Pre-authorization and security deposit when renting a car in Morocco

A pre-authorization is a reservation of funds on your bank card. Concretely: - The amount is blocked on your balance, you can no longer use it - But it is not debited: it does not leave your account - If nothing is charged at the end, the block is released and the balance becomes available again This is the standard mechanism used by all rental agencies worldwide, as well as hotels and self-service gas stations. It serves as a guarantee in case fees need to be applied (deductible after an accident, missing fuel, late return, fines, etc.).

The blocked deposit corresponds to the maximum amount of your deductible in case of an at-fault accident. It protects two things: - For FB Rent: a guarantee of being covered if a non-insured damage occurs - For you: it's your liability cap — you can never be charged beyond this amount in case of an at-fault covered claim This is written in our terms (article 5). Without pre-authorization, the rental contract cannot be concluded and the price paid is not refundable.

The amount depends on the vehicle category rented. It corresponds to 20% of the vehicle's value and is shown on the vehicle page when booking, as well as on the contract signed in agency. For reference: - Economy category: from 5,000 MAD - Comfort category: 7,500 to 10,000 MAD - SUV / sport category: 15,000 MAD and above The exact amount is on your rental contract before vehicle handover — no surprise.

Card requirements: - The card must be in the main renter's name (the contract is in this name) - Accepted cards: Visa, Mastercard, in debit or credit mode - The card must be physically present at pickup (no remote payment) Foreign cards: no problem, your bank will apply the day's exchange rate. The blocked amount is in MAD; on release, the re-conversion may generate a small exchange spread (usually < 1 %). Cash alternative: if you prefer, the deposit can be paid in cash directly at the agency, in MAD only. At return, the money is returned in full (if no dispute) or partially (if a justified retention applies).

Standard case, no incident: at vehicle return, after a joint check of the vehicle's condition and fuel level, we initiate the release of the pre-authorization. Effective time on your account: - Moroccan cards: 1 to 3 working days - European cards: 5 to 7 working days (sometimes up to 10 depending on your bank) - Non-European cards: up to 14 days depending on the bank It's your bank that controls this delay, not us. Once the release is initiated on our side, the delay only depends on your banking institution. In case of an accident: the pre-authorization stays blocked until the insurance file is closed, typically 4 to 6 weeks. If you are not at fault, the full amount is released. If you are at fault, the deductible is retained within the pre-authorization limit.

Part of the deposit may be retained, in line with our terms, in the following cases: - Missing fuel: 20 MAD per missing liter, compared to the level at pickup - Return at a different location than agreed: recovery costs + 200 MAD admin fees - Fine or violation received after the rental: fine amount + 200 MAD file fees - At-fault accident: deductible up to 20 % of the vehicle's value - Alcohol-related accident: deductible = 100 % of the vehicle's value (beyond the deposit — direct recovery) - Undeclared damages at return In all cases, you receive a written breakdown of the retained amounts. The non-retained portion is released normally.

If more than 14 working days have passed since vehicle return without the pre-authorization being released on your account: 1. Check your full bank statement — the release may appear as a separate credit line rather than removing the original line 2. Contact your bank: they can confirm whether the pre-authorization is still active or if the release is in progress 3. If the bank confirms the pre-authorization is still active on our side, contact us at +212 6 51 72 08 10 or by email. We can manually re-initiate the procedure with our banking partner In all cases, do not wait more than 30 days without notifying us.