Car Boot Sale FAQ — Costs, Times & Rules

Early birds get the bargains 🐦. Most sales open to buyers between 6am and 8am and the best finds go in the first hour. For lower prices, arrive in the last hour when sellers would rather not pack things back into the car.

Most car boot sales are free for buyers or charge 50p to £1 per person. A few larger events charge more for early entry. Every listing shows the latest known entry price.

Yes, bring cash 💷 and plenty of small change. Some sellers now take card or bank transfer, but most deals are cash and haggling is expected.

Outdoor sales often cancel if the field is waterlogged ☔. Check the organiser's Facebook page or website on the morning, or pick an indoor sale from our indoor car boot sales page.

Use the postcode search on the home page or the Near me page. You can also browse by region, town, day of the week, or by facilities such as parking, toilets and food.

Sellers need daylight and an empty road to unload, dealers want first pick, and most fields have to be clear by early afternoon. Starting at 6am or 7am means the sale is done before the heat, the rain or the football ⚽. A few indoor and afternoon boots open later, and each listing shows its own time.

Typically £5 to £15 for a car and £15 to £30 for a van, depending on the size and popularity of the sale. Each listing shows the seller pitch price where we know it.

Most sales are turn up and pay on the day. Some busy or indoor sales need a booking; the listing will say so. Arrive at the seller time, not the buyer time, to get a good spot.

Children's clothes and toys, tools, kitchenware, garden items, vinyl, retro games and anything vintage. Price low, bundle items, and be ready to haggle.

Rules vary by organiser. Many allow traders with new goods for a higher pitch fee; food usually needs the organiser's permission and a hygiene rating. Check the listing or contact the organiser.

Counterfeit or copied goods, unsafe electricals, upholstered furniture without a fire label if you trade regularly, knives and weapons, alcohol, tobacco, medicines, fireworks and live animals. Second-hand car seats and cycle helmets are legal but unwise 🚫. Most organisers also ban food without a hygiene rating. Our car boot sale rules guide has the full list.

Selling your own unwanted belongings is not taxable. If you buy things to sell on, that is trading: HMRC gives everyone a £1,000 trading allowance per tax year, and above that you register for self-assessment. Keep a note of what you take on the day.

A well-stocked car pitch typically clears £50 to £150 on a good morning, with a median pitch fee of £10 across our listings. Clothes rails, priced bundles and small change all lift the total. Big earners are tools, retro games, vintage and children's kit.

Yes. You need the landowner's agreement, public liability insurance and, in most areas, to notify the council. Sales on a field usually fall under temporary-use planning rules, and anything on the highway needs a street trading consent. Check with your council before advertising a date.

Use the Add a sale page to list a new car boot free of charge. To correct times, prices or an address, use the "Help us improve this listing" form at the bottom of that sale's page.

We hand-check listings and show when each was last confirmed, but organisers change plans and weather cancels sales. Always confirm with the organiser before travelling a long way.

Yes. Use the organiser claim link on your sale's page and we'll verify you. You can then keep dates, prices and facilities up to date.