RTA parking – no more plastic cards? New virtual permits are the future
The RTA has rolled out virtual parking cards in line with Dubai’s paperless strategy
Dubai: If you are applying for a parking card in the UAE, whether a new one or to renew an older one, you will no longer receive a physical card.
The Roads and Transport Authority has launched virtual parking cards, which will replace the physical cards, making sure that the payment is updated on the centralised system and whenever a parking inspector checks the number plate on his system, he is informed of the parking card under your vehicle registration.
Once all the details are filled in for the card, like vehicle number, duration of card (three, six or twelve months), the applicant will be given a virtual card. Earlier, applicants would receive a “If you visit a customer happiness centre you will be advised to apply online,” an RTA call centre representative said.
How can I apply for the virtual card?
Here is a step-by-step guide on how you can apply for your parking card in Dubai:
Visit www.rta.ae
Click on ‘Driver and Car Owner’
Select the ‘Parking’ category and click on ‘Seasonal parking card’
In Step 1, you have to add the vehicle details.
You can add up to three vehicles on a single parking card. However, the card can be used with one vehicle at a time only.
Select your ‘parking category’.
Category A
Category A allows access to parking zones A,B,C and D. This parking permit can be used in all paid parking zones in the Emirate of Dubai.
Except for the following locations: Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Deira Fish market, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Gold Souq. Exceptions may apply on other locations as well.
Fees:
Dh1,400 for three months
Dh2,500 for six months
Dh4,500 for 12 months
Category B
Category B allows access to parking zones marked B and D only. Except for the following locations: Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Knowledge Village, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Boulevard, Deira Fish market, Dubai Silicon Oasis and Gold Souq. Exceptions may apply on other locations as well.
Fees
Dh700 for three months
Dh1,300 for six months
Dh2,400 for 12 months
Enter your personal details like your full name, contact details and email address.
Confirm your credit card details and make the payment.
What if I want to register more than one vehicle?
You can still opt for a virtual parking card. However, you will need to download the RTA Dubai Drive app or the RTA Dubai app to select which car you wish to use the card for at any given time. This is because the permit can only be used with one vehicle at a time.
What if I have lost a plastic parking card?
If you had only one vehicle registered on a plastic card issued earlier, you do not need to worry. The RTA’s system will continue to show your vehicle’s parking permit on the system.
However, if you had more than one vehicle registered on a plastic card, then if you lose the card, you simply need to download the RTA Dubai Drive app or the RTA Dubai app to select which vehicle you wish to use the parking permit for. This is because before the virtual cards were rolled out, the plastic card needed to be placed on the car’s dashboard, clearly visible, if the card had more than one vehicle registered on it. Failing to do so would incur a fine.
Can I not get a plastic parking card at all?
Even though the virtual card has been rolled out, Dubai registered vehicles can still get a plastic card if they apply through an RTA kiosk.
Kiosks are installed outside the premises of customer service centres and are distributed over several locations including RTA Head Office in Garhoud and Customers Service Centers at Umm Al Ramool, Deira, Al Barsha, Al Tawar, Tasjeel Al Barsha, JBR, Al Awir, Al Manara, Al Karama, Tasjeel Al Qusais, Wasl Belhasa, Quick and Shamil Al Muhaisnah.
Vehicles registered outside the UAE will also need a plastic card.
What is Dubai’s paperless strategy?
Earlier this year a three year countdown for Dubai to go completely paperless was kicked off by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council. The Dubai Paperless Strategy seeks to transform Dubai Government into a fully digital government.
In line with the Dubai Paperless Strategy, after 2021, government entities will no longer issue or request paper documents from customers for any transaction, while government employees will also stop issuing or processing paper in key or supporting internal operations.