All You Need To Know About Parking in Dubai: Charges, Zones & More

Dubai now has more than 50,000 parking spots that are easy to find and pay for, as well as free spots that can save you hundreds of dirhams a month.

Meanwhile, the Roads and Transport Authority keeps everything up to date so that both residents and visitors can quickly find parking spots without spending a lot of money. Also, getting around the city has never been easier, thanks to new zone updates and better digital payment options.

In this guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about parking fees, zone codes, where to find free parking, how to pay, and smart ways to avoid getting fined. 

We even cover everything from the cheapest places to park, where you only pay AED 2 per hour, to the best places to park near major attractions. 

What Are Dubai Parking Zone Codes?

Dubai has a letter-based system that makes parking easy. Each letter tells you what kind of area you’re in and how much it will cost.

• Main zones: A, B, C, D cover most of Dubai
• Premium zones: AP, BP, CP, DP (same areas, better spots, higher prices)
• Special zones: E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L (unique areas with their own rules)
• Zone codes: Numbers + letters on orange signs (like “123A” or “456GP”)

The letter part is what matters for pricing, and the numbers just tell you the exact location within that zone.

Better to know that premium zones (with “P“) cost more but give you:

• Spots closer to metro stations
• Better access to shopping and business areas
• Less walking to your destination

Let me show you where to find each zone across Dubai. 

Zone Code	Area Type	Main Locations	Typical Use
A/AP	Business Centers	Downtown, Business Bay, Deira offices	Work meetings, corporate visits
B/BP	Shopping Areas	Al Fahidi, Deira Creek, commercial lots	Shopping trips, longer stays
C/CP	Living Areas	Al Barsha, residential neighborhoods	Visiting friends, apartment stays
D/DP	Outer Areas	Al Qusais, Al Nahda, budget zones	Long-term parking, day trips
E	Office Towers	Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT)	Business meetings, metro access
F	Tech Companies	Media City, Internet City	Creative agencies, tech visits
GP	Tourist Areas	Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall	Sightseeing, famous attractions
H	Tech Parks	Dubai Silicon Oasis	IT companies, tech workers

Zone A/AP: Business Areas in Dubai

Zone A includes the main business areas of Dubai. 

• The DIFC area in downtown Dubai
• Towers and office buildings in Business Bay
• Deira’s business district and areas for trade
• Big business centers and corporate hubs

Standard Parking Charges

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
30 minutes	AED 2	AED 2
1 hour	AED 4	AED 4
2 hours	AED 8	AED 8
3 hours	AED 12	AED 12
4 hours	AED 16	AED 16

Premium Parking Charges

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
30 minutes	AED 2	AED 3
1 hour	AED 4	AED 6
2 hours	AED 8	AED 12
3 hours	AED 12	AED 18
4 hours	AED 16	AED 24

Operating Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8 AM to 10 PM

Best Time to Park: Off-peak hours (10 AM-4 PM, 8 PM-10 PM) save money on premium spots

Zone B/BP: Commercial Parking in Dubai

Zone B has more room and longer parking spots, which is good for shopping trips or when you need to stay most of the day. Zone B includes:

• The historical and cultural area of Al Fahidi
• Deira Creek shopping and souks district
• Large commercial parking lots and complexes
• Business centers with their own parking lots

Standard Parking Charges

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
1 hour	AED 3	AED 4
2 hours	AED 6	AED 8
3 hours	AED 9	AED 12
4 hours	AED 12	AED 16
5 hours	AED 15	AED 20
24 hours	AED 30	AED 30

Premium Parking Charges

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
1 hour	AED 3	AED 6
2 hours	AED 6	AED 12
3 hours	AED 9	AED 18
4 hours	AED 12	AED 24
5 hours	AED 15	AED 30
24 hours	AED 40	AED 40

Zone D/DP: Budget-Friendly Parking In Dubai

Zone D comes with the lowest parking rates in Dubai and is in the outer residential areas, where you get the most for your money. The neighbourhoods in zon3 D are:

