How to Pay Parking in Dubai 2026: Parkin App, SMS, WhatsApp or RTA App
To pay for parking in Dubai, use the Parkin app, the RTA Dubai or DubaiNow app, or send your plate number, zone code and hours by SMS to 7275 or on WhatsApp. Public parking costs AED 2.10 to AED 6.30 an hour in most zones, VAT included, and is free from 10pm to 8am, on Sundays and on public holidays. Parking meters no longer take cash.
Paying for parking in Dubai changed twice in 2026: since 1 June, every parking fee includes 5% VAT, and the parking meters no longer take cash. Most drivers now pay in the Parkin app, from the company that runs the city's public parking, or by sending an SMS to 7275.
Malls and private car parks work differently. There is no ticket and no meter: cameras read your number plate, and the fee comes off your Parkin, Salik or Parkonic account when you drive out.
How to Pay Parking in Dubai
In this guide you will find the eight ways to pay for parking in Dubai.
1. Parkin app
Parkin is the app of Parkin PJSC, the company that runs Dubai's public paid parking for the RTA, about 268,000 spaces from street parking to multi-storey car parks. You pick your zone on the map or type its code, choose how long you will stay and pay. You can use it as a guest, without an account.
Only on Parkin: mall parking and fine disputes
Parkin is the only app that pays for Mall of the Emirates and City Centre Deira parking, and lets you dispute a fine with photos of the violation.
How to pay using Parkin:
- Open Parkin and tap Pay for Parking. Let the map find your zone, or type the code from the sign.
- Choose how long you will stay. The app shows the price for that zone, peak or off-peak.
- Add your car. Enter the emirate, plate category, plate code and number. A logged-in account saves them.
- Pay. Use a card, Apple Pay or your Parkin Wallet. The digital ticket is all you need; there is nothing to put on the dashboard.
What should I watch out for? A payment that has not gone through still ends in a fine, so wait until the ticket shows in the app before you walk away. A ticket covers one zone only.
Choose Parkin if you park in Dubai often, or at Mall of the Emirates.
2. RTA Dubai app
RTA Dubai is the official app of the Roads and Transport Authority. It pays for the same public zones at the same price as Parkin, and it keeps parking next to your car registration, driving licence, fines and Salik top-ups.
Only in RTA Dubai: parking next to all your car's services
If you already renew your car or top up Salik in the RTA app, you can pay for parking without a second app.
What should I watch out for? Users say an update in April 2026 removed the map that finds your zone, so read the code from the sign before you open it. Choose RTA Dubai if you already use it for your car and know your zone code.
3. DubaiNow app
DubaiNow is the Dubai government's app for hundreds of city services, and public parking is one of them. From the same app you pay DEWA and phone bills, traffic fines and Salik.
Only on DubaiNow: parking next to your bills
DubaiNow puts parking in the same app as your DEWA, phone and fine payments, and it is the highest-rated of the five apps here.
What should I watch out for? It pays for public zones only; for Dubai Mall or the airport you need Salik. Choose DubaiNow if you already pay your bills in it and park in public zones.
4. SMS to 7275
SMS parking, called mParking, needs no app and no internet. It works with e&, du and Virgin Mobile numbers, and the fee comes from your phone credit or bill. Each message costs 30 fils on top of the parking fee.
How to pay via SMS in Dubai:
- Write your plate number, zone code and hours. Put a space between each, for example A12345 365C 2. For half an hour, write 1/2 instead of the hours.
- Send it to 7275. The fee and the 30 fils come from your phone credit or bill.
- Keep the reply. It is your virtual ticket, so do not delete it.
- Reply Y to extend. You get a reminder 10 minutes before the ticket ends; send Y to 7275 to add another hour.
If you register your car with mParking, you can write a nickname instead of the plate, for example Ali1 365C 2. For an Arabic message, start it with the letter A and a space. Use SMS if the app is slow or you have no data.
