1. Enter the Right Terminal Zone
Drive into the signposted forecourt drop-off zone at your terminal — North or South. Confirm which from the boarding pass, not memory, before you set off.
Dropping off at London Gatwick costs £10 for up to 10 minutes at the forecourt zones outside the North and South Terminals — up from £7 since 6 January 2026. The system is barrier-free: ANPR cameras read your plate, and you pay online by midnight the day after. There is a free alternative — the Long Stay car park gives up to 2 hours free with a shuttle bus. Blue Badge holders are exempt, but only if they register with NCP first.
This guide covers the current charge, how to pay, what happens if you forget, the free options, the traps drivers fall into at Gatwick's two separate terminals, and which choice suits which kind of passenger. For families, elderly passengers and anyone short on time, a pre-booked airport taxi often makes the whole thing simpler. Figures were verified against the official London Gatwick Airport website 2026.
How to Pay the Gatwick Drop-Off Charge
You do not pay at the airport. ANPR cameras read your plate on entry and exit at both terminals, and you pay online by midnight the day after your visit. There are no barriers, machines or cash points in the zone, and NCP administers the charge on Gatwick's behalf.
2. Cameras Log Entry and Exit
ANPR cameras record your plate automatically as you arrive and leave. There is nothing to collect and no machine on site — your stay is timed from the two reads.
3. Pay After You Exit
Afterwards, pay at Gatwick's official drop-off payment page, by phone, or via an AutoPay account. Payment is card or contactless — no cash. Do not try to pay before exiting; the system cannot calculate the fee until your exit is logged.
4. Mind the Two-Terminal Trap
Gatwick has two separate terminals, each with its own zone, and each entry is charged separately. Arrive at the wrong terminal, then drive round to the correct one, and you pay £10 twice.
5. Beat the Deadline
Miss the midnight-next-day deadline and a £100 Parking Charge Notice is issued, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. AutoPay removes the risk entirely.
Gatwick Forecourt Drop-Off — Charge Bands
On 6 January 2026, Gatwick raised the forecourt charge from £7 to £10 for up to 10 minutes — a 43% rise, the largest single jump seen at a UK airport. The charge applies at both the North and South Terminal zones. Figures verified 22 June 2026.
| Stay | Charge | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 minutes | £10 (flat) | No grace period; covers one minute or nine |
| Beyond 10 minutes | Per extra minute (reported ~£1/min) | Up to 30-min max — confirm Gatwick's official rate |
| Over 30 minutes | Not permitted | Risks a £100 penalty |
| Short Stay car park | ~£5 / 30 min | Cheaper than the meter past a quick drop; walk in |
| Long Stay car park | FREE (up to 2 hrs) | Free shuttle: ~5 min North, 7–12 min South |
The fee has more than doubled in under five years: £5 at launch in March 2021, £6 in 2024, £7 in May 2025, and £10 now. Gatwick blames the latest rise mainly on business rates more than doubling after the 2025 Budget, alongside easing forecourt congestion and encouraging public transport. The increase puts Gatwick joint top of the UK table, level with Stansted at £10.
Drop-Off Alternatives — Which One Works for You?
Which option to choose depends on your luggage, your passengers and how much time you genuinely need. The forecourt is closest to departures; the free Long Stay and the Short Stay car parks trade speed for cost in different ways.
- Families with a pushchair and several cases: value the forecourt's terminal-side access — but if the unload runs past ten minutes the per-minute charge starts, and the free Long Stay shuttle is hard work with that much luggage. Many in this position book a taxi instead.
- Business travellers, light and short on time: pay the £10 for speed without a second thought.
- Cost-conscious solo travellers with time to spare: use the free Long Stay car park and shuttle quite happily.
- Elderly passengers or anyone with reduced mobility: usually prefer the terminal-side drop, where the walk is shortest, over the shuttle-and-walk of the free option.
- Frequent local drivers: Gatwick runs a Local Commuter Scheme giving registered residents a reduced forecourt rate — worth checking if drop-offs are a regular trip rather than a one-off.
Common Mistakes and Pain Points at Gatwick
We see the same Gatwick drop-off problems come up again and again. Here is what tends to go wrong.
- Forgetting to pay: the barrier-free system means nothing stops you, so it is easy to drive off and forget. The penalty lands later — £100, or £60 if settled within 14 days.
- The wrong-terminal double charge: because the two terminals are billed separately, heading to the wrong one and correcting it costs £10 twice — a mistake unique to Gatwick's split layout.
- Underestimating the time: the £10 only covers ten minutes. Unloading bags, fitting a child seat or helping an older passenger can tip you past it, and the per-minute charge climbs from there.
- Paying too early: try to pay before you have left the zone and the system cannot work out the fee, leading some drivers to assume it is settled when it is not.
- Blue Badge confusion: the exemption is real but not automatic — without pre-registering with NCP, the £10 is charged and has to be claimed back.
Why Many Passengers Book a Taxi Instead
As a London airport transfer operator running Gatwick drop-offs and pickups alongside our Stansted base, we see a clear pattern in who pays the forecourt fee and who books a car. The right answer depends entirely on the trip.
