How much is the Stansted drop-off charge?
£10 for up to 15 minutes (£28 over 15 minutes, 30 minute maximum). The Express Set Down charge has been £10 since 16 March 2026 (up from £7). It applies 24 hours a day, every day, to cars, taxis and private hire vehicles alike.
Where the drop-off zone is
Express Set Down is in front of the terminal. It is for drop-offs only, and payment cannot be made in advance.
How to pay
Pay online or by phone, by midnight the day after. The payment phone line is 0345 017 5046. You cannot pay at the kerb. If you use the zone often, set up AutoPay so it is taken from your card automatically.
What happens if you do not pay
The registered keeper of the car gets a £100 parking charge, cut to £60 if paid within 14 days. If you went in a taxi or a hire car, the charge falls on the driver, which is why most drivers add it to the fare.
Blue Badge holders
There is no Blue Badge exemption: every vehicle using Express Set Down pays. Re-entering within 30 minutes costs £28.
How to avoid the charge
The free option is the Mid Stay car park, free for up to 60 minutes and £5 for the second hour, with a free shuttle bus. It adds 15 to 30 minutes to the trip, so leave earlier.
Picking someone up at Stansted
Your driver parks in the Short Stay car park beside the terminal and meets you in the arrivals hall with a name board. Short Stay costs £13 for up to 30 minutes and £21 for up to an hour.
By taxi, the charge is already paid
Every A1 Airport Taxis fare to Stansted Airport includes the £10 Express Set Down charge, and every pickup fare includes the car park. Nothing is added at the kerb. See Stansted taxi prices from your area, or compare the drop-off charges at all four London airports.
Questions
How much does it cost to drop off at Stansted in 2026?
£10 for up to 15 minutes (£28 over 15 minutes, 30 minute maximum), paid online or by phone, by midnight the day after.
Is there a free drop-off at Stansted?
Yes: the Mid Stay car park, free for up to 60 minutes and £5 for the second hour, with a free shuttle bus.
Do taxis pay the Stansted drop-off charge?
Yes. Taxis and private hire cars pay it like any other vehicle. Our fares already include it.
What is the fine for not paying the Stansted drop-off charge?
A £100 parking charge, cut to £60 if paid within 14 days.