Dubai is one of the favorite emirates of the UAE among car lovers. The city and its surroundings are equipped with all the infrastructure required for comfortable driving. Tourists enjoy using car rental services here, while those who stay in Dubai for long periods of time rarely ignore having a private vehicle.
Despite the well thought-out infrastructure, many visitors of the city have difficulties with parking. Before the trip, it is important to discover the zones and categories of parking areas, the available methods for paying the corresponding fees, and the possible fines for breaking the vehicle-related regulations.
Parking Zones in Dubai
In total, there are eleven different parking zones in Dubai. The division is based on their location and purpose. Each zone has different rules associated with its usage. For instance, some of them may have different maximum periods of parking that is allowed there.
Zone A
Zone A includes roadside parkings in some of the busiest areas of Dubai. They are available from Monday to Sunday. The lots open at 8 am and close at 10 pm, while the total price depends on the period the lots are used for. The price for the corresponding number of hours will be:
- 2 AED for 30 minutes;
- 4 AED for one hour;
- 8 AED for two hours;
- 12 AED for three hours;
- 16 AED for four hours.
Zone B
The rules associated with using Zone B parking lots are almost identically the same. These areas are also located in busy parts of the city, but they are placed in locations that are noticeably less demanded by drivers. Their schedule is also the same: they open at 8 am and close at 10 pm. The prices here are as follows:
- 3 AED for one hour;
- 6 AED for two hours;
- 9 AED for three hours;
- 12 AED for four hours;
- 15 AED for five hours;
- 20 AED for 24 hours.
Zone C
Zone C is associated with non-commercial areas. It mainly includes roadside lots within residential districts of the city. Similarly to the previous categories, the parking lots here work from 8 am to 10 pm. The price will also depend on the total period of using the area:
- 2 AED for one hour;
- 5 AED for two hours;
- 8 AED for three hours;
- 11 AED for four hours.
Zone D
Zone D is also devoted to non-commercial areas. It includes lots in residential districts such as Al Qusais and Al Nahda. The schedule here remains the same. It is possible to use them from 8 am all the way until 10 pm. The drivers will be interested to discover these parking lots are the cheapest. The prices here are:
- 2 AED for one hour;
- 4 AED for two hours;
- 5 AED for three hours;
- 7 AED for four hours;
- 10 AED for 24 hours.
Zone E
Parking lots in this category are located in special areas. The list includes both open-air lots and underground spaces. The interesting feature Zone E lots have is their schedule: they close at 11 pm. Similar to the previous zones, these spaces operate from Monday to Saturday. Underground spaces are free, whereas the price for using all the other lots in this zone will be:
- 4 AED for one hour;
- 8 AED for two hours;
- 12 AED for three hours;
- 16 AED for four hours.
Zone F
This category includes many parking areas in Tecom. It is worth mentioning that these parking spaces have reduced working hours. They open at 8 am like most other lots, but they close at 6 pm. The price for leaving a vehicle there will be:
- 2 AED for one hour;
- 5 AED for two hours;
- 8 AED for three hours;
- 11 AED for four hours.
Zone G
This zone includes some paid parking areas in the most desired parts of Dubai. They may be found near Burj Khalifa, Marasi Bay, and several other areas in the city. Drivers can leave their vehicles here from Monday to Saturday. The lost are open from 8 am to 10 pm with no breaks in between. The price will also depend on the total number of hours:
- 4 AED for one hour;
- 8 AED for two hours;
- 12 AED for three hours;
- 16 AED for four hours.
Zone H
This category features parking areas in Dubai Silicon Oasis. Similarly to some other zones, these spaces allow parking for 30 minutes. The schedule here is the same as in Zone G: the lots open at 8 am and close at 10 pm and operate from Monday to Saturday. The price for using them will be:
- 2 AED for 30 minutes;
- 4 AED for one hour;
- 8 AED for two hours;
- 12 AED for three hours;
- 16 AED for four hours.
