How do you ask for a deposit on Airbnb?

Airbnb includes some tools to protect hosts against damage, but these mechanisms have significant limits. For a more reliable and predictable deposit, many hosts complete their setup with an external solution. Here is how, in practice.

What Airbnb offers natively

For several years, Airbnb has removed the classic notion of a "deposit" asked directly of renters. The platform replaced that mechanism with its own protection programme: AirCover for Hosts. This programme is included automatically for all hosts and covers, in theory, damage up to a certain amount.

In practice, according to host feedback, the steps to obtain a reimbursement through AirCover can be long and uncertain. The amount covered varies from case to case, and Airbnb alone decides on eligibility. The platform can also refuse a request if the evidence of damage is not deemed sufficient.

In some cases it is also possible to set up an additional deposit through your listing settings, but that option has been progressively reduced and is no longer available in every country or for every type of property.

Why hosts complete their protection

Faced with the uncertainties of Airbnb's native system, many owners and property managers choose to complete their setup with an external solution. The reasons are usually the following:

• Predictability: with card registration, you know from the outset that a guarantee is in place.
• Independence: you do not depend on a third-party platform's decisions to obtain compensation.
• Multi-platform coverage: if you handle direct bookings or bookings from other channels (Booking.com, direct rental), an external solution covers all your bookings in the same way.
• Identity verification: some solutions also let you verify the renter's identity before arrival, which Airbnb does not do systematically.

Card registration: how does it work?

Card registration (also called a card imprint) is a mechanism that records the renter's bank details without charging any money straight away. If damage is found after the booking, the host can then trigger a charge on the renter's card, up to the agreed amount.

This mechanism differs from a simple pre-authorisation (which temporarily holds funds, then expires) and from an immediate charge (which is generally not allowed for a plain deposit). Card registration is often seen as the best compromise: it ties up none of the renter's funds, yet creates a concrete guarantee for the host.

To learn more about the technical differences between these methods, read our article: Card registration or pre-authorisation: what's the difference?

Using Verihost to secure your deposit outside Airbnb

Verihost is built for hosts who want to automate and secure the journey before every arrival. In practice, here is how it works:

• You create a renter case from your dashboard.
• Verihost generates a secure link that you send to the renter by email or SMS.
• The renter opens the link on their phone, verifies their identity (ID document + facial recognition, optional), then registers their bank card for the deposit.
• Once the case is validated, you receive a notification and can welcome your renter with peace of mind.
• If damage occurs, you trigger the deposit from your account — the charge is made on the registered card.

The goal is not to guarantee payment 100% of the time, but to simplify and secure the verification journey before booking, whatever platform is used.

The steps to set up a deposit outside Airbnb

If you want to ask your renter for a deposit directly, independently of Airbnb, here are the general steps:

• Set the amount: depending on your property and your risks, generally between €200 and €2,000. There is no fixed legal rule for short-term rentals in most cases, but the amount must stay reasonable.
• Choose a method: card registration through a solution like Verihost, or a bank pre-authorisation if you use a compatible payment system.
• Tell the renter: mention the deposit in your listing and in your messages. Transparency avoids misunderstandings.
• Send the link before arrival: ideally 48 to 72 hours before check-in, so you have time to solve any technical problem.
• Release the deposit quickly after departure, if everything is in order.

Key takeaways

Airbnb offers protection through AirCover, but it remains subject to its own assessment process. For hosts who want more control and visibility, adding card registration through an external solution is a common approach. It is particularly useful if you handle bookings across several channels or directly.

To learn more about the regulation and good practices: read our FAQ or see how Verihost works.