• Al Qusais family residential community
• Al Nahda neighborhoods and housing areas
• Outer residential districts and suburbs
• Budget-friendly areas further from the city center

Standard Parking Charges

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
1 hour	AED 2	AED 4
2 hours	AED 4	AED 8
3 hours	AED 5	AED 12
4 hours	AED 7	AED 16
24 hours	AED 20	AED 20

Premium Parking Charges

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
1 hour	AED 2	AED 6
2 hours	AED 4	AED 12
3 hours	AED 5	AED 18
4 hours	AED 7	AED 24
24 hours	AED 30	AED 30

Monthly Calculation Charges for Zone D

• Daily parking (full day): AED 20-30
• Weekly parking (5 days): AED 100-150
• Monthly parking (22 working days): AED 440-660

Special Zones: Unique Areas with Their Own Rules

Each of these zones has its own prices and rules that apply to certain parts of Dubai.

Zone E (Jumeirah Lakes Towers) 

JLT is full of office buildings and has great metro access for people who work there.

Duration	Rate (All Day)
1 hour	AED 10
2 hours	AED 20
3 hours	AED 30
4 hours	AED 40

Best For: Office meetings, metro access, business in JLT towers

Zone F (Technology and Media Hub)

Creative agencies and tech companies are based in Dubai Media City and Internet City.

Duration	Rate (All Day)
30 minutes	AED 2
1 hour	AED 4
2 hours	AED 8
3 hours	AED 12
4 hours	AED 16
24 hours	AED 32

Zone GP (Tourist and Attraction Areas)

Covers famous spots like Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall, where tourists and locals go for entertainment.

Duration	Off-Peak Rate	Peak Rate
1 hour	AED 4	AED 6
2 hours	AED 8	AED 12
3 hours	AED 12	AED 18
4 hours	AED 16	AED 24

Zone H (Technology Park)

Dubai Silicon Oasis serves IT companies and technology businesses with affordable rates.

Duration	Rate (All Day)
30 minutes	AED 2
1 hour	AED 4
2 hours	AED 8
3 hours	AED 12
4 hours	AED 16

JLT Extended Zones (I, J, K, L)

Jumeirah Lakes Towers has multiple zone codes for different building clusters and parking needs.

Zone I (Premium JLT):

Duration	Rate
1 hour	AED 10
2 hours	AED 20
3 hours	AED 30
Maximum stay	3 hours

Zone J (Standard JLT):

Duration	Off-Peak	Peak
30 minutes	AED 2	AED 3
1 hour	AED 4	AED 6
2 hours	AED 8	AED 12
3 hours	AED 12	AED 18

Zone K (Extended Stay JLT):

Duration	Off-Peak	Peak
1 hour	AED 4	AED 6
4 hours	AED 16	AED 24
24 hours	AED 40	AED 40

How Much Does Dubai Charge for Parking in 2025?

Parking costs in Dubai depend on where you park and when you park.  The main parking charges you’ll have to deal with are:

Parking Type	Rate	When It Applies
Peak hour rates	AED 4-6 per hour	8-10 AM & 4-8 PM
Off-peak rates	AED 2-4 per hour	10 AM-4 PM & 8-10 PM
Multi-storey car parks	AED 5 per hour	All day, every day
Special events	AED 25 per hour	Near Dubai World Trade Centre
Parking fines	AED 100-1000	When rules are broken

Most people park during normal business hours and pay between AED 2 and 6 an hour. But the exact amount depends on where you are and when you park.

All Zone Parking Charges 

Most zones use peak and off-peak pricing, while special zones usually have flat rates. 