5. WhatsApp
You can send the same message on WhatsApp instead of an SMS, and Parkin says both work. The Pay via WhatsApp button on Parkin's parking information page writes the message for you: choose the zone, the hours and your plate, and it opens WhatsApp with the text ready to send. The RTA's chatbot Mahboub takes the payments, on 058 800 9090, Khaleej Times reported.
Use WhatsApp if you want to avoid the 30 fils SMS charge. The fee still comes from your mobile balance or bill.
6. Parking meter
Parking meters still stand in many zones, but since 1 June 2026 they no longer take coins or notes. Insert a nol card, enter the plate source, plate code and number, choose the time and confirm. The meter records the ticket against your plate, so you do not need to put the receipt on the dashboard.
Use a meter if you have a topped-up nol card and no phone signal.
7. Salik
Salik is best known for Dubai's road tolls, but it also pays for parking at Dubai Mall and Dubai International Airport. Cameras read your plate when you arrive and leave, and the fee comes off your Salik balance. The app is called Smart Salik.
Only on Salik: Dubai Mall and the airport
At Dubai Mall and Dubai Airport, parking is charged to the same Salik account you use for tolls, so there is nothing to pay at a machine.
What should I watch out for? There is no ticket to check, and fees can come off without a notification, so look at your Salik statement after you park. Use Salik if you park at Dubai Mall or the airport, and keep your balance topped up.
8. Parkonic
Parkonic runs ticketless parking at private sites, such as Wafi Mall, Bay Square and The Beach JBR, and in residential areas such as JVC and Discovery Gardens. You register your plate, top up a wallet or link Salik, and the fee is taken when you leave.
Only on Parkonic: private and residential car parks
Parkonic covers car parks that Parkin does not, including some residential areas, where tenants register their cars with Parkonic.
What should I watch out for? Each site sets its own price, shown at the entrance, and the fee can come off a linked Salik balance. Some residents report charges for visits they did not make, so check each charge in the app. Use Parkonic if you park at one of its sites often.
It is a mall or private car park. Check the sign at the entrance: Salik (Dubai Mall, the airport), Parkin (Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira) or Parkonic.
It is public parking. Pay in the Parkin app, the RTA Dubai or DubaiNow app, by SMS to 7275 or on WhatsApp. The price is the same everywhere.
No data? An SMS to 7275 works on any e&, du or Virgin Mobile number.
Are Parkin and RTA the Same?
No. The RTA and Parkin are different organisations that work on the same parking. The RTA is the government authority for Dubai's roads. It owns public parking and sets the zones and prices. Parkin is a company that runs the parking day to day under a 49-year agreement with the RTA, signed in February 2024, and the Dubai government still owns most of it.
That is why the same space costs the same in the Parkin app and the RTA Dubai app.
- Feb 2024Parkin takes over public parkingThe RTA signs a 49-year agreement giving Parkin the right to run Dubai's public parking.
- Mar 2024Parkin lists on the stock marketParkin shares start trading on the Dubai Financial Market on 21 March 2024.
- Apr 2025Premium zones and peak hoursHigher prices start in busy areas from 8am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm.
- Jun 2026VAT and no more cash5% VAT is added to all parking from 1 June 2026, and meters stop taking cash.
Parkin vs RTA App and Parkin vs Parkonic Compared
These are the comparisons people search for most. Let's compare them two at a time.
Parkin app vs RTA Dubai app
| Compare | Parkin app | RTA Dubai app |
|---|---|---|
| Run by | Parkin, the parking operator | The RTA, the government authority |
| Zones and prices | All public zones | The same zones, at the same prices |
| Finds your zone on a map | Yes | No, users say, since an update in April 2026 |
| Also handles | Subscriptions, fines, Mall of the Emirates | Car registration, licences, Salik |
| UAE App Store rating | 2.4 out of 5 (1,129 ratings) | 3.6 out of 5 (4,015 ratings) |
Pick Parkin for everyday parking, because it finds your zone and can renew your ticket. Pick RTA Dubai if you already use it for your car and the Parkin app gives you trouble.
