Free Parking in UAE Eid Al Adha 2026: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman & All Emirates
Where public parking is free in the UAE during Eid Al Adha 2026, what’s excluded, exact dates for Dubai (RTA), Abu Dhabi (Mawaqif), Sharjah and Ajman.
Updated — Tuesday 26 May 2026 (Arafat Day)
Eid Al Adha free parking is now active in four emirates in the UAE. Paid hours return on Saturday 30 May 2026.
The Short Answer
Four UAE emirates have confirmed free public parking for the Eid Al Adha 2026 break, and each one runs to its own schedule. Dubai and Abu Dhabi waive parking fees for five days from Monday 25 May through Friday 29 May. Sharjah covers the three official Eid days, while Ajman runs four days starting from Arafat Day. Multi-storey buildings stay paid across every emirate, and the Al Qurm and Ghantoot toll gates in Abu Dhabi keep charging AED 4 per crossing throughout the holiday.
📅 Eid Al Adha 2026 Free Parking Windows
On-street public parking only. Multi-storey buildings stay paid 24×7 in every emirate.
Free Parking in UAE Eid Al Adha 2026
Eid Al Adha is one of the busiest weeks of the year on UAE roads. To make travel easier on residents, four emirates have rolled out free public parking that runs across most of the holiday window.
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman have each issued their own announcements. The waivers are organised by each emirate’s transport authority — the Roads and Transport Authority in Dubai, Q Mobility in Abu Dhabi, and the municipalities in Sharjah and Ajman.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi offer the longest window of five working days, which extends to six continuous days when Sunday 24 May is included. Sharjah keeps the waiver to the three official Eid days, while Ajman runs for four days starting from Arafat Day.
The differences matter most for anyone planning cross-emirate travel during the long weekend. The full breakdown by emirate is in the table below.
| Emirate | Free Parking Window | Days | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dubai | Mon 25 May – Fri 29 May | 5 (6 with Sun) | RTA |
| Abu Dhabi | Mon 25 May – Fri 29 May | 5 (6 with Sun) | Mawaqif (Q Mobility) |
| Sharjah | Wed 27 May – Fri 29 May | 3 | Sharjah City Municipality |
| Ajman | Tue 26 May – Fri 29 May | 4 | Ajman Municipality |
Eid Al Adha 2026 Free Parking Checker
The rules vary slightly between emirates, so the checker below shows you exactly what applies wherever you live or plan to drive. Tap any emirate to see the dates, exclusions and resumption time at a glance.
Dubai Free Parking Eid Al Adha 2026
Looking for free parking in Dubai during Eid Al Adha 2026? The Roads and Transport Authority has waived all public parking fees from Monday 25 May through Friday 29 May 2026, giving drivers the longest free window of any emirate this holiday.
Sunday parking is already free citywide in Dubai by default, which means free parking in Dubai effectively runs for six continuous days once Sunday 24 May is included. Standard tariffs return on Saturday 30 May 2026.
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Fines still apply. Dubai Police continue to enforce parking violations throughout Eid. Fire hydrants, taxi ranks, residential bays and disabled spots are not free for general use, so the waiver covers fee waiver only and not an enforcement holiday.
Abu Dhabi Free Parking Eid Al Adha 2026
If you are looking for free parking in Abu Dhabi during Eid Al Adha 2026, Q Mobility has waived all standard Mawaqif on-street fees from Monday 25 May through Friday 29 May 2026. The waiver also covers most Darb toll gates.
Free parking in Abu Dhabi applies to every standard Mawaqif zone across the emirate, while the Darb gates at Sas Al Nakhl, Al Maqta, Rabdan and Al Saadiyat all run free during the same window.
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Ajman Free Parking Eid Al Adha 2026
For free parking in Ajman during Eid Al Adha 2026, the Department of Municipality and Planning Ajman has confirmed a four-day waiver from Tuesday 26 May through Friday 29 May 2026. The window covers Arafat Day and all three days of Eid.
Free parking in Ajman applies to every paid municipality bay across Ajman city, including beachfront and downtown commercial zones. Normal operations resume from Saturday 30 May 2026.
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Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain
These three northern emirates have not issued Eid-specific parking waivers for 2026. The reason is straightforward, since most on-street parking across Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain is already free year-round, so a special holiday announcement is not really needed.
Mall parking and a handful of beachfront paid zones are the exceptions worth flagging. Manar Mall in Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah City Centre and similar destinations charge their normal mall tariffs throughout Eid, just as they do in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
What Is NOT Free During Eid Al Adha 2026
Free parking has its limits in every emirate. The most common mistake during Eid is assuming the waiver covers absolutely everything across the UAE, which is not the case.
Multi-storey buildings, premium smart zones, mall parking and private facilities all continue to charge their normal rates throughout the holiday. The six categories below cover the exclusions you are most likely to run into.
Eid Al Adha 2026 Parking Timeline Across All Emirates
The visual below shows when parking is free across each emirate from Sunday 24 May right through to Saturday 30 May 2026, which covers the full Eid window from start to finish.