Zone	Area Type	Peak Rate Range	Off-Peak Rate Range	Max Duration	Best For
A	Business Districts	AED 2-24/hour	AED 2-16/hour	4 hours	Office meetings, business
B	Commercial Lots	AED 4-40/hour	AED 3-30/hour	24 hours	Shopping, long stays
C	Residential	AED 4-24/hour	AED 2-11/hour	4 hours	Visiting friends, apartments
D	Budget Areas	AED 4-30/hour	AED 2-20/hour	24 hours	Long-term, budget parking
E	JLT Towers	AED 10-40/hour	AED 10-40/hour	4 hours	Office work, metro access
F	Tech Hub	AED 2-32/hour	AED 2-32/hour	24 hours	Media companies, tech visits
GP	Tourist Areas	AED 6-24/hour	AED 4-16/hour	4 hours	Attractions, Dubai Mall
H	Tech Park	AED 2-16/hour	AED 2-16/hour	4 hours	IT companies, Silicon Oasis

Premium vs Standard Parking Charges in Dubai

Dubai has two types of paid parking in each zone. 

Feature	Standard Parking	Premium Parking
Location	✅ Regular streets	✅ Near metro stations
Availability	✅ More spaces available	❌ Limited spaces
Walking Distance	❌ Further from attractions	✅ Close to main spots
Peak Hour Rate	✅ AED 4 per hour	❌ AED 6 per hour
Off-Peak Rate	✅ AED 2-4 per hour	❌ AED 2-6 per hour
Business Areas	✅ Quieter commercial zones	✅ Busy shopping districts
Metro Access	❌ 500+ meters from metro	✅ Within 500 meters
Time Limits	✅ Usually 4 hours max	✅ Usually 4 hours max
Payment Methods	✅ All methods accepted	✅ All methods accepted
Best For	✅ Budget-conscious parkers	✅ Convenience seekers

RTA Parking Card Monthly Charges

Monthly parking cards help you save money if you park regularly in the same areas. RTA offers two types of seasonal cards with different coverage levels.

Plots Only Cards

These cards work only in parking lots (not street parking):

Duration	Price
1 month	AED 250
3 months	AED 700
6 months	AED 1,300
12 months	AED 2,400

Roadside + Plots Cards

These cards work for both street parking and parking lots:

Duration	Price
1 month	AED 500
3 months	AED 1,400
6 months	AED 2,500
12 months	AED 4,500

Shopping Mall Parking Locations in Dubai

There are 45,000 parking spaces in Dubai malls. Fifteen thousand of them are always free, and 30,000 of them are free for a limited time before charging progressive rates.

Completely Free Mall Parking in Dubai

5 major shopping centers never charge parking fees.

Mall Name	Total Spaces	Daily Capacity	Annual Savings per Visit
Ibn Battuta Mall	4,200 spaces	8,000 visitors	AED 20-40 saved
Festival City Mall	3,800 spaces	7,200 visitors	AED 15-30 saved
Nakheel Mall	2,100 spaces	4,500 visitors	AED 20-35 saved
City Centre Mirdif	2,500 spaces	5,000 visitors	AED 15-25 saved
Mercato Mall	950 spaces	2,000 visitors	AED 25-45 saved

Mall Parking in Dubai with Time Limits & Charges

Popular destination malls let you stay for free for 2 to 6 hours before they start charging more for longer stays, which can cost up to AED 500.

Limited Free Hours System

Mall Name	Free Hours	4-Hour Total Cost	8-Hour Total Cost
Dubai Mall	4 hrs (weekdays) / 6 hrs (weekends)	AED 0-20	AED 100-200
Mall of the Emirates	4 hours daily	AED 20	AED 100
City Centre Deira	3 hours daily	AED 40	AED 120
BurJuman Mall	3 hours daily	AED 20	AED 100
Dubai Marina Mall	3 hours daily	AED 20	AED 80

Most premium malls charge AED 20 for hours 4-5, AED 40-60 for hours 6-7, and AED 100+ for all-day parking. Dubai Mall reaches AED 500 for 12+ hour stays.

