For drivers who live in, commute to or visit Sharjah and Ajman: the paid hours, what an hour costs, how to pay by SMS or app, when parking is free, what a monthly permit costs, and how to check, pay or contest a parking fine.
In Sharjah, public parking costs AED 2 for one hour and AED 12 for five hours, and since 1 July 2026 every paid zone charges from 8am to midnight. Standard zones are free on Fridays and public holidays, while blue-sign zones charge every day. In Ajman, parking costs AED 2 an hour from 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 10pm, Saturday to Thursday, and is free on Fridays and public holidays. You pay by SMS (5566 in Sharjah, 5155 in Ajman), by app or at the meter.
Both emirates run their own systems, separate from Dubai’s RTA and Parkin zones and Abu Dhabi’s Mawaqif. Your Dubai parking permit or app balance does not work here. This guide is built from Sharjah City Municipality’s published service cards and Ajman Municipality and Planning Department’s parking service card. It flags the few figures that come only from press reports.
Sharjah and Ajman Parking at a Glance
| Item | Sharjah | Ajman |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | Sharjah City Municipality, Public Parking Department | Ajman Municipality and Planning Department (MPDA) |
| Paid hours | 8am to midnight in all paid zones (from 1 July 2026) | 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 10pm, Saturday to Thursday |
| Free days | Fridays and public holidays, except blue-sign zones (paid every day) | Fridays and public holidays |
| One hour | AED 2 (AED 2.38 by SMS) | AED 2 regular, AED 6 VIP (AED 2.38 by SMS) |
| SMS number | 5566 | 5155 |
| App | Digital Sharjah | MPDA app |
| Monthly permit | AED 390 (all areas, personal) | AED 300 (30-day ticket) |
Sharjah Parking Hours and Zones
From 1 July 2026, all paid parking zones in Sharjah city, Kalba, Khorfakkan and Al Dhaid charge from 8am until midnight. Sharjah City Municipality made the change to bring the yellow-sign zones, which used to stop charging earlier in the evening, into line with the blue-sign zones. The municipality says about 124,000 paid public spaces are covered (Khaleej Times, reporting the Sharjah Municipality announcement).
Before July 2026, standard zones charged 8am to 10pm, Saturday to Thursday, and the seven-day zones charged 8am to midnight (Gulf News, January 2026). Older guides and some signs may still show 10pm. The new hours apply.
Yellow Signs vs Blue Signs
| Zone | Saturday to Thursday | Fridays and public holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Standard zone (yellow sign) | Paid, 8am to midnight | Free |
| Seven-day zone (blue sign) | Paid, 8am to midnight | Paid, 8am to midnight |
| Smart parking zones (some tourist areas) | Fees and operating method may differ. Follow the signs at the site. | |
Midnight to 8am is free in every zone. Paid parking stays free on Fridays and public holidays except in the zones that charge seven days a week, including holidays (Gulf News, reporting the Sharjah Municipality announcement). The sign next to your space is the final word, so check its color before you assume Friday is free.
The 10-Minute Grace Period
Sharjah Municipality has said that each new parking session starts with a 10-minute grace period before a ticket is needed. It renews when you move to a new space (Gulf News, citing the municipality’s official video). It is enough time to buy a ticket, not to run an errand.
How Much Does Parking Cost in Sharjah?
Sharjah City Municipality publishes the hourly tariff in its “Parking reservation” service card. The SMS prices below include the 38 fils charged for each text (Sharjah City Municipality, Parking reservation service):
| Duration | Parking fee | Total by SMS |
|---|---|---|
| 1 hour | AED 2 | AED 2.38 |
| 2 hours | AED 5 | AED 5.38 |
| 3 hours | AED 8 | AED 8.38 |
| 5 hours | AED 12 | AED 12.38 |
The municipality’s tariff does not list a 4-hour price, so check the meter or app if you need exactly four hours.
Prepaid Parking Cards
Instead of coins, you can buy prepaid parking cards worth AED 30, 50 or 100 and use them at the meters to print a paper ticket. Businesses buying in bulk get a discount: 100 to 999 cards cost AED 26, 42 and 82, and 1,000 or more cost AED 25, 41 and 80 (Sharjah City Municipality, Parking reservation service).
