Young drivers. Most major companies refuse to rent a car to someone who is under 21 and in some cases 25.

People without credit or debit cards. Most rental car companies require a major credit card or debit card as a way to secure a deposit from you at the time of rental. If you don’t have a credit or debit card, you can get a prepaid voucher through your travel agent by paying for the rental car first at the travel agency and bringing the voucher to the rental counter. But, even if you use a voucher, many rental car companies still require a credit or debit card as a deposit when you rent the car.

People with bad driving records. Many companies now screen drivers when they rent in popular vacation destinations by checking their driving records as reported by their state department of motor vehicles. If you have serious offenses on your record, such as DUI violations, most companies will reject you. Some companies also reject you for lesser things such as moving violations in the past few years, seat belt law violations or accidents regardless of fault. If your driving record is poor, find out ahead of time if the rental car company screens and, if it does, what criteria it uses.

Instead of screening you, some rental car companies may require you to sign a statement that says you have an acceptable driving record. If you have an accident and signed a statement that turns out to be incorrect, the rental car company could use it against you by claiming that you acted in violation of the rental agreement.