Portugal · UnionPay & other non-Visa/Mastercard networks · updated September 2026

Does Car Rental in Portugal Accept UnionPay?

UnionPay is the world's largest card network by cards issued, mainly through Chinese banks, and it runs on its own rails separate from Visa and Mastercard — the same category of question this site already covers for American Express, Diners Club and Maestro. General UnionPay merchant acceptance across Portugal has grown quickly in recent years, but a rental company's deposit pre-authorisation is a narrower, more specific process than everyday retail acceptance, and the eight companies compared on this site answer the question inconsistently or not at all.

Europcar's Portugal terms, verified August 2026, name Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club as accepted cards for its credit-card-only deposit — UnionPay isn't on that list, and Europcar's UnionPay acceptance partnerships in some other countries don't appear to extend to its published Portugal terms. Centauro's terms, also verified August 2026, name what they exclude from its nominative Visa/Mastercard requirement — American Express, Diners Club, Visa Electron and Maestro — and UnionPay isn't named there either, as an inclusion or an exclusion, so treat it as unconfirmed rather than assume it's covered. Goldcar, Record go, Sixt, Cael, Guerin and OK Mobility don't name specific card networks in the terms this guide tracks, so UnionPay acceptance at any of them is simply unconfirmed either way.

Which companies actually work

Europcar — terms verified August 2026 name Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club for its credit-card deposit; UnionPay isn't on that list, so don't assume a general "credit card required" line covers it.
Centauro — terms verified August 2026 name what they exclude (American Express, Diners Club, Visa Electron, Maestro) from its nominative Visa/Mastercard requirement; UnionPay isn't named as excluded either, but that's an absence of confirmation, not an acceptance.
Goldcar, Record go, Sixt, Cael, Guerin, OK Mobility — none name specific card networks in the terms tracked on this site; UnionPay acceptance at any of them is unconfirmed either way.
Many UnionPay cards issued outside mainland China are dual-badged, carrying both a UnionPay number and a Visa or Mastercard number on the same physical card — check for a second logo, since the Visa/Mastercard side may work at a Portuguese rental desk even where the UnionPay side wouldn't be recognised.
Everyday UnionPay acceptance in Portugal (shops, restaurants, ATMs) isn't the same signal as rental-desk deposit acceptance — a terminal taking UnionPay for a purchase doesn't confirm it's configured for the pre-authorisation hold a deposit requires.

Step by step

Check your card for a second network logo (Visa or Mastercard) before travelling — many UnionPay cards issued outside mainland China are dual-badged, and the Visa/Mastercard side is covered by this site's general debit- and credit-card guidance.
If you're considering Europcar, don't assume UnionPay works because Europcar has UnionPay partnerships in some other countries — its Portugal terms name four specific networks for the deposit and UnionPay isn't one of them.
If you're considering Centauro, bring a nominative Visa or Mastercard debit or credit card rather than relying on UnionPay, since its terms are specific about which networks satisfy the deposit requirement.
Email the company with your booking number and ask specifically "will you accept a UnionPay card for the deposit at pickup", not just "do you take cards" — get the answer in writing before you fly.
Bring a Visa- or Mastercard-network card as a fallback whenever you can, since UnionPay-only acceptance for a rental deposit isn't confirmed at any of the eight companies compared here.

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Frequently asked questions

Does any Portuguese rental company accept UnionPay for the deposit?

None of the eight companies compared on this site confirm it. Europcar's terms verified August 2026 name Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club — UnionPay isn't included — and the other seven either exclude it implicitly (Centauro's Visa/Mastercard-only nominative-card rule) or simply don't name specific networks at all.

Does Europcar's global UnionPay partnership cover Portugal?

Not according to the terms this site tracks. Europcar has UnionPay acceptance partnerships in some countries, but its Portugal terms verified August 2026 name four specific card networks for the deposit and UnionPay isn't one of them. Confirm directly with the Portugal branch before relying on it.

I have a UnionPay card — what should I do?

Check whether it's dual-badged with a Visa or Mastercard number, which many UnionPay cards issued outside mainland China carry; that side of the card falls under this site's general debit- and credit-card guidance. If your card is UnionPay-only, email the rental company with your booking number and ask specifically about the deposit before you fly, and bring a Visa or Mastercard card as a backup if you have one.

Portugal accepts UnionPay at most shops and ATMs — doesn't that mean rental desks do too?

Not necessarily. General retail acceptance and a rental company's deposit pre-authorisation are different processes handled by different card-network rules, and none of the eight companies this site tracks confirm UnionPay for the deposit specifically.

Related guides

Disclaimer

Rental conditions change frequently and companies' own documents sometimes contradict each other (see the Goldcar Lisbon Airport discrepancy). Everything on this page reflects the official terms and conditions as verified in August 2026. Always verify directly with the rental company before booking. This is practical guidance, not legal advice.