the renter's available funds — money you can capture if something goes wrong, and money the renter never actually loses if it doesn't.
- Real funds, held. An authorization reserves the deposit on the renter's card for the length of the trip.
- Capture only if you need to. Charge against the hold for damage or fees — or let it expire, untouched.
- No cash handling. Nothing to count at pickup, nothing to refund by hand at return.
How it works
Set the amount once, hold it every time
Deposits run through Stripe alongside the rental payment — no separate step for you or your renter.
1
Set your deposit
Choose a deposit amount per vehicle or class — a little for a daily driver, more for something exotic.
2
Held at checkout
When the renter books, Fleetwire authorizes the deposit on their card along with the trip payment.
3
Released or captured
Trip ends clean, the hold drops off automatically. Damage or a fee? Capture what you need in a click.
Deposits, wired into the whole booking
The hold sits next to the signed agreement, the verified ID, and the paid reservation — one complete file per trip.
Automatic release
No manual refunds. When the trip closes without a claim, the authorization simply expires.
Secured by Stripe
Card data is processed and stored by Stripe — never on Fleetwire's servers.
Deposit questions
Is the deposit actually charged?
No — it's an authorization, not a charge. The amount is held against the renter's available balance for the trip. If you don't capture it, the hold is released and the renter is never out the money.
How long does the hold last?
Card authorizations last for a limited window set by the card networks (commonly up to about 7 days). For longer rentals, Fleetwire manages re-authorization so the protection stays in place across the trip.
What if there's damage?
Capture against the hold for the amount you need — a scratch, a cleaning fee, a missed return — directly from the booking. Anything you don't capture is released back to the renter.
Can deposits be different per vehicle?
Yes. Set a default for the fleet and override it per vehicle or class, so a camper van and a daily commuter don't carry the same hold.
Hold a real deposit on your next booking
Card-authorization deposits are included on every Fleetwire plan — protection without the cash handling.