Zone I
The three remaining zones include parking lots in the Jumeirah Lake Tower area. Zone I parkings are the most demanded ones, and the maximum parking time here is limited to three hours. They operate according to the regular schedule: from 8 am to 10 pm from Monday to Saturday. Because of the high demand, parking here is correspondingly more expensive:
- 10 AED for one hour;
- 20 AED for two hours;
- 30 AED for three hours.
Zone J
Similarly to the previous zone, the maximum usage of these parking lots is limited to three hours. They operate from Monday to Saturday. The spaces open at 8 am and close at 10 pm without any breaks in between. Zone J allows for 30-minute parking. The prices here are:
- 2 AED for 30 minutes;
- 4 AED for one hour;
- 8 AED for two hours;
- 12 AED for three hours.
Zone K
The last zone on the list also supports 30-minute parking. The main feature of these spaces relates to the extended maximum usage period. The areas operate from 8 am to 10 pm from Monday to Saturday, while the price for leaving a vehicle here will be:
- 2 AED for 30 minutes;
- 4 AED for one hour;
- 8 AED for two hours;
- 12 AED for three hours;
- 16 AED for four hours;
- 20 AED for five hours;
- 24 AED for six hours;
- 28 AED for seven hours:
- 32 AED for 24 hours.
Categories of Parking Lots in Dubai
Aside from different zones, parking lots in Dubai are also assigned to one of the two categories. The information regarding the area’s category may be useful while paying for parking. The good news is that it is rather easy to navigate here. It will be enough to remember the districts of the first category.
Category One
This category features several areas in Deira, Bur Dubai and Jumeirah. The most popular destinations assigned to Category One are Port Saeed, Deira fish market, Oud Metha, Al Souq Al Kabeer, and Jumeirah Beach Residence.
Category Two
The second category features all the other paid parking lots in Dubai and its surroundings. The price for using them hasn’t changed for a while, the only exception being related to multi-storey parking spaces. The tariff for them has grown to 5 AED per hour.
How to Pay for Parking in Dubai?
The system of paying the parking tariffs in Dubai is well thought-out. It is rather intuitive, so the drivers won’t have to spend too much time figuring out how it works. There are many payment methods they can choose from. It is possible to use smartphones, prepaid cards, or special machines placed in every parking lot.
Mobile App
The most convenient option to pay the parking tariffs regularly relates to using the mobile application. The program is called Dubai Drive and is available on Android and iOS. The users can find them in Google Play Market and App Store respectively.
The program is intuitive and user-friendly. After downloading the software, the drivers will need to add their vehicle there. When using paid parking lots, it will be enough to enter the corresponding information to the app and pay the tariff.
Parking Machines
All parking lots in Dubai and its surroundings are equipped with special machines for paying the tariff. The devices accept different coins and print out tickets after the tariff is paid. It is worth mentioning that the drivers should pin these tickets to the windshield of their vehicle when using paid parking lots. This is a great option for a one-time payment, but for those who use the areas regularly, it might be more convenient to select another method.
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards for parking lots are available in many stores in Dubai. They might have a face value of 30 AED, 50 AED, or 100 AED. To pay the parking tariff, it is necessary to insert the card to the machine described in the previous section. It will deduct the tariff from the card’s balance. It might be the most comfortable option for tourists, as such a prepaid car can easily last for the entire vacation.
Seasonal Cards
Seasonal cards are available for parking lots in the most desired areas of Dubai (Zone A and Zone B). They work similarly to prepaid cards. The only significant difference is that seasonal cards don’t have any face value. They provide the driver with unlimited parking on the specified lots for the entire period of their validity. The assortment includes cards for three months, six months and twelve months.
NOL Cards
NOL cards are another convenient payment method for those who use parking lots in Dubai regularly. After obtaining such a card, it will be necessary to top-up its balance. Expectedly, the tariff will be deducted from the balance every time the driver uses a parking lot.
SMS Payments
For drivers, who are not comfortable with any of the previous options, there is an opportunity to pay the tariff with the help of an SMS message. For the system to work, it is important to send a message of the correct format to 7275. The text should include the license plate number, the number of the parking area, and the number of hours. The example of such a message would be “X11111 017A 3”.
