FAQ
The practical questions.
A brief leads to a shortlist, usually within forty-eight hours. Every job is quoted individually. The production insures the car, naming the owner. Cars are sourced UK-wide from private owners, collectors, clubs and specialists.
The answers below cover film, TV, commercials, music videos and photoshoots, from period details to who drives. Tell us your dates and planned use so we can confirm the options with each owner.
How much does picture car hire cost in the UK?
It depends on the job, so every one is quoted individually. The main factors are the car itself, the number of days, whether it stays static or is driven, whether a driver is needed, transport or a low loader, the location, insurance and how the car is used on camera. Send a brief with those details and we confirm the cost on your quote.
As of October 2026, the catalogue lists 2,500+ cars.
Updated
Start with picture car hire in London, TV car hire, music video car hire, advert car hire or 1980s and 1990s cars for film. Also see choosing a picture car hire company and picture car rental terminology.
What is CarSeen?
CarSeen is a UK picture-car casting brokerage. We source and cast period-correct vehicles for film, television, commercials, music videos and photography across the UK and Europe — see our credits for more.
Who have you worked with?
Our team have worked with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, BBC, Channel 4, Paramount, Apple TV, Meta, Google, Disney+, and Discovery. CarSeen is a UK picture-car casting brokerage — see our credits for more.
Insurance
Productions typically arrange picture-vehicle or film insurance, naming the vehicle owner as an interested party. That is the usual shape of it, and it is the shape we plan around.
Exact cover, additional-insured wording, wet or dry hire, and whether the owner stays with the car are confirmed job by job — never assumed. We won't pretend a standard document exists where it doesn't.
Once a brief is in, we help work the checklist with you: who is insured, for what, and what paperwork has to exist before the call time. UK-first, with Europe on longer lead times.
How briefs work
Tell us the era, the shoot dates, the location and the split between hero metal and background cars. A reference image, a moodboard or a few lines of script is enough to start.
The 48-hour shortlist
We usually come back within forty-eight hours with a shortlist chosen for how each car reads on camera — not how it reads on a spec sheet.
Can I browse a catalogue?
Yes. Browse the cars on the hire page as a starting point — make and model only, cast for how they read on camera.
Beyond those silhouettes, we work with owners and specialists across the UK and Europe to find the exact year, model and colour a scene demands. Send the brief and we’ll come back with real options.
The chat button takes a first name and an email, then opens a conversation with us directly. Quicker than a form when you're already on location.
Listing a car
Owners can put a vehicle on the call sheet through the listing page. We hold details quietly and come to you when a scene fits the car — no fees to be listed.
Quotes, drivers and filming
How much does picture car hire cost in the UK?
Every job is quoted individually. The price depends on the car, the number of days, whether it stays static or is driven, whether a driver is needed, transport or a low loader, the location, insurance and how the car is used on camera. Send a brief and we will confirm it on your quote.
Can cast or the owner drive the car?
That depends on the car, the owner and the insurance in place. On some jobs the owner drives; on others a production or precision driver takes over. Tell us how the car will be used, and we confirm who drives and on what terms before the shoot.
Can we film picture cars on public roads?
Permissions depend on the location and the filming planned. In London, on-street filming is handled by the local Borough Film Service, and TfL red routes need TfL permission. Filming from moving vehicles also involves the Metropolitan Police Film Unit. Tell us the planned use in your brief; see picture car hire in London for context.
Can you source police and emergency vehicles, including ex-Met Police cars?
Our catalogue includes police and emergency vehicles, including ex-Met Police cars. Tell us the period, scene and shoot dates so we can confirm suitable options. Police lookalike use in London involves the Metropolitan Police Film Unit. Browse police and emergency vehicles.
Can picture cars have period-correct number plates?
Most period cars keep their original registrations. If a plate does not suit the year of your scene, tell us early so we can talk through options with the owner and your art department. On public roads, a picture car should carry its own legal plates. Read number plates for filming.
Briefs, dates and productions
How early should I send a brief?
Tell us your shoot dates as early as you can, especially for rare hero cars or large background groups. Send a brief with the scene, dates, location and planned use.
Do you supply cars for music videos and photoshoots?
Yes. We source cars for music videos and photoshoots in London and across the UK. Tell us the treatment, look, shoot dates and how the car will be used; handling and on-set requirements are confirmed with the owner. See music video car hire and photoshoot car hire in London.
Can you source picture cars for television productions?
Yes. We cast picture cars for television productions across the UK, from featured hero cars to background vehicles. Tell us the script, period, shoot dates and location so we can shortlist cars that fit. See TV car hire.
Catalogue images and terminology
Are catalogue images photographs of the actual cars?
Catalogue images are representative of each model. The shortlist shows the real cars, and we confirm the exact car, colour and availability after your brief. Photographs supplied by an owner are labelled Owner photo.
What do picture car hire, picture car rental, action vehicles and background vehicles mean?
Picture car hire is the usual UK term; picture car rental is common in the US. Both describe sourcing vehicles for the screen. Action vehicles have something to do in the scene, such as driving, chasing or carrying cast; stunts need specialist planning. Background vehicles dress the scene, such as cars parked along a street.