Compare cheap 7 seater car hire at Gatwick Airport. Congestion Charge, ULEZ and Dartford Crossing costs for hire cars, plus DVLA check code and child seat rules.
Driving into London or over the Dartford Crossing? Both charge you by number plate, and in a hire car the deadline still falls on you. Read the charges section below.
London Gatwick handled 42.8 million passengers in 2025 (Travel Daily News).
Plenty of the people hiring a 7 seater there are UK residents. Some fly in from Scotland or Northern Ireland for a family wedding or a reunion in the south. Others land back from abroad with more people or luggage than their own car can take.
The charges that come by post
Gatwick sits outside London, but many trips from it do not. Two sets of road charges catch out drivers who do not use them every day.
London: the Congestion Charge and ULEZ
Central London’s Congestion Charge costs £18 a day, or £21 if you pay within the following three days (BVRLA).
It applies from 7am to 6pm on weekdays, and from 12pm to 6pm at weekends and on bank holidays (TfL). Petrol and diesel cars pay it in full, however new, so a modern hire car is no exception.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone covers all London boroughs, runs 24 hours a day and costs £12.50 a day for cars that do not meet its standards (TfL).
Most hire fleets are new enough to comply. If you are offered an older vehicle, check it on TfL’s vehicle checker before you drive into London.
The Dartford Crossing
Heading east round the M25 to Kent or Essex takes you over the Dartford Crossing. The Dart Charge for a car is £3.50, or £2.80 with a pre-pay account, and crossings between 10pm and 6am are free (National Highways).
There are no booths. You must pay by midnight the day after you cross, or face a penalty (GOV.UK).
Who pays in a hire car
Penalty notices go to the registered owner, which is the hire firm. It will pass the fine on to you, usually with an admin fee on top. Paying each charge yourself, on time, is always cheaper.
Gatwick 7 Seater prices at a glance
North or South Terminal, one search lines up the 7 seaters on offer. Compare the full price before London charges come into it.
Paperwork for a UK hire
Hire firms will want your photocard driving licence. Some also ask for a DVLA check code so they can see your licence record. You can create one online in a few minutes (GOV.UK).
The code only lasts a short time, so create it shortly before you travel. If you are flying in from the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man with a local licence, check the hire firm’s rules first.
Child seat rules are the usual UK ones. Children use a child seat until they are 12 or 135 cm tall, whichever comes first (GOV.UK).
Which terminal?
Gatwick has two terminals, North and South, linked by a free shuttle train. Check which terminal your hire firm uses before you land.
Your voucher will say where to collect the car. With seven people and luggage, crossing to the other terminal adds time you do not need after a flight.
Seven people, seven cases
A large suitcase holds 80 to 110 litres. With all seven seats in use, the roomiest common 7 seaters manage about 340 to 350 litres of boot.
For a full family with a big case each, look for the ACRISS FV class, meaning seven or more seats plus more space, or book an 8 or 9 seater. Coming back from a long holiday, the bags are often bigger than when you left.
Ways to cut the cost of a 7 Seater from Gatwick
- Compare the total, not the daily rate. Fuel policy, deposit, insurance excess and extra driver charges all sit outside the headline price.
- Pay road charges yourself, on time. A missed Congestion Charge or Dart Charge becomes a penalty plus a hire firm admin fee.
- Price child seats per day. Hire firms usually charge per seat. On a domestic trip, bringing your own is often easy.
- Book early with free cancellation. School holidays and bank holiday weekends bring the highest demand. Lock in a cancellable rate, then search again nearer the date and rebook if prices fall.
Find a cheap 7 Seater for your Gatwick dates
Enter pickup and return times to compare rates from the hire firms serving both terminals.
Questions people ask
Do I have to pay the Congestion Charge in a hire car?
Yes, if you drive into the zone during charging hours. It is £18 a day, or £21 if you pay within the next three days.
Will a Gatwick hire car be ULEZ compliant?
Most modern hire cars are. If you are given an older vehicle, check it on TfL’s checker before driving into London.
How do I pay the Dartford Crossing in a hire car?
Online or by phone, by midnight the day after you cross. It costs £3.50 for a car, and crossings between 10pm and 6am are free.
Do I need a DVLA check code to hire a car at Gatwick?
Some hire firms ask for one. You can create it online in a few minutes.
Where can I compare cheap 7 Seater deals at Gatwick Airport?
Compare several hire firms at once. Our search shows 7 seaters from the firms at both terminals in one list, with the total price for each. Prices move with demand, so the earlier you search, the more choice you get.
