How to appeal a Gatwick Airport drop-off charge
Gatwick’s drop-off zones outside both terminals are run for the airport by Times24 UK Ltd - not NCP. There are no barriers: you pay online or by phone by midnight the next night, and Times24 issues the £100 Parking Charges (£60 within 14 days) and handles the appeals. It is an IPC member, so a rejected appeal goes to the IAS rather than POPLA.
- Airport
- Gatwick Airport
- Drop-off run by
- Times24
- How it works
- Barrierless ANPR - pay online by the deadline (a missed payment becomes a charge)
- Drop-off fee
- £10 for up to 10 minutes (from January 2026), then £1 for each additional minute; the maximum stay is 30 minutes and the maximum daily charge £30 - checked 27 September 2026; confirm the current fee on the airport's website
- Free alternative
- the Long Stay car parks are free for up to two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals
- Type of notice
- Private Parking Charge Notice (a contract dispute, not a statutory PCN)
- Appeal route
- Gatwick’s drop-off Parking Charges are issued, and appeals handled, by Times24 UK Ltd: appeal to Times24 using the details and deadline on the notice (Gatwick’s drop-off page links to it). Times24 is an IPC member, so if it rejects your appeal you can escalate free to the IAS (Independent Appeals Service) - not POPLA. How it works: IAS appeals
Drop-off fees change frequently - always confirm the current price and terms on the airport's official website, and use the exact appeal channel and reference printed on your notice.
Forgot to pay the Gatwick drop-off charge?
The deadline. The charge has to be paid by midnight the day after you use the drop-off zone.
Paying late. Gatwick is explicit that paying late doesn’t fix it: “If you make a late payment or do not pay, you can receive a Parking Charge Notice.” Its terms put that at £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days, and its FAQ says you can pay or appeal the notice on the Times24 website.
What happens next. At a camera-enforced drop-off the notice is posted to the registered keeper. If you think you have grounds, appeal before paying - paying is usually treated as accepting the charge. Gatwick’s drop-off Parking Charges are issued, and appeals handled, by Times24 UK Ltd: appeal to Times24 using the details and deadline on the notice (Gatwick’s drop-off page links to it). Times24 is an IPC member, so if it rejects your appeal you can escalate free to the IAS (Independent Appeals Service) - not POPLA.
To avoid it next time, register the vehicle for Gatwick AutoPay before you visit.
Forgetting to pay isn't a defence on its own, but it isn't the end of the story either - check the grounds below, especially whether the charge and its deadline were clearly signed before you stopped, and the “relevant land” point on keeper liability.
Sources: gatwickairport.com drop-off page, gatwickairport.com terms - checked .
The rules at Gatwick Airport
What is published about dropping off, paying and enforcement at Gatwick Airport - mostly from the airport's own pages, terms and byelaws, plus official registers such as the parking trade bodies' member lists. Each point links to its source and the date we checked it.
- Paying
- There are no barriers. You pay online, by phone or through an AutoPay account by midnight the day after you use the drop-off zone.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
- Time limit
- The maximum stay in the drop-off zone is 30 minutes and the maximum daily charge is £30.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
- Penalty
- A Parking Charge is £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days of the notice being issued.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
- Who enforces
- Parking Charges at Gatwick's drop-off zones and private roads are issued, and appeals handled, by Times24 UK Ltd, which runs the drop-off service for the airport.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
- Trade body
- Times24 UK Ltd is listed as an International Parking Community (IPC) accredited operator, so an appeal it rejects goes to the IAS, not POPLA.
Source: portal.theipc.info · checked
- Stopping and waiting
- Times24 can issue a Parking Charge for dropping off or picking up outside the designated drop-off areas, and for stopping on double red lines on the airport roads.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
- Blue Badge holders
- Blue Badge holders get free access, but only if they apply at gatwickairport.com/dropoff before the visit. The exemption covers the registered vehicle for a single visit.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
- Byelaws
- Gatwick publishes The Gatwick Airport - London Byelaws 1996. Breaking them is a criminal matter punished by a fine in the magistrates' court, not a private Parking Charge.
Source: gatwickairport.com · checked
Drop-off at each Gatwick terminal
The charge is the same at every terminal: £10 for up to 10 minutes (from January 2026), then £1 for each additional minute; the maximum stay is 30 minutes and the maximum daily charge £30. What differs is the way into each drop-off zone.