In case the format is correct, the driver will receive a confirmation message within five minutes. The tariff is deducted from the phone balance, so it is important to have a sufficient amount of funds there. There is an additional service available for this payment method. It is possible to set up SMS notifications that would remind the driver to prolong their parking period, in case the vehicle is still on a paid parking lot, and the time starts to run out.
Payments via WhatsApp
An alternative option is to use WhatsApp, however, a local SIM-card will still be needed to use it, as the funds will be deducted from its balance. To pay via WhatsApp, the driver will need to send the message of the same format to 971588009090. This will enable the user to save the fee charged for sending an SMS message.
RFID Bank Cards
The parking machines in Dubai also accept credit and debit cards equipped with RFID chips. It will be enough to hover such a card over the machine to deduct the tariff from its balance. After doing so, the machine will print a ticket that has to be pinned to the windshield of the car.
NFC
The last option is to benefit from the NFC technology that is implemented to most modern smartphones. To pay the tariff, the driver will simply need to hover their smartphone over the terminal and confirm the transaction. The Near Field Communication technology is available on Android and Apple devices, although it is necessary to link the card in the settings of the device.
Fines Associated with Parking in Dubai
As in any other country, the drivers in the United Arab Emirates may be fined for violating parking regulations. Thus, it is necessary to pay close attention to these regulations and avoid parking your vehicle improperly. The most common violations as well as the corresponding penalties will be reviewed in this section.
Not Paying for Parking
Arguably the most common mistake of drivers in Dubai is failing to pay the parking tariff. In such a situation, local inspectors may issue a fine of 150 AED. It is also possible to receive such a fine in case the driver fails to attach the ticket from the parking machine to the windshield of their vehicle.
Exceeding the Parking Limit
This fine is issued in case the vehicle is left in the parking lot after the maximum allowed period expires. Some zones have a fixed maximum period of time they can be used for, and failing to comply with it will cost the drivers 100 AED. A similar fine is issued, in case the actual parking time exceeds the number of hours the driver paid for.
Misusing the Parking Lot
This fine is applied to drivers who obstruct traffic in the parking area or misuse the parking otherwise. The penalty for making such a violation equals 200 AED.
Parking in Pedestrian Areas
In case the car is parked on the sidewalk, it is considered a violation as well. The fine for parking on sidewalks and in other pedestrian areas equals 200 AED. A similar fine is issued for parking in other restricted areas.
Parking Without a License Plate
Parking a vehicle that does not have a license plate is considered a more serious violation. In such a situation, the driver will have to pay a fine of 1,000 AED.
Parking in Reserved Spaces
This category includes parking in places for special needs and in other reserved areas. The good news is that such special places have corresponding marks on the roadway, making them very noticeable. In case the driver leaves their vehicle in such an area, they will have to pay a fine of 1,000 AED. The fine is issued even if the driver had a permission for using the reserved area, but the permission has expired.
Causing Damage
The legislation in Dubai also has penalties for causing various damages to the equipment of the parking areas. The fines are issued for damaging the parking machines, information signs, and other equipment. The standard amount the driver will have to pay in such a situation is 1,000 AED.
Fines for Umbrellas
Some tourists like placing portable umbrellas to have their vehicles covered in a shadow. In Dubai, it is forbidden to do so, as it creates inconveniences for other users of the paid parking lot. The fine for placing a portable umbrella over the car will equal 1,000 AED.
FAQ
When is parking in Dubai free?
Parking in Dubai is free on Sundays and during many holidays throughout the year.
When does the tariff have to be paid?
The tariff has to be paid within the operational hours of the parking lot. Parking spaces in most zones open at 8 am and close at 10 pm.
What is the maximum period a vehicle can be parked for?
For different spaces, the maximum number of parking hours may vary. The majority of paid roadside parking lots have a maximum limit of four hours. Most other paid parking lots allow parking for 24 hours. In case the driver needs to leave their vehicle for a longer period of time, it is possible to use a multi-storey parking. Such areas have a maximum limit of 30 days.
How to discover the zone of a specific parking lot?
To discover the zone and all the other important information about a specific parking lot, it is necessary to find an orange sign. It features all the details about the zone and the rules for parking there. Such signs are available on every parking lot in Dubai and its surroundings.