Heathrow charges £7 every time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off zone, at all four terminals. Since 1 January 2026 there is also a hard 10-minute maximum stay. You cannot pay at the airport — you pay online, by phone or through Auto Pay, and you have until 11:59pm the day after your visit. Miss that and you get an £80 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £40 if you pay within 14 days.
If that sounds like a lot of ways to get caught out, you are not wrong. Here is exactly how it works, plus the option most drivers do not think about.
What the £7 charge actually is
The moment your number plate is read by the camera at the entrance to the forecourt outside Terminals 2, 3, 4 or 5, the £7 is triggered. It does not matter whether you stop for 30 seconds or the full ten minutes. It does not matter whether anyone actually gets out of the car.
Three things catch people out every single week:
- It is per entry, not per hour. Drive out and loop back round because your passenger forgot their passport? That is £7 again.
- There is no free grace period. There used to be. There isn't now.
- Nobody takes your money at the kerb. The zones are barrierless. There is no ticket, no machine, no attendant. You drive away owing money and it is entirely on you to remember.
The charge started at £5 in late 2021, rose to £6, and stepped up to £7 on 1 January 2026. The 10-minute cap arrived at the same time.
The 10-minute rule is the part people underestimate
Paying the £7 does not buy you more time. The clock starts when your plate is read on entry, and you must be out within ten minutes.
For one person with a cabin bag, ten minutes is generous. For a family of four with three checked bags, a pushchair, and a grandparent who wants a proper goodbye, ten minutes goes fast.
Because a separate penalty can be issued for overstaying, it is technically possible to pay the £7, overstay by four minutes, and still receive a Parking Charge Notice.
That is the scenario worth planning around — not the £7 itself.
How to pay the Heathrow drop-off charge
There are three routes, and none of them happen at the airport:
- Online at Heathrow's official website — the most common method.
- By automated phone line.
- Auto Pay — you register a card and vehicle once, and the fee is taken automatically. If you use Heathrow more than a couple of times a year, set this up and stop thinking about it.
You can also pre-pay for multiple visits in advance, which suits anyone doing regular airport runs.
Not a week. Not "when the letter arrives". There is no reminder — the first thing that arrives is the penalty.
What happens if you don't pay
An £80 Parking Charge Notice is issued to the registered keeper of the vehicle. Pay within 14 days and it drops to £40. The scheme and the appeals process are run for Heathrow by APCOA.
The most common complaint we hear from customers is not the £7. It is the £80 that landed on the doormat while they were away for two weeks, discovered on the day they got home from holiday.
Who is exempt
Blue Badge holders
Exempt from the charge and from the 10-minute limit — but only if the exemption is registered in advance through Heathrow's website.
Two-wheeled motorbikes
Two-wheeled motorbikes are not charged.
Electric vehicles
Electric vehicles are not exempt. Zero emissions does not mean zero charge.
Always check the current position on Heathrow's official page before you travel, as arrangements do change.
The alternative most drivers overlook
Here is the bit that changes the maths.
If someone is dropping you off, they pay £7, rush you out in ten minutes, and then have to remember to pay a fee later. If you are collecting someone, it is worse — arrival times slip, and ten minutes of waiting is nothing when a bag is late off the belt.
Drive yourself and park off-airport
Driving yourself and parking off-airport removes the whole problem. No forecourt entry, no ANPR trigger, no payment deadline, no penalty risk.
With us at Heathrow Car Park Ltd, you drive to our secure compound at 5 Elmsleigh Road, Staines-upon-Thames, hand over the car, and our shuttle takes you to your terminal door. The transfer runs in 8 to 12 minutes. Your car sits in a monitored compound while you are away, and it is there waiting when you land.
Two ways to do it
Being straight with you about our own charges
We think fee transparency matters, so: if you use Meet and Greet, your vehicle is handed over at the terminal forecourt, and the airport's own access charge applies to that movement. We tell you this before you book, not after.
CLIENT INPUT REQUIRED: confirm exactly how the airport access fee is handled and billed for Meet and Greet — included in price, or charged separately.
Park and Ride does not involve the terminal forecourt at all, so this doesn't arise.
Quick cost comparison
| Scenario | What you pay | Time pressure |
|---|---|---|
| Friend drops you off | £7 each way, plus their fuel and 2 hours of their day | 10 minutes, hard stop |
| Friend drops off + collects | £14 total, plus two round trips for them | 10 minutes each time, twice |
| Park and Ride with us | From £[RATE] per day, car secure the whole time | None |
For a one-night trip, a drop-off might still make sense. For anything from a long weekend upwards — especially if someone would otherwise make two round trips to the airport — parking usually wins on both cost and stress.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Heathrow drop-off charge in 2026?
£7 per vehicle, per entry, at Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5. It rose from £6 on 1 January 2026.
Is the £7 charge per hour or per visit?
Per visit. Entering the zone triggers it, regardless of how long you stay. Re-entering triggers it again.
How long can I stay in the Heathrow drop-off zone?
Ten minutes maximum, since 1 January 2026. Paying the £7 does not extend this.
What happens if I forget to pay the Heathrow drop-off charge?
You'll receive an £80 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £40 if paid within 14 days. The payment deadline is 11:59pm on the day after your visit.
Can I pay the drop-off charge at the airport?
No. There are no machines or kiosks in the drop-off zones. Payment is online, by automated phone, or via Auto Pay only.
Are Blue Badge holders exempt from the Heathrow drop-off charge?
Yes, and from the 10-minute limit — but the exemption must be registered in advance on Heathrow's website. It is not applied automatically.
Do electric cars pay the Heathrow drop-off charge?
Yes. There is no exemption for electric or hybrid vehicles.
Is there a free way to drop someone at Heathrow?
Heathrow's own Park & Ride car parks offer a short free period with a courtesy bus to the terminal, which avoids the forecourt entirely. If you are travelling yourself rather than dropping off, booking off-airport parking removes the charge and the time limit completely.
Park once, and stop worrying about the kerb
You're already thinking about check-in times, liquids and whether the passport is in the right bag. The forecourt clock shouldn't be on that list.
Book with Heathrow Car Park Ltd
- 8–12 minute shuttle to all terminals, including Terminal 5 parking
- Rated 4.4 out of 5 on Trustpilot
- Vehicles up to 1.9m in height
- Use code HCP20 when you book