How to Pay for Parking in Sharjah
The municipality lists four ways to pay for hourly parking: SMS, the smart app, prepaid cards at service centers, and the Digital Sharjah app (Sharjah City Municipality, Parking reservation service).
- SMS to 5566: send your plate source, plate number and the number of hours, for example
SHJ 12345 2for two hours on a Sharjah plate. You get a confirmation text that acts as your ticket. The service works on e& (Etisalat), du and Virgin Mobile lines. - Digital Sharjah app: pick the zone and duration and pay by card. The municipality points drivers to this app and SMS as the main payment channels (Khaleej Times).
- Parking meter: pay with coins or a prepaid card and leave the paper ticket visible on the dashboard.
- Subscription: regular users can buy a seasonal permit (next section), which removes the need to pay per hour.
The SMS number for Sharjah (5566) is not the same as Dubai’s (7275) or Ajman’s (5155). A text sent to the wrong emirate’s number does not count as a valid ticket.
Sharjah Monthly and Annual Parking Permits
Sharjah sells two kinds of seasonal subscription: one valid in every paid area of the city, and a cheaper one limited to two zones. The prices below come from the municipality’s own service cards (all-areas subscription; two-zone subscription):
| Period | All areas, personal | All areas, commercial | Two zones, personal | Two zones, commercial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 days | AED 170 | AED 170 | Not offered | Not offered |
| 20 days | AED 290 | AED 290 | Not offered | Not offered |
| 1 month | AED 390 | AED 390 | AED 166 | AED 200 |
| 3 months | AED 850 | AED 1,050 | AED 500 | AED 600 |
| 6 months | AED 1,400 | AED 1,750 | AED 900 | AED 1,100 |
| 12 months | AED 2,300 | AED 2,850 | AED 1,700 | AED 2,100 |
On top of the subscription price, each application carries AED 10.50 in collection fees, AED 10 in scientific research fees and a AED 25 service center fee. The all-areas card also lists an “exceptional” subscription at AED 600 for three months, AED 1,050 for six months and AED 1,850 for a year, without stating who qualifies. Ask the service center before you apply.
What you need: individuals provide a copy of their Emirates ID and the vehicle registration (Mulkiya). Companies provide their trade license and the Mulkiya, and government bodies an official letter and the Mulkiya. Applications go through the Injazat service center in Industrial Area 5, and the permit is issued digitally against your plate. The municipality also offers an online subscription status check.
The July 2026 change did not raise subscription prices. Subscribers instead got two extra hours of daily exemption, taking it from 14 to 16 hours (Khaleej Times).
Is a Permit Worth It?
At AED 5 for two hours, a commuter who parks for two paid hours a day, six days a week, spends about AED 130 a month. Someone parking near home for long evening stretches, or near an office all day, will pass the AED 390 monthly all-areas price quickly. If your parking is concentrated in two zones, the AED 166 two-zone permit is the cheapest option by far.
Free Parking for People of Determination in Sharjah
People of determination, or their guardians, can get a free digital subscription that covers all paid public parking in Sharjah. The application is made online with the subscription or plate number, and the result is a digital permit showing its validity period. The service line is 994 (Sharjah City Municipality, parking permit for people of determination). Parking in a space reserved for people of determination without a permit is one of the highest fines in the system.
Ajman Parking Hours
Ajman charges in two blocks: 8am to 1pm and 5pm to 10pm, Saturday to Thursday (Emarat Al Youm, reporting Ajman Municipality and Planning Department). Parking is free from 1pm to 5pm, overnight, and all day on Fridays and public holidays (Khaleej Times, June 2025).
Hours shift during Ramadan. In Ramadan 2025, Ajman charged from 9am to 1pm and from 8pm to midnight, every day except Fridays and public holidays (Emarat Al Youm, February 2025). Expect a similar announcement each Ramadan.
Which Ajman Streets Are Paid?
