Parking lots in the UAE

In Dubai, there are both paid and free parking areas, which can be recognized by the corresponding signs. Leaving your car in an unauthorized place is not recommended, as fines are issued for such violations.

Types of Parking Zones

There are 11 types of parking zones in Dubai, each with different purposes and locations, and each has its own specific rules.

Zone A

This zone consists of roadside parking in commercial areas of Dubai. These parking lots are available every day except Sundays, from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, and the parking price is determined by the duration of your stay (ranging from 2 AED for 30 minutes to 16 AED for 4 hours).

Zone B

These zones are similar to Zone A, except they have lower occupancy rates and lower costs (ranging from 3 AED per hour to 20 AED for a full day).

Zone C

These parking lots are located in non-commercial areas. They are roadside parking in residential areas of Dubai, with similar operating hours. The cost varies from 2 to 11 AED for 1-4 hours.

Zone D

These zones are also non-commercial and include parts of residential areas, including Al Kusais and Al Nahda. The schedule is standard, and Zone D parking is characterized by a minimum cost of 2-10 AED for 1-24 hours.

Zone E

Parking spaces in Zone E have a special status and include both open-air and underground parking lots. An important difference is the extended working hours until 11:00 PM. Underground zones are free, while leaving your car in the open area incurs a fee ranging from 4 to 16 AED for 1-4 hours.

Zone F

This zone includes many areas in the Tecom district. These parking lots have a shorter working schedule until 6:00 PM. The service cost varies from 2 to 11 AED for 1-4 hours.

Zone G

These zones consist of paid parking lots in busy areas of Dubai (such as Burj Khalifa and Marasi Bay). The operating hours are standard, and a similar fee is charged for leaving your car as in Zone E.

Zone H

This includes parking lots in Dubai Silicon Oasis. You can park your car for either half an hour (2 AED) or 4 hours (16 AED).

Zone I

These are parking lots in Dubai within the Jumeirah Lake Tower area. These parking lots are considered priority parking, where you can leave your car for 1, 2, or 3 hours, with each 60 minutes costing 10 dirhams.

Zone J

Similar to Zone I, these parking lots allow parking for half an hour and have a lower payment rate, ranging from 2 to 12 AED.

Zone K

The last type of parking spaces where you can park your car for periods ranging from half an hour to a full day, with prices ranging from 2 to 32 dirhams.

Parking Categories in Dubai

In addition to zones, parking in Dubai is divided into two groups.

Category 1

This category includes parking in the Deira, Bur Dubai, and Jumeirah areas. The most popular parking lots in this group include Port Saeed, Deira Fish Market, Oud Metha, Al Souk Al Kabir, and Jumeirah Beach Residence.

Category 2

This group comprises all other paid parking lots in the city. The payment for usage remains constant, but the tariff for multi-story parking lots was recently increased from 3 to 5 AED per hour.

How to Pay for Parking in Dubai?

The payment for parking in Dubai has a well-thought-out and straightforward system, with various options available.

Mobile App

The most convenient way to regularly pay for parking is the Dubai Drive mobile application, which is available on smartphones with Android and iOS (can be downloaded from PlayMarket or AppStore). The software has an intuitive interface: after registering your vehicle, if you are using paid parking, you simply provide the necessary information and make the payment, following the built-in instructions.

Payment Terminals

Many parking areas in Dubai and the UAE are equipped with payment terminals that accept coins ranging from 1 AED to 50 fils. When making payments, these terminals issue tickets. When leaving the car, the driver needs to attach the received ticket to the windshield. This method is convenient for one-time parking occasions.

Prepaid Cards

Many shopping complexes in Dubai offer prepaid parking cards for purchase. The denominations of these payment vouchers are 30, 50, or 100 AED. To pay, the card is inserted into the corresponding machine, and the required amount is automatically deducted from it. This method is considered the most convenient for tourists, as one voucher often covers the entire vacation.

Seasonal Cards

For parking payment in Zones A and B, you can use seasonal cards, which work in the same way as prepaid vouchers. The only difference is the absence of a fixed balance. These cards allow you to pay for parking over an extended period (3, 6, 12 months).

NOL Cards

Another very convenient option if you need regular parking. The NOL card requires topping up the balance with any amount, from which parking fees are deducted.

Payment via SMS

Drivers can pay for parking spaces in the center of Dubai or other areas through SMS messages. To do this, you need to send an SMS in the correct format to the number 7275. The message should contain the vehicle number, parking space, and zone without spaces, as well as the duration of the parking in the following format: 'H12345 014A 2'.

If entered correctly, you will receive a confirmation SMS within 5 minutes, and the money will be deducted from your mobile account. An additional service for SMS notifications about extending parking payment can be activated if needed.

Payment via WhatsApp

An alternative option is payment through WhatsApp. In this case, you still need to have a local SIM card for the deduction of funds. To make a payment, you need to send a message in a similar format to 971588009090. This method is more cost-effective as it saves 30 Fils compared to sending an SMS.

Bank Cards with RFID

Every machine in the airport and other parts of Dubai's parking facilities supports payment with bank cards thanks to built-in RFID chips. Such cards are simply tapped to the machines for payment. Unfortunately, Russian cards do not currently work in Dubai.

NFC Payment

The latest option is payment through NFC technology on a smartphone with Android and iOS. To make the payment, you simply tap your phone to the terminal and confirm the payment. This requires linking your bank card in the smartphone settings.

Free Parking

If you've rented a car, you can park it for free in Dubai in the following areas:

1. City parking lots during the nighttime, and on Fridays and holidays, parking is free 24/7.
2. Areas near some cafes, restaurants, hotels, shopping centers (provided you are a customer).
3. Construction areas without installed parking meters.

Penalties

It's worth noting that Dubai has specific traffic regulations, and violations can result in fines:

1. Unpaid parking fine - 150 AED ($40).
2. Failure to extend parking - 100 AED ($27).
3. Parking in unauthorized areas - 200 AED ($55).
4. Leaving a car in spaces for people with disabilities - 1000 AED ($270).
5. Idling the engine - 300 AED ($83).

To check for fines for a specific period, you can use the portal www.rta.ae. Fines can only be paid with a UAE bank card, so rental companies handle this task, and customers pay from their deposit.