In Dubai, you can find multiple options for car parking. Whether for a short time or an extended duration, the city is no short of facilities. Similarly, there are many ways to pay for car parking tickets in Dubai. Among them, the mParking service is a digital solution where you don’t face the hassle of searching for parking metres or carrying exact change. Let’s learn more about this e-service, how to register for it and its terms and conditions.
What is mParking in Dubai?
The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) has an e-service called ‘mParking’ for motorists to pay for parking tickets in Dubai. It allows drivers to easily pay for car parking in Dubai via SMS without searching for parking metres and coins. All it requires is sending a message to 7275 (PARK) in a pre-defined format.
In addition, Etisalat and Du network users can avail of this service. mParking not only serves as a payment mode but also alerts the driver of virtual permit expiration. Motorists can also apply to extend their parking period through an SMS, all from the comfort of their home or workplace.
Let’s first understand the terms and conditions of this service.
mParking – Key Points to Remember
Both Etisalat and Du network subscribers can avail of this e-service. The required conditions are as follows:
- Register your vehicle by providing the plate number and specifying the parking zone and duration. Then, send the details via SMS to 7275 (PARK). You will receive a confirmation message five minutes later.
- When using mParking, a driver must have a sufficient mobile phone balance for service charges and parking fees.
- To avail mParking, motorists must send the SMS in the correct format explained in the user guide. The user will face service charges if they send a message in the wrong format. Additionally, RTA will not be responsible for such cases.
- Apart from the parking fees, the telecom operator will charge thirty (30) fils as service charges. To avoid this amount, the user can register on mParking via the RTA official app, a useful app for drivers in Dubai.
- If a parking time gets extended, mParking will charge the user accordingly by automatically calculating the second tariff. For steps of parking tariff, users can refer to Payment Display (P/D) Machines.
- The motorist can use this virtual permit for the requested zones only.
- A user must fulfil the required terms and conditions by RTA to avail of the e-service.
- RTA is not responsible if the service amount is deducted but not delivered due to an emergency outage or mobile operator system failure.
- Users can call RTA’s helpline at 800-9090 for any queries and complaints.
Now we know the basics of using this service, here’s how to pay for car parking with it.
Steps to Pay for Car Parking by SMS in Dubai
mParking is among the most convenient ways to pay for car parking in Dubai. Besides, it also sends an alert to drivers before the virtual parking ticket expires. The user can then renew their parking ticket with just a few taps on their mobile phone.
Here are the steps to pay for car parking by SMS in Dubai.
STEP 1: REGISTER ON MPARKING
The first step is to add the RTA’s official parking SMS number (7275) to a user’s phonebook. After that, send the SMS to the number in the following format: < Plate No.><space> <Zone No.><space><Duration>
The message will have a pattern like this: A00000 123A or A00000 123A 1/2
This will allow you to pay for parking via SMS in Dubai.
STEP 2: CREATE A MESSAGE
For Vehicles Registered in Dubai
Speaking of vehicles registered in Dubai, the user must send the message to 7275 (PARK) in the following RTA mParking format:
< Nickname><space> <Zone No.><space><Duration>
For instance, if a user named Ali wants to park their car for two hours in the 123A parking zone, the message will look like this: Ali1 123A 2
For vehicles registered outside Dubai
If your vehicle is registered in another Emirate or country, use the following SMS format:
Emirate/Country code followed by the plate code <> plate no. <> area no. <> and duration in hours
Following this pattern, the message will look like this:
AUH13 12345 335A 1 or KSA 123ABC 335A 4
For motorcycles, the message must start with ‘B’. For instance, B AUH14 00000 335A 1. However, the applicant must be a Du-Etisalat user.
The codes for different Emirates or countries to enter in the RTA mParking format are given below:
- Abu Dhabi: AUH
- Sharjah: SHJ
- Ajman: AJM
- Umm Al Quwain: UAQ
- Ras Al Khaimah: RAK
- Fujairah: FUJ
- Saudi Arabia: KSA
- Kuwait: KWT
- Oman: OMN
- Bahrain: BAH
STEP 3: RECIEVE A CONFIRMATION MESSAGE
After you have typed the message in the required format, hit send. You will then receive a confirmation message, outlining the details of the virtual parking ticket. There must be enough balance in your phone to complete the transaction.
Furthermore, a half-hour ticket is only valid for Zone A. The acceptable duration formats for a half-hour mParking SMS service are: 1/2, .5, .50, 0.5, 0.50, 30, 30 min, 30 mins, 30 minute and 30 minutes.
Ticket Expiry and Renewal
mParking sends a message alert to a user ten minutes before their virtual ticket expires. Also, drivers can renew their tickets for extended parking. To do so, they can simply send an SMS ‘Y’ to 7275 (PARK). If you extend the parking time, the mParking system will automatically calculate the second tariff step and charge you accordingly.
FAQs
Can you register non-Dubai vehicles via mParking?
Yes, mParking allows you to register non-Dubai vehicles by sending an SMS to 7275 (PARK) in the format: Emirate/Country code, plate code <> plate no. <> area no. <> and duration in hours.
Which areas have free car parking in Dubai?
You can find several areas in Dubai that offer free car parking like Downtown Dubai, Global Village and City Walk.
What is the WhatsApp number for parking in Dubai?
You can pay for parking in Dubai by sending a WhatsApp message to RTA’s chatbot at +971 58 800 9090.
This is all on the RTA mParking in Dubai. The e-service adds to the convenience of motorists and allows them to pay for parking with just a few taps on their mobile phones. RTA has always prioritised digitalisation, whether it is finding a parking spot online in Dubai or paying for it.
In addition, if you are on the hunt for a new ride, consider checking out these used cars for sale in Dubai that offer a plethora of options available in the pre-owned market. Also, go through our guide on Sharjah SMS parking which outlines all the steps and details.
Stay connected with the dubizzle’s cars blog for more details on e-services by RTA Dubai.
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