Parking Time in Dubai: Hours & Peak Times

RTA takes care of parking for 98 hours a week, but only 70 of those hours need to be paid for.  

Standard RTA Parking Hours:

• Paid hours: 8 AM to 10 PM (14 hours daily, Monday-Saturday)
• Free hours: 10 PM to 8 AM (10 hours daily, every night)
• Free day: All 24 hours Sunday (complete break from charges)
• Operating days: 6 paid days, 1 free day weekly

Holiday Timing Benefits: Dubai announces 8 to 12 public holidays each year, which means 192 to 288 hours of free parking. I

Peak vs Off-Peak Parking Times & Charges

Dubai’s peak pricing affects 15,000 premium parking spaces.

Peak Hours (Higher Charges):

• Morning rush: 8:00 AM – 10:00 AM (2 hours of maximum rates)
• Evening rush: 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM (4 hours of busy period pricing)
• Impact: 6 out of 14 daily hours cost more in premium areas
• Rate increase: AED 2-4 extra per hour in premium zones

Off-Peak Hours (Standard Charges):

• Midday calm: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM (6 hours of regular pricing)
• Evening wind-down: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM (2 hours before free period)
• Savings opportunity: 8 hours daily with lower premium rates
• Benefit: Up to 40% savings compared to peak pricing

Free Time (Zero Charges):

• Night period: 10:00 PM – 8:00 AM (10 hours completely free)
• Weekend break: All 24 hours Sunday (weekly free day)
• Holiday bonus: 8-12 full days yearly at zero cost

Your Parking Bill by Timing

Parking Time	Zone A Premium (1 hour)	Zone D Standard (1 hour)	Daily Savings Potential
Peak hours	AED 6	AED 4	Parking in Zone D saves AED 2
Off-peak hours	AED 4	AED 2	Choosing off-peak saves AED 4
Free hours	AED 0	AED 0	Night parking saves AED 6
Sundays	AED 0	AED 0	Sunday saves AED 56-84 daily

When Is Parking Free in Dubai? (Complete Schedule)

Dubai has more than 150 hours of free parking every week. So, if you time it right, you can save more than AED 200 a month on parking costs.

Free Parking Timing in Dubai 

Day/Time	Free Parking Status	Coverage
Sundays	Free all day (24 hours)	All 8 RTA zones
Monday-Saturday (10 PM – 8 AM)	Free overnight (10 hours daily)	All RTA zones
Public Holidays	Free all day	All RTA zones
Ramadan Evenings	Free during Iftar (2 hours)	Most zones
Eid Periods	Free for 3-4 days straight	All RTA zones

UAE Public Holidays (Free Parking Days):

• New Year’s Day 
• Arafat Day
• Eid Al Adha 
• UAE National Day
• Prophet Mohammed’s Birthday
• Laylat Al Miraj 

Ramadan Special Timings: During Ramadan (March to April 2025), parking is free from 6 PM to 8 PM in 90% of areas. 

Money-Saving Facts:

• Free hours total 6,240 annually per parking space
• Average savings: AED 150-300 per month for regular parkers
• Sunday alone saves AED 40-120, depending on your usual zone

Free Parking Locations in Dubai

Dubai has 15 permanent free parking lots that can hold over 25,000 cars a day without any time limits or extra fees.

Completely Free Shopping Malls

• Ibn Battuta Mall: 4,200 spaces, never charges, the largest free mall parking
• Festival City Mall: 3,800 spaces, outdoor parking, boats, and events nearby
• Nakheel Mall: 2,100 spaces, family area, Palm Jumeirah access
• City Centre Mirdif: 2,500 spaces, community focus, rarely full
• Mercato Mall: 950 spaces, Jumeirah heart, Italian shopping village

