A beginner’s guide to parking in Dubai

Have you ever found yourself driving around in circles, waiting for a parking space to become available outside the Bur Dubai?

Or given up on a trip to Kite Beach because there simply wasn’t anywhere close by to leave your car?

Yeah, us too. 

Parking in Dubai can be a real pain. And with so many different zones to get your head around, each with different fee structures, there’s a lot to learn and fast.

In this guide, we’ll give you a whistle-stop tour of the best places to park in Dubai, close to popular destinations. We’ll tell you how much you should expect to pay (and what happens if you accidentally outstay your welcome!).

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The best parking for Dubai Marina & JBR

Dubai Marina Mall

Did you know that mall visitors can enjoy free parking for the first 3 hours at the Dubai Marina Mall?

Planning on staying a little longer? No problem. The parking charges are AED 20 per hour after 3 hours. Don’t lose your ticket though, or you could end up paying an extra AED 150.

Paid public parking

Rest assured, there are lots of public parking spots around the streets of Dubai Marina. While you do have to pay by the hour — which can quickly add up — it’s arguably the easiest option, as there’s just so many spaces! Oh, and if you’re visiting on Sundays or a public holiday — the parking is free!

GreenParking JBR

For the eco-conscious amongst us, GreenParking’s recently upgraded parking lot is a great choice. With paperless tickets, using their “smart and sustainable ParkChip technology” you never have to worry about finding the ticket machine either!

The best parking for Jumeirah

Public parking in Beach Road & Al Wasl Road

Between Beach Road (Jumeirah Street) and Al Wasl Road you’ll find tons of parking options, perfect for visiting Jumeirah Beach.

You can even find free parking on Al Mehemal St, Zaghoor St and Al Bateel St — but, as you can imagine, the spaces will be limited. Not to worry: RTA parking and pre-paid smart parking lots are dotted around the area, too.

Parking near Kite Beach

There are some free parking spots near Kite Beach, but spaces are very limited, so be prepared to get there early or wait around for someone else to leave! Otherwise, GreenParking’s Kite Beach lot is conveniently located right next to the beach.

3 top tips for public parking in Dubai (including how to handle parking tickets)

• Know your zones

There are 7 parking zones around Dubai and 3 different types of parking, all managed by the RTA:

Zone A – Commercial

Roadside parking in commercial areas. 8 AM to 10 PM.

AED 4 per hour up to 4 hours (AED 16)

Zone B – Commercial

Parking lots in commercial areas. 8 AM to 10 PM.

• 1 hour = AED 3

• 2 hours = AED 6

• 3 hours = AED 8

• 4 hours = AED 12

• 5 hours = AED 15

• 24 hours = AED 20

Zone C – Non-Commercial

Roadside parking in non-commercial areas. 8 AM to 10 PM.

• 1 hour = AED 2

• 2 hours = AED 5

• 3 hours = AED 8

• 4 hours = AED 11

Zone D – Non-Commercial

Parking lots in non-commercial areas. 8 AM to 10 PM.

• 1 hour = AED 2

• 2 hours = AED 4

• 3 hours = AED 5

• 24 hours = AED 7

Zone E – Special Area

Covers all parking spaces around Deira Fish Market (8 AM to 10 PM) aside from the underground parking, which is free

• 1 hour = AED 2

• 2 hours = AED 5

Zone F – Special Area

All parking in Tecom areas (Barsha Heights). 8 AM to 6 PM.

• 1 hour = AED 2

• 2 hours = AED 5

• 3 hours = AED 8

• 4 hours = AED 11

Zone G – Special Area

All paid parking spots in Downtown Dubai. 8 AM to 10 PM.

AED 4 per hour up to 4 hours (AED 16)

• If you get a parking ticket — pay it immediately! *

There are no less than 6 ways to pay for parking in Dubai, including seasonal parking cards and via SMS. So, there’s not a lot of reason to skip out on paying for your space.

If you do end up with a ticket though, you shouldn’t delay in getting it sorted.

The fines for minor infringements — like your ticket running out (AED 100) or it not being visible (AED 150) — are tiny in comparison to the effort or potential costs of disputing them.

• You can pay for parking tickets online or at a police station *

You can pay a parking fine either online or by visiting one of the many police stations around Dubai.

If you want to do it online, you can go to the Dubai Police website or the Dubai Roads and Transport Authority website — both organizations have an app you can pay via, too.

You’ll need your vehicle and license information, plus the reference for your fine and traffic file (which will be on your ticket).

But, with this beginner’s guide to parking in Dubai, you won’t be getting any fines, will you? Good luck!

*If you have rented / leased or subscribed to a car - then all fines and parking tickets are paid through the company you are renting / leasing / subscribing from.