Car Hire in Nottingham

Part of our guide to car hire in the United Kingdom.

Driving and Parking in Nottingham: What You Need to Know

• Clean Air Zone: Nottingham does not have a charging Clean Air Zone. The council decided against one in 2018 and relied on measures such as retrofitting buses and requiring low emission taxis instead, so no sticker, permit or charge applies to a car entering the city.
• City centre driving: The centre combines one-way streets, bus lanes and tram tracks, so set the satnav before you move off. Drive on the left throughout, and at roundabouts give way to traffic from the right and travel clockwise.
• Parking: The Victoria Centre car park (NG1 3QN) holds about 2,540 spaces, with the basement entered from Glasshouse Street and York Street and the multi-storey from Woodborough Road. Council car parks include Nottingham Castle on Canal Street (NG1 7HG) and Sneinton Market Square on Aberdeen Street (NG3 1JB), both open 24 hours a day, and Curzon Street (NG3 1DG), open 7am to 10pm. Charges are set by the operator, so read the signage at the entrance before you leave the car. Never park on double yellow lines.
• Bus lanes and trams: Bus lanes run on many main roads, and the hours are shown on the sign at the start of each lane. Contraventions are enforced by penalty charge notice. Trams share some city centre streets, so never stop on the tracks.
• Speed limits: Limits are in miles per hour: 30 mph in built-up areas unless signed otherwise, with 20 mph zones common on residential streets, 60 mph on single carriageways, and up to 70 mph on motorways and dual carriageways. Using a hand-held mobile phone while driving is illegal.
• Best time to drive: Weekday commuter periods in the morning and late afternoon are the slowest times on the approaches to the city. Mid-morning, early afternoon and weekends are easier for crossing the city.
• Driving on the left: If you normally drive on the right, collect the car at a quiet time and take the first few minutes slowly. The driver's seat is on the right, and the most common mistakes are at roundabouts and when turning out of a car park onto a main road, so keep to the left and give way to traffic from the right.
• Public transport and car together: Many visitors use trams and buses for the city centre and collect a car for Derbyshire, the Peak District and Lincolnshire, which avoids driving and parking in the centre.

Top Places to Visit from Nottingham by Car

• Newstead Abbey — about 10 miles north, in roughly 21 minutes. The house (NG15 8NA) began as an Augustinian priory founded around 1170 by Henry II, and the poet Lord Byron owned it from 1798 until its sale in 1818. Visitors can see his private apartments and about 300 acres of parkland with a lake and formal gardens. Car parking costs £6 on weekdays and £7 at weekends, and the site is generally open 10:00 to 17:00.
• Derby — about 15 miles west, in roughly 21 minutes. The Museum of Making occupies the Silk Mill, described as one of the world's first factories and the southern gateway to the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. The mill belonged to John and Thomas Lombe, and John Lombe studied silk-throwing machines in Italy before their designs were copied in England. Its layout, with many workers across two buildings, became a model for later textile mills. The Bakewell Gates have stood at the front since 1725.
• Chatsworth House — about 34 miles north-west, in roughly 50 minutes. The estate (DE45 1PP) lies within the Peak District National Park and is the home of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. The house holds treasures collected over five centuries, the gardens are known for their waterworks, and the farmyard and adventure playground suit families.
• Lincoln — about 37 miles north-east, in roughly 48 minutes. Lincoln Castle, built in 1068, holds one of the four surviving copies of the Magna Carta. Lincoln Cathedral was begun in 1072, and Steep Hill, described as the fourth steepest street in England and a cobbled lane between the cathedral and the modern centre, is lined with tearooms, bookshops and independent shops.

When is the Best Time to Hire a Car in Nottingham?

Peak season: Demand rises over the school summer holidays, from late July to the end of August, and again around Christmas and Easter, when visitors arrive for the city and the Peak District. Bank holiday weekends tighten availability in the same way, and the most popular vehicle classes are the first to go.

Shoulder season: Spring and autumn outside school breaks are steadier. Weekday availability is generally good, and day trips to Derby, Newstead Abbey, Chatsworth and Lincoln are easy to plan around the weather.

Low season: January, February and the quieter weeks of November are the least busy. Winter hires suit day trips and business travel, but allow extra time on the M1 and the main approach roads on weekday mornings.

Advance booking: Book several weeks ahead for school holidays and bank holiday weekends, and as soon as your dates are fixed for any hire that has to match a flight or a train arrival. Free cancellation means booking early carries no penalty if plans change, and the balance is paid at the desk on collection, so nothing is charged in full at the time of booking.

Before you drive away: Photograph the vehicle thoroughly at collection and again at return, including all four sides, the wheels, the windscreen and the interior. Dated photographs give you a clear record of the condition you received, and they are the quickest way to settle any question about marks that were already there.

Fuel: Confirm the fuel type shown on your booking confirmation before you refuel, and ask at collection which fuel policy applies to your hire, so that you return the car as the supplier expects.

How Payment Works for Car Hire in Nottingham

Payment is made in two steps. A rental prepayment confirms your booking online, with Instant Confirmation from the supplier. You then pay the balance directly to the supplier on arrival, when you collect the car.

The price and vehicle class shown at booking are the terms you receive at the desk. Because the full rental amount is not charged at the time of booking, you keep flexibility if your plans change, and cancellation is free.

The supplier may place an excess hold on the main driver's credit card at collection, so check that the card in the driver's name has enough available limit. The amount is shown in your booking confirmation.

Car Hire Suppliers in Nottingham

Car hire in Nottingham is available through the following supplier.

• Green Motion

Car Hire Pick-Up Locations in Nottingham

Your booking confirmation from eCarBookers locks in your price and your vehicle class before you arrive. You pay the balance at the desk on collection, and the terms confirmed at booking are the terms you receive. Always confirm your hire in advance to guarantee your price from the moment you collect the keys.

• Nottingham East Midlands Airport (EMA)