Parking prices have just gone up across Dubai (well, in commercial areas).

If you already find parking a little pricey there’s bad news: the RTA’s restructured parking fees and timings came into effect as of yesterday.

This means that around 30,000 public parking spaces in the city now cost Dhs4 per hour rather than Dhs2 per hour to park your car in. Also, the parking fee break from 1pm to 4pm no longer exists, so you’ll be charged from 8am to 10pm on working days in all RTA parking spots.

The cost of parking in Dubai is still relatively cheap compared to other major cities (in London it can cost up to Dhs25 per hour to park in some areas).

Where will have increased fees?

The change in price is only applicable to parking areas called zone A and B, which covers commercial areas, roadside parking and parking lots, and makes up 23 per cent of the total parking spaces in Dubai. That said, no parking spaces have the 1pm to 4pm break now, so all parking in the city has gone up in that there’s no longer a gap in payments.

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What are the parking zones and their fees?

Zone A & B: All commercial areas, roadside parking and parking lots throughout Dubai. Prices are now Dhs4 per hour. Including parts of Dubai Marina, Bur Dubai, Deira, Barsha and Sheikh Zayed Road.

Zone C & D: All non-commercial parking areas – these are still all at the old price of Dhs2 an hour.

Zone E: Parking for Deira Fish Market only. This will still be Dhs2 an hour.

Zone F: Parking in Tecom investments areas. This remains Dhs2 an hour (which means, yes, that those parking in Dubai Media City will still be charged Dhs2 per hour).

Zone G: Parking on Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Boulevard. This is a new zone and will stay at the old fees.

RTA’s multi-storey car parks will also go up from Dhs3 per hour to Dhs5 per hour. So yes, the rest of Dubai, which falls under zones C to G will not be receiving increased parking fees. The new parking timings will be between 8am and 10pm, without a break from 1pm to 4pm – and is applicable to all zones in the city.

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New parking permits

Eleven types of parking permits have been made available offering up free packages and services for those who are permanently disabled, temporarily disabled, disabled tourists and visitors of the emirate, patients with chronic illnesses regularly visiting hospitals, seniors over 60, citizens residing in controlled public parking zones in addition to GCC citizens residing in controlled public parking zones, government entities, consulates operating in the emirate and residents in residential communities where parking is prohibited at night for non-residents.

Students will also be eligible for discounted rates.

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Seasonal parking permit prices

The price for seasonal parking permits have been amended as well.

A side and plot parking permit costs Dhs1,400 for 3 months, Dhs2,500 for 6 months and Dhs4,500 for one year.

A plot parking permit costs Dhs700 for 3 months, Dhs1,300 for 6 months and Dhs2,400 for one year.

A multi-storey car-park permit costs Dhs2,000 for 3 months, Dhs4,000 for 6 months and Dhs8,000 for one year.

Student permit, which includes parking within a 500ft radius of schools costs Dhs300 for 3 months.

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Why have prices increased?

The RTA have said in a statement that, “the new policy of revising the tariff of public parking in Dubai is built on concept of ensuring that parking slots are not unjustifiably occupied, and are made available to the largest possible number of users especially at noon, to enable people visit hospitals, malls and banks.

“The free parking period at noon has been abolished under the new policy and the paid parking period will thus continue seamlessly from 8 am to 10 pm during weekdays except Friday and public holidays. The move is intended to increase the frequency of using the single parking during that period in response to the needs of the local market and the wishes of customers to regulate the public parking during that period. The parking fare in multi-level parking terminals has also been upped from AED3 to AED5 per hour in order to increase the rotation of using the parking slots in these buildings.”

Images: RTA/Getty