- Families with luggage and children: tend to book, because the £10-plus-per-minute fee, the choice between terminals, the risk of overrunning, and the online payment afterwards add up to more hassle than it is worth. A fixed-fare car that handles the bags and pulls up at the right terminal is simpler.
- Business travellers: book for the smoothness rather than the cost.
- Elderly passengers and anyone needing accessibility: book because terminal-side handling beats the shuttle-and-walk of the free option.
- Solo travellers travelling light: happiest using the free Long Stay car park — and generally do not need us.
The Bigger Picture — Why Gatwick Raised the Charge
Gatwick points to two things behind the rise: a sharp increase in business rates after the 2025 Budget, and a wider push to cut car trips to the terminals and ease forecourt congestion.
It is part of a UK-wide pattern. Every major London airport now charges for terminal drop-offs, and several moved in the same early-2026 window — Heathrow rose to £7 for 10 minutes with a new strict cap on 1 January, and Stansted matched Gatwick at £10 on 19 March. That leaves Gatwick joint-highest with Stansted. With cost pressures and congestion both pulling the same way, drop-off charges look more likely to rise again than fall — one reason some travellers prefer the certainty of a fixed fare confirmed at booking that already includes any airport access charge.
Practical Tips to Avoid Stress and Penalties
A little planning saves money and hassle at Gatwick.
- Confirm your terminal from the boarding pass before you set off — getting it wrong can mean paying twice.
- Set a payment reminder, or use AutoPay: the deadline is midnight the day after; an AutoPay account removes it entirely.
- Have a card ready: there is no cash option; contactless is quickest.
- Be honest about the time: ten minutes goes fast with luggage or a child seat — if you need longer, the Short Stay car park can work out cheaper than the forecourt meter.
- Blue Badge holders: register with NCP first, or the charge applies and has to be reclaimed.
- If you have time, use the free Long Stay car park and factor in the shuttle.
FAQs – Gatwick Airport Drop-Off Charges
How much is the drop-off charge at Gatwick Airport?
The Gatwick drop-off charge is £10 for up to 10 minutes at both the North and South Terminal forecourt zones, in place since 6 January 2026 (up from £7). Staying longer is charged per minute up to a 30-minute maximum; check Gatwick's official rate for the exact extension.
Is there a free way to drop off at Gatwick?
Yes. The Long Stay car park at each terminal gives up to 2 hours free, with a free shuttle bus to the terminal — around 5 minutes from the North Terminal and 7 to 12 minutes from the South. It is slower than the forecourt but costs nothing if you leave within two hours.
How do I pay the Gatwick drop-off charge?
ANPR cameras record your plate on entry and exit. You pay online at Gatwick's official drop-off payment page, by phone, or via an AutoPay account, by midnight the day after your visit. Payment is by card or contactless; there is no cash option, and NCP administers the charge.
What happens if I forget to pay?
You will receive a £100 Parking Charge Notice, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days. A PCN is also issued for overstaying the 30-minute limit. Setting a phone reminder, or using AutoPay so payment is automatic, is the simplest way to avoid it.
Are Blue Badge holders exempt at Gatwick?
Yes, Blue Badge holders are exempt from the Gatwick drop-off charge — but it is not automatic. You must register your vehicle with NCP before your visit. Turn up without pre-registering and the £10 is charged, then has to be claimed back.
Can I be charged twice at Gatwick?
Yes. Gatwick has two separate terminals, each with its own drop-off zone, and each entry is charged separately. Arriving at the wrong terminal and re-entering the correct one costs £10 twice, so confirm your terminal from the boarding pass before you travel.
How can I avoid the Gatwick drop-off charge?
Use the free Long Stay car park for up to 2 hours plus the shuttle, which is completely free if you leave in time. Alternatively, a pre-booked taxi removes the question entirely — there is no forecourt fee for you to manage, and any airport access charge is included in the fare.
When is booking a taxi better than dropping off myself?
Families with luggage, elderly passengers needing accessibility, business travellers short on time, and tired returning travellers often find a pre-booked taxi simpler at Gatwick: door-to-door, the right terminal every time, no fee to remember and no penalty risk.
Skip the Forecourt — When a Taxi Is the Simpler Choice
If the charge, the two-terminal trap and the payment deadline feel like more trouble than they are worth, many travellers find a pre-booked taxi simpler. As a London airport transfer operator covering Gatwick alongside our Stansted base, we offer door-to-door transfers at a fixed fare with any airport access charge included.
- ✔ Door-to-door — the right terminal every time, no zone to choose
- ✔ No forecourt fee, no deadline, no penalty risk
- ✔ Fixed fare confirmed at booking, any airport access charge included
👉 See our Stansted airport taxi service, or book online 24/7.
Sources and Last Verified
Gatwick's drop-off charges and rules are set by the airport and administered by NCP, and can change. The figures above were verified against the official London Gatwick Airport website on 22 June 2026. Always check Gatwick's official Drop-Off Charges page and the official payment portal for the latest position before you travel, and confirm the exact over-10-minute rate there.