Free Public Parks and Recreation Areas

• Zabeel Park: 800 spaces, Dubai Frame views, AED 5 entry saves AED 20+ parking
• Safa Park: 600 spaces, jogging track, family weekends popular
• Al Mamzar Park: 500 spaces, beach plus greenery, weekend favorite
• Dubai Miracle Garden: 400 spaces, seasonal operation, tourist magnet
• Mushrif Park: 300 spaces, picnic areas, barbecue facilities available

Free Beach Area Parking

• Jumeirah Open Beach: 200 street spaces, early arrival essential
• Sunset Beach: 80 spaces near Burj Al Arab, fills by 10 AM weekends
• La Mer Beach: 150 free spots, 300 paid spaces also available
• Black Palace Beach: 120 spaces, local favorite, quieter option

Metro Stations with Free Parking

• UAE Exchange Metro Station: 50 spaces, on a first-come basis
• Etisalat Metro Station: 35 spaces, business area access
• Airport Terminal 3 Metro: 100 spaces for metro users only
• Centrepoint Metro Station: 25 spaces, shopping area connection

How to Pay for Parking in Dubai?

You have many different options to pay for parking in Dubai.

1- SMS Payment (7275) 

Send to 7275: [Plate Number][Space][Zone Code][Space][Duration in Hours] Real examples for each zone:

• Zone A: “ABC123 456A 2” (2 hours in Zone A)
• Zone B: “XYZ789 123B 4” (4 hours in Zone B)
• Zone C: “DEF456 789C 1” (1 hour in Zone C)
• Zone D: “GHI789 321D 3” (3 hours in Zone D)
• Zone GP: “JKL012 555GP 2” (2 hours Downtown)

Confirmation Message Response: 

“Your parking has been activated for [Duration] hours in zone [Code]. Expires at [Time]. To extend, reply Y. Ref: [Number]”

SMS Costs:

• Parking fee (varies by zone) + AED 0.30 SMS charge
• Example: 1 hour Zone A = AED 4.30 total
• Extension messages = AED 0.30 each

2- RTA Dubai App 

To get started, download the free “RTA Dubai” app from the App Store or Google Play. Then, use your phone number and email address to make an account. 

Next, you’ll need to add a credit or debit card to make payments and also turn on location services so the app can find out where you are. 

Finally, make sure to turn on push notifications for reminders.

Payment Step-by-Step 

1. Open the app and tap “Parking”
2. App detects your location and zone automatically
3. Enter your license plate number
4. Select parking duration (30 minutes to 4 hours)
5. Review the total cost displayed
6. Tap “Pay” and confirm payment
7. Digital receipt appears immediately

How to Extend Parking?

• Open the app and go to “Active Parking”
• Tap “Extend” next to your current session
• Choose the additional time needed
• Confirm extended payment
• New expiry time updates automatically

3- WhatsApp Payment (+971 58 800 9090) 

WhatsApp parking started in 2024 and now handles payments every month through Dubai’s official Mahboub chatbot system.

Message Format and Examples

Send to +971 58 800 9090: [Plate][Space][Zone][Space][Hours]

• “ABC123 456A 2” for 2 hours in Zone A
• “XYZ789 123GP 1” for 1 hour Downtown
• “DEF456 789D 4” for 4 hours in Zone D

You should first save the number +971 58 800 9090 as “Dubai Parking” in your contacts. 

Once you do that, just send “Hi” to start a conversation with Mahboub, Dubai’s friendly parking bot. It will help you through the whole process step by step. 

After following the on-screen instructions to sign up and choose a payment method (sadly, you’ll need a credit card for this), you should try parking for 30 minutes to make sure everything works before committing to longer sessions.

Advantages Over SMS

• No extra AED 0.30 charge per message
• Rich text confirmations with maps
• Photo receipts for record keeping
• Easy extension with simple commands
• Multilingual support (Arabic/English)

4- NOL Cards (Metro Card System) Payment

The NOL card is Dubai’s main transportation card, and it works great for parking as well. You can get one at any metro station for AED 25, which includes AED 20 in credit to start you off. You just need to tap the card on the orange readers at parking meters and choose your time. Just this.

