Abu Dhabi offers many parking options for residents. Most residential towers have designated parking areas. Additionally, you'll also find parking spaces at malls, airports, and various commercial locations throughout the city. The city uses a paid parking system called Mawaqif, which helps manage public parking in Abu Dhabi. With Mawaqif, you can easily find available spots and pay for parking using different methods. This system makes parking more organized and convenient across Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi has a well-organised paid parking system called Mawaqif, managed by the Department of Municipalities and Transport (DMT). The system features different types of parking zones with separate rules and fees —
The free days include Fridays, UAE national holidays and festivals like Eid.
Yes, visitors can park in residential areas in Abu Dhabi for free till only 02:00 am.
You can ask for long-term parking in Abu Dhabi to park for 5 days or more at Abu Dhabi airport.
If you want to extend your parking duration, send letter “T” or “E” to 3009 for every extra hour you park.
There is a 10-minute grace period for paying your car parking fee in Abu Dhabi.
You can check Mawaqif balance by sending an SMS “balance” to 3009.
You can get a parking permit in Abu Dhabi by visiting the official website of the Integrated Transport Center and applying online. As an alternative, you can also visit any of the Mawaqif customer service centres or Department of Transport customer service centres and apply for the same.
The users of the parking areas can apply for a parking permit that suits their requirements. Here are different types of parking in Abu Dhabi.
Residential property owners and tenants can easily apply for residential parking permits. This permit can also be issued to the owners’ or tenants’ close relatives (father, mother, sons, wife, sisters, and brothers) if they live in the same home. This permit allows the residents to park their vehicle in paid parking spaces in the residential area without having to pay any additional charges. Emirati families are entitled to 4 free parking permits. Whereas, non-UAE nationals get 2 permits. Residential parking areas in Abu Dhabi are clearly marked with Mawaqif signs that say “Resident Permit Only.” These rules apply between 09:00 am and 08:00 pm.
Abu Dhabi Resident Parking Rules
Documents Required for Resident Car Parking Permit in Abu Dhabi —
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Here's a quick overview of the permit fees —
UAE nationals —
Non-UAE nationals —
Many new residential areas also offer dedicated parking spots.
Is Parking Free in Abu Dhabi?Free parking in Abu Dhabi is only available at specific times, mainly on Sundays and public holidays. On all other days, most parking areas in the city are paid zones managed by Mawaqif. |
Another parking type in Abu Dhabi is a limited-term public parking permit. Individuals and companies can use these parking permits in standard parking in Abu Dhabi.
Abu Dhabi Limited Term Public Parking Rules
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Here are the Abu Dhabi parking fees:
Duration | Parking Permit Fee |
---|---|
1 month | AED 391 |
3 months | AED 1,174 |
6 months | AED 2,348 |
1 year | AED 4,695 |
There are multi-storey parkings across Dubai and are regulated by Mawaqif Abu Dhabi. There are 8 public multi-storey parking spaces in Abu Dhabi. These are as follows—
Location | Total Multi-Storey Parking Slots | Parking Slots Reserved for Ladies | Parking Slots for People of Determination |
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Behind LIWA Centre | 394 | 26 | 4 |
Corniche | 723 | 18 | 4 |
Behind Health Ministry | 487 | 18 | 6 |
Behind Al-Noor Hospital | 857 | 26 | 8 |
Madinat Zayed | 722 | 0 | 4 |
Behind Zakher Hotel, Opposite Maria Cinema | 437 | 18 | 1 |
LIWA Street | 305 | 26 | 4 |
Al Dana Multi-Storey Parking | 583 | 42 | 6 |
The following are the charges for Mawaqif multi-storey parking —
Duration | Parking Fees in Abu Dhabi |
---|---|
1 hour | AED 2 |
1 day | AED 15 |
3 months | AED 1,369 |
6 months | AED 2,738 |
1 year | AED 5,475 |
Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) has announced several ways to pay for parking in Abu Dhabi. There are different ways to pay for parking as per your convenience. These include —
Turquoise-coloured Mawaqif Pay & Display machines are placed near parking spots across Abu Dhabi. These machines allow you to pay for parking using cash. If you need to add money to your Mawaqif account, you can visit any Mawaqif customer service centre and top it up with cash there.
Drivers in Abu Dhabi can pay parking fees using Mawaqif rechargeable cards, available at the Customer Happiness Centre. These cards link to your e-wallet and can be used for multi-storey parking. When topped up, the Abu Dhabi parking fee is automatically deducted. The starting balance is AED 50. Here’s how to activate Mawaqif rechargeable cards.
Online —
By SMS —
You can activate —
Please Note: Lost or damaged cards can be deactivated via the wallet card management system.
Drivers with a Mawaqif account can easily pay for Abu Dhabi car parking through SMS using their Etisalat or Du mobile numbers. Even vehicles registered in other emirates can use this method The Department of Transport (DoT) allows SMS parking without needing to register with Mawaqif. It’s a quick and convenient way to pay from anywhere. To pay via SMS —
Type the message in this format –
City & Plate Code <space> Plate Number <space> Parking Type <space> Duration
Example: AUH20 98765 P 1
Send the message to 3009. You’ll get a confirmation SMS, and a reminder 10 minutes before your parking ends. To extend it for another hour, just send E to 3009.
Drivers with Abu Dhabi private plate numbers can pay Abu Dhabi parking fees through the Darbi website or mobile app.
For registered Mawaqif users —
Log in to the Darbi website or app, go to the ‘Parking’ section, choose ‘Pay for Parking’, and select ‘Registered User’.
For unregistered users —
You can also sign up for a Mawaqif account directly through DARBI.
Motorists who break Mawaqif parking rules in Abu Dhabi can face fines ranging from AED 100 to AED 1,000, depending on the type of violation. A 10-minute grace period is given after which a fine will be imposed. These fines can be paid at any Mawaqif Customer Happiness Centre. Here are some common parking violations and their fines —
Our Tip for You: If you want to avoid fines, consider using public transport or follow all parking and driving rules when using your own car in Abu Dhabi.
To make parking easier in Abu Dhabi, follow these useful tips —
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