UAE Parking SMS Calculator 2026: Number, Format & Cost

How SMS parking works in the UAE

Paid on-street parking in the UAE is run by each emirate's transport authority, and the quickest way to pay is a text message. You send your plate details and the number of hours to a short code, and you get back a virtual permit valid for that time. The three things people get wrong are the number, the message format, and whether they even need to pay right now, which is exactly what the tool above settles. Each emirate uses a different short code and a slightly different format, so the same message will not work across borders.

A small transaction fee is added to most SMS payments (30 fils in Dubai, 38 fils in Sharjah, none in Abu Dhabi). You will get a reminder shortly before your session ends, and you can reply E to extend without walking back to the car. The tables below give the verified number, format and tariff for each emirate as of August 2026 — always double-check the board next to the bay, because rates and paid hours do change.

Abu Dhabi — Mawaqif, text 3009

Abu Dhabi's Mawaqif system takes SMS payments on 3009. The format is plate code, plate number, zone type and hours — for a locally registered car it looks like AUH5 00000 S 1. The zone type is the key field: S for a standard zone at AED 2/hour, P for a premium zone at AED 3/hour. Mawaqif is free on Sundays and public holidays, and residents with a Mawaqif permit park free inside their own zone from 9pm to 8am.

Text to	3009
Format	AUH5 00000 S 1
Standard (S)	AED 2/hour
Premium (P)	AED 3/hour
Free	Sundays & public holidays; residents 9pm–8am in-zone

Dubai — RTA, text 7275 (PARK)

Dubai's RTA takes parking SMS on 7275 (which spells PARK). The format is plate number, zone code and hours — A00000 444A 2. The zone code is the 3-digit number plus a letter on the blue and orange signboard beside you; get it wrong and you pay for the wrong bay. Tariffs depend on the zone: economy zones charge AED 2, standard on-street AED 4, multi-storey AED 5, and premium peak zones up to AED 10 per hour, plus 30 fils per SMS. Paid hours are Saturday to Thursday, 8am to 10pm.

Text to	7275
Format	A00000 444A 2
Tariff	AED 2–4 on-street · 5 multi-storey · up to 10 premium (+30 fils/SMS)
Paid hours	Sat–Thu, 8am–10pm
Free	10pm–8am, all Friday, public holidays

Sharjah — text 5566

Sharjah pays on 5566 in the format SHJ 1234 2at a flat AED 2/hour (AED 2.38 with the 38-fils fee). From July 2026 the municipality unified paid hours to 8am–midnight daily. The trap is the zone colour: standard yellow and green zones are free on Fridays and public holidays, but blue zones charge every day of the week, including Fridays and Sundays, with no free window. Read the sign before you assume the weekend is free.

Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah & Umm Al Quwain

The northern emirates use the same SMS idea with their own prefix: Ajman is AJM <plate> <hours>, Ras Al Khaimah is RAK <plate> <hours>, and Umm Al Quwain is UAQ <plate> <hours>, at around AED 2/hour. Ajman charges in two windows (roughly 8am–1pm and 5pm–10pm on weekdays, free midday and free on Fridays and public holidays), and also has the MPDA app for part-hour payments. Because the exact short codes and hours vary by municipality and change periodically, confirm the number on the local meter or municipality app before relying on it — which is why the interactive builder above covers the three emirates with the highest, most stable demand.

When parking is free, at a glance

Emirate	SMS	Free when
Abu Dhabi	3009	Sundays + public holidays
Dubai	7275	10pm–8am, all Friday, holidays
Sharjah	5566	Fri + holidays (blue zones: never)
Ajman	AJM …	Midday, Fridays, holidays

Sources: RTA Dubai, Integrated Transport Centre / Mawaqif Abu Dhabi and Sharjah Municipality service pages, August 2026. Public holidays are set by UAE government announcement; confirm the board next to the bay.

The rest of the GCC

SMS parking is largely a UAE habit. In Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is app-first — the Riyadh Parking app pays with Mada or Apple Pay, not SMS. In Qatar, Doha's Karwa/Mawaqif is mostly pay-machines (card, coins or Nol) with limited SMS on 922229 in some zones. In Oman, Muscat removed its meters and now takes SMS on 90091. Kuwait and Bahrain have little formal paid on-street parking. So a per-country SMS calculator only makes sense for the UAE; elsewhere the right move is the local municipality app or the meter. If your paperwork question is bigger than parking — a fine blocking your registration, a licence to convert — that is where our desk comes in.

A parking fine that sticks to the plate can block your car registration renewal. For the wider vehicle and residency picture, see the full UAE & GCC parking guide, the sold-car fines guide for fines that follow the plate, the Mulkiya (vehicle registration) renewal guide, and the Emirates ID fine calculator for the separate document-fine track. Start at the UAE services hub for everything else.

Frequently asked

What number do I text to pay for parking in Abu Dhabi?

In Abu Dhabi you pay Mawaqif parking by SMS to 3009. The message format is plate code, plate number, zone type and hours — for example 'AUH5 00000 S 1', where S means a standard zone (AED 2/hour) and P means premium (AED 3/hour). You get a reminder before it expires; reply E to extend. Mawaqif is free on Sundays and public holidays, and residents park free in their own permit zone from 9pm to 8am.

What number do I text for parking in Dubai?

In Dubai you text the RTA parking number 7275 (which spells PARK). The format is plate number, zone code and hours — for example 'A00000 444A 2'. The zone code is the 3-digit number plus a letter printed on the blue and orange signboard next to your space. Tariffs run from AED 2 in economy zones to AED 4 in standard on-street zones, AED 5 in multi-storey, and up to AED 10 in premium peak zones, plus a 30-fils fee per SMS. Parking is free from 10pm to 8am, all day Friday, and on public holidays.

When is parking free in Dubai?

Dubai paid parking applies Saturday to Thursday from 8am to 10pm. Parking is free from 10pm to 8am every night, all day on Fridays, and on public holidays. A few premium and privately operated zones charge for longer hours, so check the board, but the standard RTA on-street rule is free overnight and on Fridays.

When is parking free in Abu Dhabi (Mawaqif)?

Standard Mawaqif parking is free on Sundays and on public holidays. Residents who hold a Mawaqif resident permit also park free inside their own designated zone from 9pm to 8am. Outside those windows, standard zones charge AED 2/hour and premium zones AED 3/hour during operating hours, so check the board next to the bay.

What is the parking SMS number for Sharjah?

Sharjah parking is paid by SMS to 5566, in the format 'SHJ 1234 2' (plate number and hours). The tariff is a flat AED 2/hour plus a 38-fils charge. From July 2026 paid hours were unified to 8am–midnight daily. Standard (yellow/green) zones are free on Fridays and public holidays, but blue zones charge every day of the week with no free days.

Can I pay for parking by SMS everywhere in the GCC?

No — SMS parking is mainly a UAE system. Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah and Umm Al Quwain all use SMS with an emirate prefix. Elsewhere in the Gulf it varies: Oman's Muscat uses SMS to 90091, Qatar's Karwa/Mawaqif is mostly pay-machines with limited SMS to 922229, and Saudi Arabia's Riyadh is app-only (the Riyadh Parking app with Mada or Apple Pay). Kuwait and Bahrain have little formal paid on-street parking. Always confirm the local number on the meter or municipality app.

What happens if I do not pay for parking?

An unpaid or expired parking session can be fined by the relevant authority (RTA in Dubai, the Integrated Transport Centre/Mawaqif in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah Municipality, and so on). Fines are separate from the parking fee and are added to your vehicle record, which can block services such as registration renewal until settled. Paying the small SMS fee on time is far cheaper than the fine.