When you’re driving a car club vehicle, you’re still responsible for obeying the rules of the road — just as if it were your own car. But many first-time members wonder how things work when a fine or penalty notice arrives. After all, the car isn’t registered to you, so who gets the ticket, and how do they know it was you driving?

The process is straightforward but varies slightly depending on the type of fine and the car club involved. The important thing to know is that you will always be held responsible for any offences or penalties that occur during your booking.

How Car Clubs Handle Fines and Tickets

When a speeding ticket, parking fine or congestion charge notice is issued, it’s sent to the registered keeper of the vehicle — which in this case is the car club, not you. The club then identifies who had the car at the time of the offence using its booking records.

Once they’ve confirmed that the booking matches your name and time of use, they’ll either:

• Pass your details to the issuing authority (for example, the police, local council, or Transport for London), who will then reissue the fine directly to you; or
• Pay the fine on your behalf and then recharge you for the full amount, often with an additional administrative fee.

Each car club’s approach depends on the type of fine and the arrangements they have with local authorities.

Speeding Fines

If you’re caught speeding in a car club vehicle, the police will issue a Notice of Intended Prosecution (NIP) to the registered keeper. The car club must then confirm who was driving. Once your details are passed on, the police or relevant authority will contact you directly, usually asking you to confirm the driver and deal with the fine yourself.

At that stage, it becomes exactly the same as if you were driving your own car — you may receive points on your licence and be required to pay the fine personally. The car club’s only involvement is providing your details to the authorities.

Congestion, Toll and ULEZ Charges

How these charges are handled depends on which car club you use. Some, like Zipcar, include the London Congestion Charge in their pricing through a flat daily fee and ensure all vehicles meet ULEZ standards, so you don’t need to pay those separately.

Others, such as Enterprise Car Club, add congestion or toll charges to your account after your trip if you’ve entered a chargeable area, or expect you to pay them directly. Co-Wheels and other smaller networks generally leave all tolls and zone fees to the driver.

In short, each company handles these costs differently. It’s worth checking your provider’s policy before travelling into London or any other charge zone to avoid unexpected charges later.

Parking Fines and Penalty Charge Notices

Parking tickets work a little differently depending on who issues them. Local council Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) are typically sent to the car club as the registered keeper. The club will pay the fine to prevent it increasing, then recharge the amount to your account along with an administrative fee, which can range from around £10 to £25.

Private parking companies, on the other hand, may allow the car club to transfer liability to you directly instead of paying first. In either case, you’re ultimately responsible for the cost.

Administrative Fees

Each car club charges an additional admin fee for handling fines. This covers the time and paperwork involved in identifying the driver, processing payments, or transferring liability. The amount varies, but it’s usually listed clearly in the club’s fee schedule.

Enterprise and Zipcar typically charge around £15 to £25 per fine; Co-Wheels charges around £15; and Hiyacar’s admin fee depends on the car owner, as each listing can set its own terms.

What Happens If You Ignore a Fine

Ignoring a fine doesn’t make it go away. Once your details have been passed to the issuing authority, the fine becomes your legal responsibility. Failure to pay can result in increased penalties, enforcement action, or points on your licence in the case of speeding offences.

Car clubs can also suspend or terminate your membership if you repeatedly incur fines or fail to pay charges passed on to you.

When In Doubt, Contact Support

If you’re unsure about a notice or believe it’s been issued in error, contact the car club as soon as possible. They can confirm whether the fine relates to your booking and provide the reference details you need to challenge it.

Keeping It Clean

Tickets and fines are one of the few parts of car club use that are entirely down to you. The clubs manage the vehicles, but you’re responsible for how you drive and where you park.

Keeping an eye on local restrictions and taking care to follow the rules saves time, money, and stress — for both you and the next driver.