1. What the Deposit Is
A security deposit is a refundable, pre-authorized hold that reserves funds on the renter's payment method to cover chargeable items such as damage, excess mileage, or a fuel/charge shortfall. A hold is not a charge; funds are only ever moved if a valid claim is captured. The deposit amount is the amount shown at booking and frozen against the booking — later changes to the listing do not change the deposit for an existing booking. A deposit is not insurance and may not cover the full cost of loss.
2. The Hold at Trip Start
The deposit hold is placed at the start of the trip, not at booking or confirmation. This limits how long funds are reserved on the renter's account. If a booking is cancelled before the trip starts, no hold is placed.
The hold is created as a manual-capture pre-authorization. Payment networks generally allow such an authorization to remain valid for up to 7 days; OnFire schedules release and clamps dispute deadlines so that adjudication always completes within that window.
3. Automatic Release
If no claim is opened, the hold is automatically released after the trip ends. By default, release is scheduled for 3 days after the trip end time, keeping the total authorization comfortably under the 7-day network limit. Once released, the reserved funds become available again on the renter's payment method; the timing of that appearing in the account depends on the bank or card issuer.
4. Claims & the Dispute Window
To claim against the deposit, the Owner must open a claim within the dispute window. The window opens when the hold is placed. By default a claim must be opened within 2 days, and in all cases the dispute deadline is clamped so it can never fall later than 6 days and 12 hours after the hold was placed. This guarantees the claim is resolved before the underlying authorization can expire.
A claim must be supported by evidence, including start- and end-of-trip condition photographs, odometer readings, and repair or replacement estimates. If no valid claim is opened before the deadline, the hold is released in full.
5. Capture, Partial Capture & Adjudication
When a claim is opened, OnFire adjudicates it on the evidence provided by both parties. The outcome is one of:
Release
The claim is not upheld; the full hold is released to the renter.
Partial capture
A portion of the hold is captured to settle the approved amount; the remainder is released to the renter.
Full capture
The full hold is captured where the approved amount meets or exceeds the deposit.
A capture can never exceed the amount held. Larger-value captures may require additional internal approval before they are executed. The captured amount is disbursed to settle the claim; the deposit is separate from the Owner's trip earnings. Submitting false or inflated claims is a breach and may be reversed.
6. Timeline at a Glance
| Event | When (default) |
|---|---|
| Deposit hold placed | At trip start |
| Claim must be opened by | Within 2 days, clamped to no later than 6 days 12 hours after the hold |
| Automatic release (no claim) | 3 days after trip end |
| Authorization network limit | Up to 7 days (adjudication always completes within this) |