Heathrow Drop-Off Charge 2026: What It Costs and How to Pay
The Heathrow drop-off charge is £7 every time you drive into a terminal drop-off area. Here's how to pay it, avoid a fine or skip it.
Checked against Heathrow's pages: 10 October 2026 · 6 min read
Heathrow charges £7 each time a vehicle enters a terminal drop-off area. Since 1 January 2026, you can stay 10 minutes. Pay by midnight the next day, or face an £80 penalty.
In this guide
`How Much Is the Heathrow Drop-Off Charge in 2026?
The Heathrow drop-off charge is £7 per entry in 2026. Heathrow puts it
plainly:
A £7 charge applies at Heathrow every time a vehicle enters the
terminal drop-off areas.
Source:
Heathrow terminal drop-off charge
(checked 10 October 2026).
| What you need to know | The rule |
|---|---|
| Price | £7 each time you enter |
| Where it applies | The drop-off areas outside Terminals 2, 3, 4 and 5 |
| When it applies |
24 hours, 365 days a year |
| How long you can stay | 10 minutes, since 1 January 2026 |
| Pay by | Midnight on the day after your visit |
| If you don't pay | £80 Parking Charge, cut to £40 if paid within 14 days |
| Electric cars | No discount |
The Heathrow drop-off charge time limit is 10 minutes. It arrived with the £1 price rise in Heathrow's 2026 drop-off charge decision. The Heathrow drop-off fee was £6 in 2025.
Heathrow drop-off charges apply per visit, not per day. Go back for a
forgotten bag, and you pay again. Heathrow says you
will need to pay the charge again and every time after that.
The Heathrow Airport drop-off charge works the same way at all four terminals. Only the car park beside each one differs.
How to Pay the Heathrow Drop-Off Charge
You can pay before you travel, on the day or afterwards. Heathrow
takes card only:
Cash and cheque payments are not accepted.
| Way to pay | How it works | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Online | Pay by card on APCOA's payment site after you drop off | One-off trips |
| Automated phone line | Call 0330 008 5600 and pay by card | Paying without a computer |
| Account with AutoPay | Set up a personal or business account once. Each visit is then paid for you | Regular drivers and businesses |
| Pay in advance |
Buy drop-offs ahead.
Your prepayments last for 12 months |
Planned trips |
For your Heathrow drop-off charge, pay online at heathrowdropoff.apcoa.com. Heathrow Airport drop-off charges are paid through APCOA, which runs the payment site.
Forgot to pay Heathrow drop-off charge on the day? Don't panic.
Heathrow's deadline is
midnight on the next day
. Drop off
on a Monday, and you have until midnight on Tuesday.
Regular drivers can use the Heathrow drop-off charge login on the same site. From your account, you can switch on AutoPay or buy drop-offs in advance.
One rule catches many first-timers out.
You cannot pay for drop-offs at an airport ticket machine or in the
terminal drop-off zones.
Need a person, not a phone menu? The Heathrow drop-off charge contact number is 0333 200 7459. Lines open 8am to 8pm on weekdays and 8am to 5pm at weekends. They're closed on public holidays.
What Happens If You Don't Pay?
Miss the deadline and a penalty follows. Heathrow says:
Non-payment will result in an £80 Parking Charge (PC), reduced to
£40 if paid within 14 days.
So a Heathrow drop-off charge fine costs more than ten times the original fee. Paying within 14 days halves it.
Some people search for Heathrow drop-off parking charges. You can't park in the drop-off area at all, though. Heathrow says vehicles must not be left unattended there, and unattended vehicles may be towed.
Think a charge is wrong? APCOA's Heathrow drop-off help centre has sections for paying a Parking Charge and for appeal information. Refund questions go to [email protected].
Free Ways to Drop Off at Heathrow
Heathrow free drop-off is possible if a friend or family member drives you. They use a Park & Ride car park, and you take the free bus to your terminal.
| Your terminal | Where to drop off free | Free time |
|---|---|---|
| Terminals 2, 3 and 5 | Park & Ride car park, previously known as Long Stay | 29 minutes |
| Terminal 4 | Park & Ride Zone A only | Up to 2 hours |
Times come from Heathrow's driving page (checked 10 October 2026). The barriers read your ticket or number plate as you leave.
