East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off parking fine: rules, free time and how to appeal

East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off is an airport car park serving East Midlands Airport in Castle Donington, on East Midlands Airport (DE74 2SA). Parking here is managed by APCOA Parking, a private operator and member of the British Parking Association (BPA), so a ticket from this car park is a private Parking Charge Notice, not a council fine.

APCOA Parking enforces the rules at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off using number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras that log the time you drive in and out. If you got a charge here it will usually have arrived by post, addressed to the registered keeper, and the times on it are camera times, not the time you parked.

The rules at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off

There is no free period at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off: you pay from the moment you arrive. The maximum stay is 30 minutes.

The tariff we recorded is: £8 for up to 10 minutes, then £1 per extra minute; 30 minutes maximum. You can pay by online at pay.eastmidlandsairport.com (by midnight the day after), automated phone line 0345 222 1517 and AutoPay account. Because the cameras match payments to your registration, the registration you enter has to match your vehicle exactly.

This is a short-stay area, with permitted stays of 30 minutes or less. The codes allow short-stay sites to skip the usual 10-minute grace period, so tight timings matter more here than at a normal car park.

Since May 2025 the Rapid Drop Off has been barrierless and cashless, with cameras logging each visit and payment due online or by phone by midnight the following day. In late September 2026 the fee changed from £5 for 15 minutes to £8 for 10 minutes. A local man was sent two £100 charges in summer 2026 after paying while still in the zone; the payment screen asks you to have left first. APCOA handles payments and appeals. The free alternative is Long Stay 2, which allows up to an hour free but is a 15-20 minute walk, and Blue Badge holders get free time in Short Stay 1.

How to appeal a charge at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off

1. Don't ignore it. Note the date on the notice: you normally have 28 days to appeal to APCOA Parking, and 14 days to pay at the reduced rate if you decide to pay.
2. Gather evidence: photos of the signs and where you parked at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off, receipts, payment records, and anything that explains why you stayed longer.
3. Appeal to APCOA Parking in writing. Keep to the facts and keep a copy. If you were not driving, you don't have to say who was.
4. If APCOA Parking rejects your appeal, it must give you a code to appeal to POPLA, the independent appeals service for BPA members. POPLA appeals are free, and you have 28 days from the rejection to use the code.

If you were dropping off or picking up

Airport drop-off zones are usually short-stay, with charges that start after a few minutes. If you were held up by traffic inside the airport road system, or the barrier or payment system failed, say so and give times.

Check whether the charge is a private Parking Charge Notice from APCOA Parking or a fee you were meant to pay online by midnight the next day. They are different, and the second is often paid late rather than not at all.

Common reasons charges here get cancelled

• A few minutes over the limitThe cameras time your whole visit, from the entrance to the exit. With a 30 minutes limit at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off, an overstay of up to about 15 minutes is often inside the consideration and grace periods the code requires.
• You paid, but something went wrongPaying with a typo in your registration, or when online at pay.eastmidlandsairport.com (by midnight the day after), automated phone line 0345 222 1517 and AutoPay account failed, is covered by the codes. Send your payment record; a minor keying error should lead to cancellation.
• Reported at this car parkPaying while still inside the zone instead of after leaving, so the payment does not match the visit
• Reported at this car parkForgetting to pay by midnight the next day as there is no barrier or machine
• Reported at this car parkPrice changed in September 2026, so older guides show the wrong fee
• Signs you couldn't reasonably seeThe terms are a contract formed by the signs at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off. If the entrance sign was missing, hidden or unreadable, photograph it from the driver's position; the codes set rules for size, placement and wording.

Get an appeal letter for East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off

Written for you from your check, addressed to APCOA Parking with this car park's details already filled in.

• First appeal, plus the POPLA appeal if it's rejected
• Late-appeal and £20-reduction letters included
• Edit it, then download as Word or PDF, or copy into the appeal form
• Full refund within 14 days, no questions

Start my letter, £5.99 Appeal for free instead

A document-preparation service, not legal advice. Your details stay on your device.

Questions about parking at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off

How long can you park at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off?

The maximum stay is 30 minutes.

Who runs East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off car park?

APCOA Parking manages the parking for East Midlands Airport. It's a member of the BPA, so appeals go to APCOA Parking first and then to POPLA.

Is East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off car park free?

No. The tariff is: £8 for up to 10 minutes, then £1 per extra minute; 30 minutes maximum.

Can I appeal a APCOA Parking charge at East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off?

Yes. Appeal to APCOA Parking within 28 days, with evidence. If it's rejected you can go to POPLA for free. Paying doesn't stop you appealing first, but the reduced rate usually only applies in the first 14 days.

Does East Midlands Airport Rapid Drop Off have parking cameras?

Yes, APCOA Parking uses ANPR cameras here. They record your registration and the time you enter and leave, and charges are posted to the registered keeper.

Last checked on 31 October 2026, from the landowner or retailer's website (East Midlands Airport pick-up/drop-off page; Euro Weekly News Aug 2026; APH Sep 2026). Signs and rules change, so the signs on the day are what count. Spotted something different? Report a change.