How to Pay for Parking in Abu Dhabi by SMS

Abu Dhabi is a hub for tourism and trade, and the most advanced city in the GCC region. Its government has come up with brand-new ideas to provide advanced and sustainable citylife.

They have even thought of new ways to pay for parking across the city, including SMS parking payment.

You can easily use a text message to park in Abu Dhabi or extend your stay duration without using any app or credit card.

If you’re not familiar with this method, you’d better read this blog post to see how you can pay for parking in Abu Dhabi by SMS.

What Is Abu Dhabi SMS Parking?

Abu Dhabi has a smart parking system called Mawaqif. The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) has created this parking system to allow drivers to pay for public parking via text message without using parking meters or app installation.

When you send the SMS in the correct format, you receive a confirmation message, which is also your digital parking ticket.

The system works for everybody, including:

Abu Dhabi-registered vehicles
Cars from other UAE emirates
Rental vehicles

The good news is that you don’t need prior registration.

Why Drivers Prefer Abu Dhabi Parking SMS

The main reason why many residents and visitors use SMS parking is its simplicity. Here are the advantages of using Abu Dhabi parking SMS:

No coins or cash
No internet connection
No app download
Quick activation from inside your car
Easy renewal before expiry

It’s especially helpful for visitors or business travelers who don’t want to install local applications.

Step-by-Step: How to Put Parking in Abu Dhabi by SMS

The Abu Dhabi SMS parking payment process is really straightforward. Here is how to use it:

Step 1: Check the Parking Zone Code

First of all, you need to know the type of parking zone you’re in to include its code in your text message. There are two types of parking zones in Abu Dhabi:

Standard parking: These usually have black and blue curbs and have an S code.
Premium parking: This type of parking zone has white and turquoise curbs and has a P code.

You’ll need these S or P zone codes before sending the SMS.

Step 2: Learn Different Cities’ Codes

Each emirate in the UAE has a three-character code that you have to use in your parking SMS.

Here is the list of codes for different emirates:

AUH (Abu Dhabi)
SHJ (Sharjah)
AJM (Ajman)
RAK (Ras Al Khaimah)
UAQ (Umm Al Quwain)
FUJ (Fujairah)
DXB (Dubai)

Step 3: Know Your Plate Category

Each emirate in the UAE has a plate category for cars. Look at the following table to understand the difference between the logic of each emirate’s category of plate combined with the city code:

Emirate	Category Type	*Example (City & Plate Category)***
Abu Dhabi	Number (1, 2, …)	AUH3
Dubai	Letter (A, B, C…)	DXB A
Sharjah	Letter (A, B, C…)	SHJ B
Ajman	Letter (A, B, C…)	AJM C
Ras Al Khaimah	Letter (A, B, C…)	RAK A
Fujairah	Letter (A, B, C…)	FUJ B
Umm Al Quwain	Letter (A, B, C…)	UAQ A

As you can see, there is no space between AUH and the category number, while there is a space between other cities’ codes and category types.

Step 4: Learn the Correct Abu Dhabi Parking SMS Format

This is the most important part of SMS parking payment. You have to write a text message in the correct format.

The general SMS format for parking in Abu Dhabi is:

<City & Plate Category> <Plate Number> <Zone Code> <Duration>

Remember that you must include a space between each part of the SMS. Also, you have to write the duration of your stay in hours.

Let’s take a look at some examples to see how to write the correct parking SMS code:

Example for Abu Dhabi Registered Cars

If your vehicle is registered in Abu Dhabi and you want to stay for two hours in a standard parking zone, you have to write an SMS as:

AUH3 45678 S 2

Here is a breakdown of this text message:

AUH3 is the City & Category Type
45678 is your plate number
S is the parking zone type
2 is the duration in hours

Here is also a sample parking SMS for a premium parking zone:

AUH10 12345 P 1

As you can see, you should not leave any space between the emirate’s code (AUH) and your plate category type (10).

Example SMS Format for other Emirates’ Cars

If your car is registered in Dubai or Sharjah and you want to park in Abu Dhabi, you have to write your parking SMS as:

Dubai-registered car: DXB A 12345 S 2
Shajah-registered car: SHJ B 67890 P 1

As you see, there is a space between the emirate’s code and your plate category type (A, B, …).

Step 5: Wait for Confirmation

Within a few seconds, you will receive a confirmation message that includes:

Plate number
Zone
Paid duration
Expiry time

You must keep this message until the end of your parking session. If you don’t receive confirmation, you have to:

Check the message format
Confirm you used the correct zone
Ensure sufficient mobile credit
Resend the SMS

Step 6: Extend Parking Time

The good news is that you can extend your parking duration using SMS. You just need to send another SMS with the same format before your session expires.

The system will automatically extend your parking. Remember that if you don’t renew your parking session on time, you have to expect fines.

Abu Dhabi Parking Fees in 2026

Parking rates in Abu Dhabi depend on whether you are in a standard or premium zone.

Parking Type	Fee
Standard Parking	AED 2 per hour
Premium Parking	AED 3 per hour
Daily Maximum (where applicable)	Varies by zone

Free Parking Hours in Abu Dhabi

Parking is generally free during:

12:00 AM to 8:00 AM
Fridays
Official public holidays

Always check nearby signage, as some areas may vary.

Abu Dhabi Parking Fines

Not paying or sending incorrect details can lead to penalties.

Violation	Fine
No parking payment	AED 200
Wrong SMS format	AED 200
Expired parking time	AED 100
Parking in a restricted area	AED 500+
Blocking traffic or entrances	AED 500+

To avoid fines:

Double-check the zone number
Confirm plate details
Save your confirmation SMS
Renew before expiry

SMS Parking vs Other Payment Methods in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi provides multiple ways to pay for parking. Look at the following table to compare other payment methods with the parking SMS payment system:

Method	How It Works	Best For
SMS Parking	Text message to 3009	Quick payments without internet
Darb / Mawaqif App	Mobile app payment	Frequent users
Parking Meters	Card or coin	Traditional method
Seasonal Permits	Monthly or yearly	Residents & office workers

For occasional drivers, SMS remains one of the easiest options.

Final Thoughts

Abu Dhabi offers various payment methods for parking. You can use SMS as the easiest way to pay for Abu Dhabi parking. It just needs a text message with a specific format. Make sure that you’re using the correct template and enter the right number plate and parking zone code. You can also renew your parking session with another SMS. Remember that any delay in renewing your parking session will lead to fines.