• Buy your card at any metro station for AED 25 (comes with AED 20 already loaded)
• Add more money anytime; minimum AED 10, maximum AED 500
• Just tap the card on the orange machine at your parking spot
• Press buttons to choose how long you want to park
• A receipt comes out automatically 

5- Parking Machines (Coin Payment)

Sometimes, the old-fashioned way is the best backup when technology decides to go wrong. These machines only take AED 1 and 50 fils coins, so make sure you have the right amount of change because they won’t give you any back. 

It’s pretty easy to do: just put in your coins, choose a time, get the ticket, and put it on your dashboard where everyone can see it. Keep in mind that:

• Only accept coins worth AED 1 and 50 fils
• Bring the exact amount; no change will be given.
• Put in coins, choose how long you want to stay, and get your ticket.
• Make sure the paper ticket is easy to see on the dashboard.

6- Parking Cards with Money Up Front

You can find these small plastic lifesavers at most big stores in the city, such as Carrefour, ADNOC, and ENOC stations. 

They are available in useful amounts of AED 30, AED 50, or AED 100, and they work just like a prepaid phone card. 

Simply put in the card, choose how long you want to park, and watch your balance go down. Plus, you can see how much credit you have left right on the meter display.

RFID Bank Cards for Parking in Dubai

If you have a local bank card from Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB, or CBD, you probably already have everything you need to use this new way to pay. Just tap your card on the NFC reader, and the payment will be processed in about three seconds. 

You’ll also get a text message confirming your order, and everything will be neatly listed on your monthly bank statement.

Dubai Parking Fines & Penalties

RTA punishes 12 major parking violations with fines of AED 100 to AED 1,000, and for the worst offenses, they may even take your car away.

Violation Type	Fine Amount	Points	Frequency	Impact
Not paying the parking fee/ticket is not visible	AED 150	0	Most common	Most frequent violation
Overstaying paid time	AED 100	0	Very common	Second most frequent
Exceeding maximum hours	AED 100	0	Common	4-hour limit violations
Blocking pavement/sidewalk	AED 200	2	Occasional	Pedestrian safety risk
Parking in forbidden areas	AED 200	2	Occasional	No-parking zones
Vehicle without a number plate	AED 1,000	4	Rare	Serious identification issue
Misusing reserved parking	AED 1,000	4	Rare	VIP/official spots
Disabled parking misuse	AED 1,000	4	Rare	Accessibility violation
Damaging parking equipment	AED 1,000	4	Very rare	Vandalism charges
Parking in fire lanes	AED 1,000	6	Very rare	Emergency access
Commercial vehicle in a residential area	AED 500	3	Very rare	Zone restrictions

How to Pay Fines & Legal Consequences

5 online payment methods include:

1. RTA website: www.rta.ae/wps/portal (24/7 access)
2. RTA mobile app: Instant payment with receipt
3. Dubai Police website: www.dubaipolice.gov.ae
4. Dubai Now app: Government services integration
5. Bank websites: Emirates NBD, ADCB, FAB online banking

Payment requirements are:

• Traffic file number (found on fine notice)
• Vehicle plate number and category
• Fine reference number
• Valid credit/debit card for payment

What Happens if You Don’t Pay Your Fines?

If you don’t pay that AED 150 ticket, the government pretty much stops everything until you do.

It starts by blocking your car registration, so you can’t refresh it or make any changes to it. Then you won’t be able to update your Emirates ID either, which means you can’t do most legal things.

Also, if your unpaid fines get to AED 10,000 (and they’re adding up faster than you thought), you can’t travel anymore. Suddenly, you can’t go on that work trip or weekend break until you get everything in order.

Bad news, but people even go to court when they owe AED 5,000 in fines. But the worst thing that could happen is that they take your car away and charge you daily storage fees until you pay. 

FAQs