Two limits apply. Heathrow says the free option
is not available to private hire and trade vehicles
. Re-entry to that Park & Ride car park is then barred for the next
24 hours.
The free route saves £7 but adds a bus ride. Leave extra time if you're checking in bags.
Who Gets a Discount or Exemption?
Some vehicles never pay. Others get a 100% discount, either automatically or after you apply.
| Vehicle or traveller | What applies | Do you need to apply? |
|---|---|---|
| Police, ambulance, fire and military vehicles | Exempt | No, applied automatically |
| Recovery vehicles, two-wheeled motorbikes, buses and coaches | 100% discount | No, applied automatically |
| Heathrow Valet Parking bookings | 100% discount | No, applied automatically |
| UK or EEA Blue Badge holders | 100% discount, even if you don't drive | Yes. Apply online at least 7 days before, or 14 days before by phone |
| Blue Badge holders travelling by taxi | 100% discount | Yes, with the taxi's registration, up to 3 months ahead or by midnight the next day |
| Electric cars | None | Not available |
Heathrow is clear on electric cars:
There are no exemptions or discounts for electric vehicles.
Blue Badge accounts also expire after 12 months without use. Coaches
face height limits on the forecourts, so groups use the coach drop-off
bays instead.
Heathrow Drop-Off Charge: Taxi and Minicab Fares
Taxis and minicabs pay the £7 too. Some firms add it as an extra, so check your quote before you book.
With Fastlane Transfers, the £7 sits inside your fixed fare. You never pay it separately, and there's no deadline to remember. Fares on our Heathrow taxi page start at £38 from Hayes.
Drivers follow the same rule as everyone else:
No pick-ups or waiting are permitted in the drop-off areas.
So your driver drops you at the kerb and collects you from the car
park instead.
Want the exact spot at your terminal? Our Heathrow drop-off and pick-up points guide covers each one. For fares from your town, see Heathrow taxi prices.
How Heathrow Compares with Gatwick
Heathrow isn't the only London airport with a kerb fee. Gatwick says:
There is a minimum £10 charge to use the designated drop-off zones
in the North and South Terminals.
Source:
London Gatwick drop-off charges
(checked 9 October 2026).
| Heathrow | Gatwick | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | £7 each time you enter | A minimum of £10 |
| Terminals | 2, 3, 4 and 5 | North and South |
| Free option | Park & Ride, 29 minutes or up to 2 hours | See Gatwick's own page |
Our Gatwick drop-off charge guide covers that airport in full. Flying from there instead? Our Gatwick taxi fares include its fee too.
Heathrow Drop-Off Charge FAQs
Pay online at heathrowdropoff.apcoa.com or call the automated line on 0330 008 5600. You can pay in advance, on the day or by midnight the next day. You can't pay at airport ticket machines.
You'll get an £80 Parking Charge. It drops to £40 if you pay within 14 days. Paying the £7 by midnight the next day avoids it.
Until midnight on the day after your visit. If you drop off on a Monday, you have until midnight on Tuesday.
Yes. Since 1 January 2026, the maximum stay is 10 minutes. Waiting and pick-ups aren't allowed there at all.
No. Heathrow doesn't allow pick-ups or waiting in the drop-off areas. Collect from Terminal Parking or a Park & Ride car park instead.
Yes, at Park & Ride. Terminals 2, 3 and 5 give you 29 minutes free. Terminal 4 Zone A gives up to two hours. A free bus takes you to the terminal.
Yes. Heathrow says there are no exemptions or discounts for electric vehicles.
Call customer services on 0333 200 7459, or use the webchat on heathrowdropoff.apcoa.com. To pay by phone, use 0330 008 5600 instead.
With Fastlane Transfers, yes. The £7 is built into your fixed fare. With other firms, check your quote before you book.
M Toseef
Founder of Fastlane Transfers. Every rule and figure in this guide links to its official source.