UAE: Struggling to find all-day parking in Abu Dhabi? Here’s how you can park for 24 hours
Find out how to spot 24-hour zones, the parking tariffs, and how to pay for public parking
Dubai: Do you often find yourself stressed out over securing a parking spot near your home or office in Abu Dhabi, where you can leave your car for the entire day? If you are tired of constantly renewing your parking ticket, there is a solution. Mawaqif, Abu Dhabi’s paid parking system, offers designated parking spaces that allow you to park your car for up to 24 hours without worrying about fines or extensions.
How to identify 24-hour public parking in Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, recognising a 24-hour parking area is simple - just check the colour of the curb side. A curb painted in black and blue indicates that you can park there for up to 24 hours. This type of parking is known as standard parking in the emirate.
On the other hand, premium parking areas are marked by blue and white curbs, where the maximum parking duration is four hours.
Standard parking fees
• Dh2 per hour
• Dh15 for the entire day
Standard parking timings: 8am to 12am (free on Sundays and public holidays).
How to pay for public parking in Abu Dhabi
1. Mawaqif Payment Machines
• Select your preferred language—Arabic or English.
• Choose the type of ticket: standard or premium.
• Enter your vehicle's plate number and code.
• Select the parking duration.
• Choose your payment method: cash, Mawaqif card (a rechargeable card for public parking), or credit/debit card.
• Confirm your payment on the screen. The payment will be automatically linked to your vehicle.
2. TAMM mobile app
• Open the TAMM app and log in with your UAE Pass.
• Scroll down on the homepage until you see the ‘Pay for Parking’ service.
• Enter your vehicle details—licence plate and car model—then tap ‘Add Vehicle.’
• Select the parking type: standard (black and blue) or premium (blue and white).
• Choose the parking hours—from one hour up to 24 hours.
• Tap ‘Send SMS.’ The app will automatically send an SMS to 3009 with your plate number and duration. The parking fee will be deducted from your mobile balance.
3. mParking – SMS:
Send an SMS to 3009 with this format: City and plate code, plate number, parking type (Premium or Standard), duration in hours.
For example: DXBC 12345 S 1 (S for standard, P for premium).
Alternative: Multi-storey parking
If you cannot find standard parking near your location or if it is always full, consider using multi-storey parking facilities. These offer a convenient alternative for 24-hour parking. You can either pay an hourly rate or apply for a subscription card for long-term use.
Locations of Multi-Storey Parking in Abu Dhabi:
1. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed - Behind LIWA Centre
2. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan - Behind the Department of Finance
3. Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Street - Behind Zakher Hotel
4. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed - Behind Bahrain Bank
5. Al Lulu Street - Behind Ahalia Hospital
6. Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed the First Street - Behind Al Mashreq Bank
7. Al Dana Multi-Storey Car Park - In front of Emirates College of Technology
8. Multi-Storey Building - Sector 8, next to Vegetable and Meat Market, Gold Souk, and bus station
Multi-Storey Parking Tariff:
• Dh2 per hour
• Dh15 per day
• Dh1,369 for three months
• Dh2,738 for six months
• Dh5,475 for one year
How to apply for a subscription permit
You can apply for a multi-storey parking subscription online via the TAMM website or app. Here's how:
1. Visit tamm.abudhabi and select the ‘Vehicles and Transportation’ category on the homepage.
2. Navigate to the parking section and choose ‘Apply for Multi-Storey Parking.’
3. Sign in using your UAE Pass account to access the service.
4. Complete the permit application, choosing your desired subscription duration—three months, six months, or one year.
5. If you're a resident, enter the number of the nearest multi-storey parking lot. If you work at an office, choose the closest parking lot and provide your company’s lease contract number. Employees must also upload a ‘No Objection Certificate’ from their company.
6. Enter your vehicle details, such as traffic code number, vehicle model, and plate number.
7. Once approved, pay the permit fee online using a debit or credit card.
8. After payment, you can download a digital version of the permit from the TAMM website.