UAE Parking Fines: Does Waiting Inside Car Exempt You From Paying Fees?

All public parking spaces are monitored by inspection teams to ensure that they are not misused.

It’s a fairly common practice for motorists in the UAE to park their vehicles in paid zones and wait inside without paying. Some leave their hazard lights on. They do this to answer a phone call or to just wait for someone.

The Sharjah Municipality — which regulates parking in the emirate — has clarified that sitting inside vehicles does not exempt motorists from paying the parking fees.

The civil body issued the clarification in a social media post on Thursday.

According to the list of parking-related offences on the Sharjah Municipality website, failure to pay for parking is punishable with a Dh150 fine. The fine for staying on beyond the stipulated time is Dh100. Parking in reserved spaces or those for motorists with disabilities is a serious offence that comes with a Dh1,000 fine.

A top official had earlier said that over 57,000 spaces in Sharjah are currently allocated for public parking. All of these are monitored by inspection teams to ensure that they are not misused. The inspectors issue fines for violations such as parking without paying the required fees, or for occupying more than one parking spot at a time.

So, the next time you stop in a paid zone, thinking it is just for a minute or 10, make sure you pay for it. The fees for public parking in Sharjah is Dh2 for an hour, Dh5 for two and Dh8 for three. The fees apply Saturday to Thursday from 8am to 10pm, and parking is free on Fridays in all zones, except those that have blue information signs. In such areas, parking is a paid service on all days of the week.

Some motorists stop on the road to collect their orders from groceries, restaurants or other shops. The municipality had earlier warned against the practice. Employees of shops had been told by the authorities to not serve such customers as the practice obstructs traffic.

News Source: Khaleej Times