North Terminal drop-off at Gatwick Airport
From M23 junction 9, go straight ahead at the first roundabout (J9a) and take the first exit at the next one, signposted North Terminal. The drop-off area is on the lower level, between the Sofitel and the multi-storey car park.
Source: gatwickairport.com drop-off page - checked .
South Terminal drop-off at Gatwick Airport
From M23 junction 9, use the filter lane to turn left at the first roundabout (J9a), then follow the signs for Drop Off. The drop-off area is on the lower level.
Source: gatwickairport.com drop-off page - checked .
How Gatwick compares on price
Gatwick alongside the 5 airports nearest to it in headline drop-off price, cheapest first - and the free alternative at each. Compare all 28 UK airports.
Swipe the table sideways to see who enforces each charge and what a missed payment costs →
| Airport | Drop-off from | Time included | Free alternative | Enforced by | If you don't pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SouthendCameras | £8 | 10 min | there is no official free drop-off - and the neighbouring retail park is separate private land with its own terms, so parking there to avoid the fee is not a safe workaround | Vehicle Control Services | PCN amount not published; £100 for stopping on the red route |
| BristolBarrier | £8.50 | 10 min | the Waiting Zone is free for up to an hour - but leaving and re-entering it within 30 minutes brings a Parking Charge Notice | VCS or APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) for stopping in restricted areas |
| EdinburghBarrier | £8.50 | 10 min | the Long Stay car park is free for 30 minutes for drop-off - but there is no shuttle bus, so allow about a 10-minute walk | Airport (byelaws) | Paid at the barrier - no private PCN scheme published; byelaws apply |
| LutonCameras | £9 | 12 min | the Long Stay car park is free for up to 2 hours for drop-off, with a free 24-hour shuttle bus to the terminal | APCOA | £95 (£55 within 14 days) |
| GatwickCameras | £10 | 10 min | the Long Stay car parks are free for up to two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals | Times24 | £100 (£60 within 14 days) from Times24 |
| StanstedCameras | £10 | 15 min | the Mid Stay car park is free for up to 60 minutes for drop-off | APCOA | £100 (£60 within 14 days) if not paid by midnight the next day |
Headline kerbside drop-off prices, each verified against the airport’s own published tariff or a dated published guide. The oldest figure in this table was last checked . Longer stays cost more, and several airports raised prices twice in 2026 - confirm on the airport’s site before you travel. “Cameras” means you pay online afterwards (miss it and you get a Parking Charge Notice); “Barrier” means you pay on exit.
Grounds for challenging a Gatwick drop-off charge
Pick the ground that genuinely fits - a focused, evidenced argument beats a scattergun one.
- Airport forecourts and access roads are frequently not "relevant land" under Schedule 4 of the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, so the operator often cannot hold the registered keeper liable and must identify the actual driver - a strong ground where you were not driving or will not be named.
- A genuine payment was made or attempted within the deadline - keep the card statement line, the app confirmation, or a photo of the payment screen and its timestamp.
- The ANPR cameras misread your registration, or logged a missed entry/exit, producing the wrong vehicle or an impossible duration.
- You did not actually stop - a drop-off charge applies to stopping in the zone, not to driving through, and cameras can wrongly capture a vehicle that only passed.
- The signage did not clearly display the charge and its terms where you could read and accept them before entering the zone, so no contract was formed.
How to appeal, step by step
- 1
Check which notice you have
Confirm whether it is a drop-off Parking Charge Notice (for example a missed online payment), a no-stopping/red-route charge, or a council or byelaw matter, and note exactly which company or body issued it. The issuer's trade body decides the escalation route.
- 2
Gather your evidence
Collect the notice, your registration, the date and time, any payment proof (card statement, app confirmation, screenshot with a timestamp), and - if you can - a photo of the signage and the charge it displayed.
- 3
Pick the strongest ground
Choose the ground that fits - the Protection of Freedoms Act "relevant land" point, a payment you did make, an ANPR misread, that you did not actually stop, or unclear signage.
