Customer Verification (KYC)
Customer verification, often called KYC for "know your customer," is the identity check a rental company carries out before releasing a car. At its simplest it is comparing your licence, passport or ID and payment card to make sure the names match and the documents are genuine.
It protects against fraud and stolen-card bookings, which is why the card used for the deposit usually has to belong to the person named on the rental. A mismatch between booking, licence and card is the most common reason a counter check stalls.
Online and contactless rentals are pushing more of this to the app: you may be asked to photograph your licence and a selfie before pickup, so the car can be handed over with minimal paperwork on the day.
Make it painless by travelling with the original documents that match your booking exactly, and completing any pre-verification the company sends before you arrive. It turns the handover from a queue into a formality.
Related terms
Driving Licence Requirements
The conditions your licence must meet to rent — valid, the right category, and usually in an accepted script.
Principal Driver
The main person on the booking, in whose name the contract, payment card and deposit usually sit.
Contactless Rental
Collecting and returning a car with minimal in-person paperwork, handled through an app or online instead.