Dubai Parking SMS: RTA mParking Guide

Dubai’s obsession with cars is no secret. And if you own a car, you need a space to park, which in Dubai is scarce and doesn’t come cheap. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) in Dubai has introduced a novel and convenient way to pay for your parking via an SMS service. How cool is that?

Pay with Dubai Parking SMS

It’s called Dubai Parking SMS or mParking, which lets you pay your car’s parking fee by sending a simple SMS. It cannot get more convenient than that. Let’s explore it in detail here and learn how to use this service and its charges for vehicles in Dubai and those from elsewhere. Before we get started we would like to tell you we also published a blog on Sharjah SMS Parking that you should also check, If you are going to park your vehicle in sharjah.

How to use mParking?

The RTA in Dubai has come up with this novel solution for paying your parking fee. Anyone familiar with a smartphone can easily use this service. Let’s walk you through the process.

Step 1:

Open the messaging app to create a new message. Write 7275 in the sender’s address. If you haven’t guessed 7275, the Dubai parking SMS number denotes PARK if you decipher it.

Step 2:

The next step is to type in your and your car’s information and location in the specified format. It should look like this.

Car plate no <space> Zone no <space> Duration

You can check the zone number by looking around for blue or orange parking sign posts that display the zone numbers. The duration is the time you are likely to park your car here. It could be 1, 2 or 3 hours. 

In the first image, 343C is the zone number, and 1 denotes 1 hour when the car owner is likely to car park here. C54321 is, of course, the vehicle registration number. In the above image of a parking signpost in Dubai, 227C is the zone number.

Step 3:

Once you have typed in the information in the required format, send the message, and viola, your parking fee is paid. You will receive a confirmation message that should look like this.

If you have registered with the RTA, you will write your registered user name instead of your car registration number and send it to 7275 in the same format. It is a simple and effective way to pay for your parking. 

Important:

You will receive an SMS 10 minutes before the expiry of your parking time. It will ask you to send ‘Y’ if you want to extend the parking time. You can choose to do so, and your parking will be renewed. You will be charged a nominal fee of 30 fils per transaction.

4 Easy Ways to Pay for Your Car Parking by SMS in Dubai?

Let’s look at four ways to pay for car parking by SMS In Dubai.

• SMS Pay
• Pay parking in Dubai via WhatsApp
• RTA App
• NOL card

Let’s briefly look at them one by one.

SMS Pay:

We have already discussed SMS pay. Refer to the details given on how to use mParking above. It is the same as above. 

Let’s discuss others.

Pay Parking in Dubai via WhatsApp:

You can also pay for Dubai parking SMS through the popular chatting app WhatsApp. Like the SMS, the process is simple and easy to understand. Here’s what you need to do.

Step 1:

First, you must add +971 58 8009090 to your contact list.

Step 2: 

Like the SMS service, you need to send the message using WhatsApp in the specified format

Car plate no <space> Zone no <space> Duration

Step 3:

After you send the message, you will receive a confirmation stating that your parking fee has been paid.

Important:

It would help if you had sufficient balance in your mobile to use Dubai parking SMS WhatsApp. 

If you have a prepaid mobile connection, you will be charged from your mobile phone balance for the parking fee. In case of a postpaid connection, the parking fee will be reflected in your bill.

RTA App:

The RTA app is another easy way to pay Dubai parking fees. The RTA app is freely available on both Apple and iOS app stores, and it is also integrated with Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, which is an added advantage for users. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can do it. 

Step 1:

Once you have downloaded the app, please open it and select your desired language.

Step 2:

You don’t have to be registered to use its services. Once inside, click ‘Parking’ and press the Pay Public Parking Fees tab.

Step 3:

The app will now show you nearby parking zones based on your location. You can search for your desired zone, or if you know the zone number, enter and proceed.

Step 4:

You will now be asked to select the vehicle type from the drop-down menu.

Step 5:

This step involves entering your emirate, plate code, and plate number. Enter and go to the next step.

Step 6:

In this step, you will give the duration of your parking time. You can also add your mobile number to get reminders about your parking time. When you have made the right selections, you can click on the Pay tab given at the end.

Step 7:

In this last step, you will be provided with different payment modes. You can choose among Samsung or Apple Pay, debit/credit card, or pay via SMS. You can select the option that suits you the best, and that’s it.

NOL Card:

The NOL card is a prepaid facility the RTA provides for public transport commuters. It is acceptable in Metro, buses, and water taxis. It can also be used to enter various public places and, in some cases, to pay for food and groceries. Our focus here is how to use it to pay for parking. So, let’s begin.

Step 1:

Paying Dubai parking SMS fee via an NOL card is very simple. Insert the NOL card in the parking machines installed at all the paid parking zones of Dubai. The machine will read your card and inform you of the available balance.               

Step 2:

Press the OK button on the machine to pay for your parking ticket, and that’s it. 

You can also use the NOL card to top your e-parking purse in the RTA’s app. This service is currently available for Android users only. To top the e-parking purse, tap the NOL card on the phone, and your job is done.

What are the SMS Formats for Cars From Other Emirates?

If you drive a non-Dubai registered car, you can still pay the parking fee via SMS in the same way that we discussed above. The only difference is that you will use a different code representing your emirate or country of origin. Here is a list of those codes.

• Abu Dhabi Emirate                       AUH
• Sharjah Emirate                          SHJ
• Ajman Emirate                            AJM
• Umm Al Quwain Emirate              UAQ   
• Ras Al Khaimah Emirate              RAK
• Fujairah Emirate                         FUJ
• Saudi Arabia                              KSA
• Kuwait                                      KWT
• Bahrain                                     BAH
• Oman                                       OMN

You will send the SMS in the same way as you would if you had a Dubai-registered vehicle

What are the Requirements to Pay Dubai Ticket Through SMS?

There are some requirements for using this service which includes the following

• A valid Dubai mobile number
• Sufficient balance in your mobile
• Complete vehicle registration
• Knowledge about Dubai’s parking zones

If you are going to use RTA’s app for this purpose then its registration

How Should You Know the Code of the Parking Zones in Dubai?

This information is prominently displayed on all paid parking signposts of Dubai. Look for them when you park your vehicle. These signposts are in blue or orange colors. You can also use RTA’s app or its website for details about the zones.

How Much is the Fee of Dubai Parking?

The following is the list of parking charges according to different zones and time in Dubai.

Please keep checking the RTA’s website for updated rates. The Dubai Parking SMS half hour is constant no matter what time of the day or night you park your vehicle.

How Can You Know That Your Ticket is About to Expire?

You will receive an SMS ten minutes before the expiry of your parking duration. It is a reminder that you should head to your car or extend the parking time if you are still not free. 

How Can You Renew/Extend the Ticket Duration?

We have explained it in detail above. When you receive the reminder SMS that your parking is about to expire, it will ask you if you would like to extend your stay and in case you are, press ‘Y’ on the screen.

Conclusion:

So that’s about Dubai Parking SMS, what is it? How you can use it and what are the different methods of paying for your parking using this service. We hope you will find this information useful, whether you are a Dubai resident or planning to be move there. 

The sun is setting on the era of carrying cash and paying for things you buy using cash money. It is the age of digital payments and transfers which are far safe and more convenient. Embrace modernity and the next time you park your vehicle in Dubai, pay via this system; you will be surprised by its efficiency and utility.