PSD2 - What is it and how does it affect my car rental booking?

PSD2 (Payment Services Directive 2) is an EU Directive that provides more security online. It entered into force on September 14, 2019. 

PSD2 is applied to regulate payment services in the European Economic Area (EEA), the European Union (EU), as well as when either beneficiary or originator is located outside EEA.

What's new?

The improvement is a two-step verification, which provides more security for online credit card payments.

When booking a rental car, you first enter your payment or credit card details in the booking form as usual. As soon as you complete your booking, you may have to confirm the payment using a second security feature known as "strong customer authentication".

As of March 15th 2021, every payment may be challenged with the verification measures.  It is important to know that the verification is done by your bank, or credit institution not for example, your rental provider.

Are there any advantages to the new payment system?

Yes, with the new payment system there is a higher level of protection against fraud attempts for our customers.

How can I verify the payment?

The verification process differs depending on the option you have pre-determined with your bank or a credit card provider. Often the verification via PIN or TAN entry, or a password are offered. If you are not sure which verification method is applicable for you, contact your bank.

Why is my payment denied? 

There might be many reasons, however most probably your card is not PSD2 compliant. If this is the case, your card needs to be activated.

What verification measures are available?

We have compiled a short list of the most common verification options below:

Manual authentication:

• You receive a TAN, which is sent to your mobile device
• You have to answer a predefined security question
• Use of "Verified by VISA", "MasterCard SecureCode", or "American Express SafeKey".

Active authentication:

• Your fingerprint is scanned on the mobile device
• Analysis of facial features via photo or video
• Voice recognition

Does the new system affect my booking?

No, it does not. You can compare and book car rental deals as usual, now with even more security.

If you have any further questions about the new payment policies, feel free to contact our service team or your bank or credit card provider.