Know About Parking Offenses & Fines in Dubai

Have you ever received an email, SMS, or app notification about RTA parking fines and wondered where it went wrong? It's possible that you overlooked something. So, in this article, we shine a light on the parking offenses and fines in Dubai. Knowing about these offenses and fines will be worthwhile in the near future.

Parking in Dubai

Parking is an integral aspect of Dubai's traffic system. To maintain optimal parking throughout the city, the Dubai RTA enforces strict traffic rules. You must abide by these rules to stay clear of violations and hefty penalties.

Every driver in the Emirates, whether a resident or a visitor, must know about the parking regulations. If you are driving, you should never park in undesignated areas.

Dubai's RTA has allotted several public parking lots all over the city. While some parking lots are free, the majority require payment. You'll also find many private parking lots, malls, and hotel parking lots. Regardless of the nature of the parking area, always use it to park your vehicle.

What is the cost of parking?

We cannot specifically determine private parking costs because they can vary drastically depending on the location and parking owner. So, we'll only talk about the cost of public parking here. On-street meter parking usually ranges from 2-4 Dhs. /hour, depending on the location. Public parking lots, on the other hand, can charge you 5–20 Dhs. /hour.

How to pay for parking in Dubai?

As mentioned above, parking is rarely free in Dubai. You are required to pay for parking services, even in public parking lots. There are several ways to pay for parking.

Payment Display (P/D) Machines

These parking payment booths will be located in close proximity to the parking area. You must initiate your parking period and make payments in advance. To pay for your parking, you can either use coins or your Nol Card. You will enter a time limit and make payments accordingly.

You'll receive a receipt from the machine. Don't put it in your pocket. Place it on your dashboard in a way that is clearly visible to an RTA authority during checks. Otherwise, you will receive a fine (mentioned later).

mParking

It is an RTA initiative that allows you to make parking payments via your Etisalat or Du network operators. All you need to do is send a text message to 7275 (PARK).

Non-registered users must send < Plate No.> . Whereas registered users should send < Nickname> .

You will receive virtual ticket details on your phone. The network operator also notifies you 10 minutes before your ticket expires. It allows you to extend your ticket validation by simply replying "Y."

Seasonal Parking Permit

You can purchase the seasonal parking permit from the RTA official website. You will receive a virtual parking permit that allows you to enjoy parking for three, six, or nine months. At present, RTA doesn't issue plastic cards.

RTA Dubai or RTA Dubai Drive mobile app

The RTA Dubai and RTA Dubai Drive mobile apps, which are available on both Android and iOS devices, allow you to make online parking payments. These apps are easy-to-use and effective means of parking payments.

Apple Pay or Samsung Pay (Available for multistorey carpark)

You can also pay parking fees using Apple Pay or Samsung Pay in some parking lots, especially in multi-story car parks. These parking lots have a specialized POS that accepts such online payments.

Bank cards with RFID

Some car parks in Dubai also accept bank card payments with RFID. In the future, this type of payment will prevail in all parking lots.

Dubai Parking Violations and Penalties

If you park properly in designated areas and pay the charges accordingly, you need to worry about fines. Despite that, you might unknowingly violate the rules, leading to unavoidable fines. Let's take a look at some common RTA-applied fines for specific parking violations.

RTA parking penalties

Note: These offenses and their corresponding fines can change with time, as per the RTA's discretion. Also, it might not include all the fines and penalty criteria.

UAE federal traffic law’s parking and stopping-related fines

Let's now look at the UAE's federal traffic laws pertaining to parking and stopping-related fines. Some only have monetary fines, whereas a few also include black points. Black points can have a negative impact on your license's status. When you reach 24 black points, the authorities can suspend your license for 3–6 months.

Parking Violations without Black Points

Parking Violations with Black Points

Note: These parking violations and their penalties are subject to change. The authorities can make changes as they see fit. For accurate and live parking rules and fines, please visit the RTA's parking fines page.

Where do you receive your parking fines in Dubai?

Dubai no longer uses the printed parking tickets that were popular back then. You will receive your parking fine notifications and details via email or government apps, such as RTA Dubai, RTA Dubai Drive, and Dubai Police. To receive your parking fines, you must have an account with these apps.

You can also check your parking fine details on the RTA's pay public parking fine page and the Dubai Police website.

How to pay Dubai parking fines?

If, unfortunately, you violated the Dubai parking regulations, you must pay the fine. So, how do you make your payment? You will find several ways to do so. You can pick any with ease and convenience, depending on your preferences.

The official RTA website

You can easily make your parking fine payments through the RTA's official website, where you can make payment. You can search your fine by your plate number or fine number. Review the fines and make payments.

Dubai Police Website

The Dubai Police website, similar to the RTA website, also allows you to check your parking fine details and make payments. The "fines inquiry and payment" page is where you should visit. It provides several filters to check your fine details and pay securely.

RTA Dubai and Dubai Police App

These mobile applications let you pay your parking fines effortlessly. As they display your fine details beforehand, making payments is just a matter of tap, tap, tap. As mentioned earlier, you should have an account connected to your vehicle and license.

RTA Customer Service Centers

These service centers are traditional but effective ways to pay your parking fines. You will find several RTA-authorized service centers all over the city, helping you with your fine payments. Using a Google Map can be very effective for locating these centers near you.

Dubai Police Stations

Some Dubai police stations let you pay your traffic fines, including parking fines. However, the waiting times can be lengthy. Also, you should always inquire about their service before you visit them. You have better options than this. Therefore, you should choose those options for your parking fine payments.

Pointers to avoid parking violations

Parking fines are easily avoidable if you stay alert while parking your car and abide by all the parking rules the Dubai government enforces. Here are some pointers that can help you escape parking fines.

• Stay up-to-date on the country's parking regulations and implement them whenever you plan to park your vehicle. Stay alert while parking so that you don't violate any rules, even unknowingly.
• Make use of RTA Dubai and RTA Dubai Drive to locate the proper parking areas if you're having difficulty finding a spot nearby. Don't park in undesignated areas, whatever the situation.
• When taking a parking ticket, always pay for spare time if you are unsure of the duration you are spending. It helps you avoid unnecessary parking fines.
• Never park in spots designated for disabled drivers (unless you are one). These can result in hefty fines.

Summary

Parking in Dubai is a serious matter, as it can lead to penalties of up to 10,000 Dhs. and six black points. Make sure you follow the parking rules with full compliance to avoid any fines. However, if you get one, you should settle it responsibly. You can make effortless payments via several methods.

Traffic rules, including parking regulations, keep Dubai's traffic flowing smoothly. It's a quintessential part of Dubai’s advanced traffic system. You can help improve Dubai's smooth traffic flow by ensuring proper parking.

FAQ:

What is the fine for parking illegally in Dubai?

The fine for illegal or improper parking in Dubai can range from 100 Dhs. to 10,000 Dhs., as well as 6 black points on the driver's license.

How to dispute a parking fine in Dubai?

In Dubai, there are a few ways to dispute a parking fine, including filing complaints at the General Directorate of Traffic headquarters in Al Barsha, contesting Dubai traffic fines at any police station, or complaining at +971 4606 3555.

Is there a grace period for parking in Dubai?

Yes, there is a grace period of 10 minutes in Dubai. The RTA offers 10 minutes extra before the motorist has to start paying the parking charge. You should issue a parking ticket as soon as the grace period expires.