Parkin vs Parkonic
| Compare | Parkin | Parkonic |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Public zones, multi-storey car parks, Mall of the Emirates, City Centre Deira | Private sites such as Wafi Mall, and residential areas such as JVC and Discovery Gardens |
| Who sets the price | The RTA's public tariffs | Each site |
| How you pay | App, SMS, WhatsApp or meter | Wallet, Salik balance, QR code or pay station |
| UAE App Store rating | 2.4 out of 5 | 1.2 out of 5 |
You do not choose between them: the sign at the entrance tells you which one runs the car park. If it is Parkonic, read its price before you park, because each site sets its own.
Things to Keep in Mind When You Pay for Parking in Dubai
Pay before you walk away
A ticket that did not go through still means a fine, whichever app you use. Wait until the ticket shows in the app, or the SMS reply arrives, before you leave the car.
A few more things save money:
- The ticket is for one zone only. If you move the car to a different zone, pay again.
- Turn off auto-renew when you leave. Several reviewers say it kept charging, or switched off by itself and led to a fine.
- Screenshot the ticket. It is your proof if you need to dispute a fine.
FAQs
How do I pay parking in Dubai by SMS?
Send your plate number, zone code and hours, with a space between each, to 7275, for example A12345 365C 2. The fee and a 30 fils charge come from your e&, du or Virgin Mobile balance, and the reply is your ticket.
Can I pay RTA parking through WhatsApp?
Yes. Send the same message as the SMS on WhatsApp. The Pay via WhatsApp button on Parkin's parking information page writes the message for you, and there is no 30 fils SMS charge.
Is parking free today in Dubai?
Public parking is free on Sundays, on public holidays and every night from 10pm to 8am, in most zones. Monday to Saturday it is paid from 8am to 10pm. Zones M, MP, N, V and W are paid every day, 24 hours a day.
How much is RTA parking per day?
A full day costs AED 21 to AED 42, depending on the zone. Zone D costs AED 21 for 14 hours, zone B AED 31.50, and public multi-storey car parks AED 42 for 24 hours. Street zones A and C allow only 4 hours at a time.
Are Parkin and RTA the same?
No. The RTA owns Dubai's public parking and sets the prices, and Parkin runs it under a 49-year agreement signed in 2024. You can pay for the same space in the Parkin app or the RTA Dubai app at the same price.
How much is 1 hour parking in Dubai?
One hour costs AED 2.10 to AED 6.30 in most zones, including VAT. Premium zones cost AED 6.30 at peak times, from 8am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm, and JLT zones E and I cost AED 10.50.
Sources and method18 sources from 6 publishers
- About this guide: we analysed the eight ways to pay for parking in Dubai available at the time of writing, including the five parking apps. Tariffs, subscriptions and store listings were checked on 19 October 2026, and prices include 5% VAT. Tariffs and zones change, so check the sign before you pay.
- Parkin: parking subscriptions Parkin: parking zones, tariffs, SMS and WhatsApp guideParkin: parking subscriptionsParkin: variable parking tariff and peak hoursParkin: frequently asked questions on fines, disputes and mallsParkin: about Parkin and the 49-year RTA agreement
- Gulf News: where you can use Salik to pay for parking Gulf News: petrol, parking and Salik costs rise from 1 June 2026Gulf News: Dubai parking fines, full list of violationsGulf News: Dubai Airport parking goes cashless with SalikGulf News: where you can use Salik to pay for parking
- The National: Dubai parking and Salik add 5% VAT from 1 June 2026 The National: Dubai parking and Salik add 5% VAT from 1 June 2026
- Khaleej Times: paying for parking by WhatsApp Khaleej Times: paying for parking by WhatsAppKhaleej Times: Parkonic ticketless paid parking at Wafi Mall
- App Store UAE listings ParkinRTA DubaiDubaiNowSmart SalikPARKONIC +