Two patterns stand out from the timeline above. Dubai and Abu Dhabi run the longest free windows because both emirates already allow free Sunday parking, which folds neatly into the Eid waiver.
Sharjah runs the shortest window because its waiver only covers the three official Eid days and does not extend to Arafat Day on Tuesday 26 May.
Anyone planning cross-emirate travel during the long weekend will want to keep an eye on Sharjah’s 26 May charging. The parking apps for each emirate stay live throughout the holiday, so topping up a Mawaqif or Sharjah Digital balance ahead of Saturday 30 May is the smoothest way to avoid first-morning fines on the return to work.
More on Eid Al Adha 2026 in the UAE
Frequently Asked Questions: Eid Al Adha 2026 Parking
Is parking free in Dubai during Eid Al Adha 2026?
Yes, parking in Dubai is free during Eid Al Adha 2026. The Roads and Transport Authority has confirmed that all public on-street parking is free from Monday 25 May through Friday 29 May 2026. Because Sunday 24 May is already a free-parking day citywide, Dubai motorists effectively get six continuous days of free parking when the Sunday is included. The exemption does not apply to multi-storey parking buildings, which continue to operate under standard tariffs throughout Eid. Standard paid hours resume on Saturday 30 May 2026.
Is Abu Dhabi Mawaqif free during Eid Al Adha 2026?
Yes, Mawaqif is free during Eid Al Adha 2026 in Abu Dhabi. Q Mobility, the operator of Abu Dhabi’s Mawaqif on-street parking, has waived all standard zone fees from Monday 25 May through Friday 29 May 2026. The Darb toll gates at Sas Al Nakhl, Al Maqta, Rabdan and Al Saadiyat are also free during this window. Two toll gates, Al Qurm and Ghantoot, continue to charge AED 4 per crossing throughout the holiday. Multi-storey buildings stay paid 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Is multi-storey parking free during Eid Al Adha 2026?
No, multi-storey parking is not free during Eid Al Adha 2026. Multi-storey parking buildings are explicitly excluded from the Eid Al Adha free parking decision in every emirate. RTA Dubai, Mawaqif Abu Dhabi, Sharjah City Municipality and Ajman Municipality have each confirmed that multi-storey facilities continue to charge their normal tariffs throughout the holiday. This applies whether the building is located at a metro station, mall or commercial tower. Always check the signage before parking long stays.
When does free Eid Al Adha parking end in the UAE?
Free parking ends and standard paid tariffs resume on Saturday 30 May 2026 in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ajman. The fee resumption is set by each emirate’s municipality and aligns with the post-Eid return-to-work window. Drivers should reactivate their parking apps and top up their balances by Friday evening 29 May to avoid first-morning fines. The Mawaqif, RTA Dubai and Sharjah Digital apps all push reminder notifications when paid hours are about to resume.
Is Sharjah parking free on all Eid Al Adha days in 2026?
No, not all Sharjah parking is free on all Eid days. Sharjah City Municipality has waived fees only for the first three days of Eid Al Adha 2026, which run from Wednesday 27 May to Friday 29 May. Arafat Day on Tuesday 26 May is not part of the Sharjah waiver, so standard 8am to 10pm paid hours apply that day. Blue-signage seven-day paid zones and smart parking lots in tourist areas also continue to charge throughout the Eid holiday.
Are parking fines still issued during Eid Al Adha 2026?
Yes, parking fines are still issued during Eid Al Adha 2026. The free parking exemption covers fees only and not enforcement. Parking violations continue to be issued throughout the holiday for fire hydrants, taxi ranks, residential parking bays used without permits, disabled spots and any obstruction parking. Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police and Sharjah Police all maintain regular Eid patrols. Fines range from AED 200 for minor violations up to AED 1,000 for blocking emergency access.
Is mall parking free during Eid Al Adha 2026 in the UAE?
No, mall parking is not part of the Eid Al Adha 2026 waiver. Mall parking follows each mall operator’s own tariff and is not covered by the municipal exemption. Dubai Mall, Mall of the Emirates, Yas Mall, City Centre Sharjah and Ajman City Centre all operate independent parking systems. Most malls offer two to four hours free with same-day spend, then charge an hourly rate after that. Always validate your ticket at the customer service desk if you have shopped or dined to keep parking free.
Can I park overnight in Dubai during the Eid Al Adha holidays?
Yes, overnight parking is allowed in Dubai’s standard public zones throughout the free parking window from Monday 25 May to Friday 29 May 2026, provided your vehicle is registered and roadworthy. Overnight stays in residential permit zones still require a valid resident permit. Multi-storey buildings continue to charge their normal overnight rate throughout the holiday. Avoid blocking driveways, fire lanes or community access points to prevent towing fines.
Sources:
RTA Dubai parking announcement (May 2026), Q Mobility Abu Dhabi statement (May 2026), Sharjah City Municipality announcement (May 2026), Department of Municipality and Planning Ajman (May 2026), Federal Authority for Government Human Resources (FAHR) public sector holiday circular (12 May 2026). Last reviewed: 26 May 2026.