- 4
Appeal within the deadline
Gatwick’s drop-off Parking Charges are issued, and appeals handled, by Times24 UK Ltd: appeal to Times24 using the details and deadline on the notice (Gatwick’s drop-off page links to it). Times24 is an IPC member, so if it rejects your appeal you can escalate free to the IAS (Independent Appeals Service) - not POPLA. Do not pay while you intend to appeal - paying is treated as accepting the charge.
- 5
Generate your appeal letter with AppealIQ
Enter the details and your chosen ground, and AppealIQ writes a formal, persuasive appeal letter for your Gatwick charge. Your first letter each calendar month is free; after that, extra letters are £2.99 each, paid once - there is no subscription.
Gatwick drop-off charges - frequently asked questions
I forgot to pay the Gatwick drop-off charge - what happens now?
The charge has to be paid by midnight the day after you use the drop-off zone. Gatwick is explicit that paying late doesn’t fix it: “If you make a late payment or do not pay, you can receive a Parking Charge Notice.” Its terms put that at £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days, and its FAQ says you can pay or appeal the notice on the Times24 website. At a camera-enforced drop-off the notice is posted to the registered keeper. If you think you have grounds, appeal before paying - paying is usually treated as accepting the charge. Gatwick’s drop-off Parking Charges are issued, and appeals handled, by Times24 UK Ltd: appeal to Times24 using the details and deadline on the notice (Gatwick’s drop-off page links to it). Times24 is an IPC member, so if it rejects your appeal you can escalate free to the IAS (Independent Appeals Service) - not POPLA. To avoid it next time, register the vehicle for Gatwick AutoPay before you visit.
How much is the drop-off charge at Gatwick?
£10 for up to 10 minutes (from January 2026), then £1 for each additional minute; the maximum stay is 30 minutes and the maximum daily charge £30. Drop-off fees change frequently - that was the rate when we last checked (27 September 2026), so always confirm the current price on the airport's official website. There is a free alternative: the Long Stay car parks are free for up to two hours, with a free shuttle bus to the terminals.
Why did I get a Parking Charge Notice at Gatwick?
Gatwick’s drop-off zones have no barriers: you pay online, by phone or through an AutoPay account by midnight the night after your visit. Miss that - or drop off or pick up outside the designated areas, or stop on the double red lines - and Times24 UK Ltd, which runs the drop-off service for Gatwick, can issue a Parking Charge of £100, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.
Can I appeal a Gatwick drop-off Parking Charge Notice?
Yes. Gatwick’s drop-off Parking Charges are issued, and appeals handled, by Times24 UK Ltd: appeal to Times24 using the details and deadline on the notice (Gatwick’s drop-off page links to it). Times24 is an IPC member, so if it rejects your appeal you can escalate free to the IAS (Independent Appeals Service) - not POPLA. Never pay if you intend to appeal - paying is usually treated as accepting the charge. Strong grounds include the Protection of Freedoms Act "relevant land" point, a payment you did make, an ANPR misread, or that you did not actually stop.
Can AppealIQ write my Gatwick appeal letter?
Yes. Enter the charge details and the ground that fits, and AppealIQ drafts a formal, persuasive appeal letter to Times24 (or for the relevant appeals service). Your first letter each calendar month is free; after that, extra letters are £2.99 each, paid once - there is no subscription.
I’ve missed the deadline to appeal my Gatwick drop-off charge - what can I do?
Write to Times24 anyway and explain why you are late: the private parking Single Code makes operators consider a late appeal when you have evidence of exceptional circumstances. If Times24 has already rejected your appeal and the IAS’s 28 days have passed, the IAS offers a non-standard appeal, but only if Times24 agrees - it costs £15, and the decision then binds you too.
Who do I contact about a Gatwick drop-off Parking Charge Notice?
Times24 UK Ltd, not Gatwick or NCP: it issues the drop-off Parking Charge Notices and handles the appeals, and Gatwick’s drop-off page links to its Help Centre. The £10 drop-off charge itself is paid through Gatwick’s own payment page, by midnight the day after.
Draft your Gatwick appeal now
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AppealIQ generates draft letters to assist your appeal. It is not legal advice. An airport drop-off charge is a private Parking Charge Notice - a contract dispute, not a statutory council fine - so always use the operator's appeal channel and the reference printed on your notice, and mind the deadline.