Paid parking is concentrated in central Ajman and keeps expanding. In 2022 the department put smart cameras on its 17,261 paid spaces, starting with Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Street, Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Street, the Gold Market area and Mohammed Salem Bu Khamis Street (Ajman Municipality and Planning Department). On 21 June 2025 another 1,263 paid spaces went live on Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi Street (Garden City Towers), Sheikh Rashid bin Saeed Al Nuaimi Street (Ajman Pearl Towers), Al Baraa bin Malik Street and Osama bin Zaid Street (Khaleej Times). If you live in one of those towers, budget for a permit.
How Much Does Parking Cost in Ajman?
Ajman Municipality and Planning Department publishes its full tariff in the “Parking Reservation Request” service card (MPDA, Parking Reservation Request, page last updated 2 September 2024):
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Regular, 30 minutes | AED 1 |
| Regular, 1 hour | AED 2 |
| VIP, 30 minutes | AED 3 |
| VIP, 1 hour | AED 6 |
| SMS (du / e&), 1 hour | AED 2.38 |
| Long-term ticket, 10 days | AED 100 |
| Long-term ticket, 20 days | AED 200 |
| Long-term ticket, 30 days | AED 300 |
VIP spaces are a separate, marked category at three times the regular rate. Check which kind of bay you are in before paying.
Ajman Annual Parking Cards
| Card | Quarterly | Semi-annual | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer card, first car | AED 780 | AED 1,400 | AED 2,350 |
| Customer card, second car | AED 300 | AED 600 | AED 1,200 |
| VIP card | AED 1,500 | AED 3,000 | AED 6,000 |
| Government departments and banks, first card | AED 300 | AED 600 | AED 1,200 |
| Government departments and banks, second card | AED 150 | AED 300 | AED 600 |
Four annual cards are free: senior Emiratis, people of determination (with the Ministry of Interior parking permit), Emirati residents of a building (first and second card), and environmentally friendly vehicles. Free cards for building residents are limited to UAE nationals, so expat tenants pay the customer card rate.
Documents for a resident card: a copy of the tenancy contract, a valid passport, the vehicle registration, the Emirates ID and the application form. Cards are issued within one working day.
How to Pay for Parking in Ajman
- SMS to 5155: works on du, e& and Virgin Mobile, and suits short stays. You get a confirmation text that acts as your ticket.
- MPDA app: the department’s app handles both short bookings and long-term tickets and cards, from 30 minutes up to a year, paid by e-wallet or card (Emarat Al Youm, reporting MPDA). Annual cards are applied for here too.
- Meters: buy a ticket at the machine and display it.
Parking Fines in Sharjah and Ajman
Sharjah
Sharjah City Municipality issues public parking fines, not Sharjah Police, so they sit in the municipality’s system and not on your traffic file. The fine for parking without a valid ticket after the grace period is AED 150 (Gulf News, January 2026). Press guides that list the municipality’s violations also give these amounts (Gulf News):
| Violation (as reported) | Fine |
|---|---|
| No valid ticket bought or displayed | AED 150 |
| Staying past the paid time | AED 100 |
| Blocking traffic in a parking area | AED 200 |
| Misusing a ticket machine | AED 500 |
| Washing cars in a parking area | AED 500 |
| Parking in a space for people of determination | AED 1,000 |
| Parking in a reserved space | AED 1,000 |
Sharjah City Municipality does not publish this schedule on its current website. Treat these amounts as the commonly reported figures and confirm the exact fine in the municipality’s fine inquiry service.
Checking and paying: the municipality’s inquiry service shows unpaid public parking fines with date and amount when you enter your plate number or fine number, and lets you pay online, in the app or at service centers. The service line is 995 (Sharjah City Municipality, vehicle fines inquiry and payment).
Discounts: Sharjah’s 35% early-payment discount on traffic fines is a Sharjah Police scheme and does not automatically apply to municipality parking fines. The municipality has run one-off discounts, such as 50% off all fines issued before 5 September 2023, valid until 3 December 2023 under an Executive Council decision (Sharjah City Municipality). That offer has ended. Watch for new announcements rather than assuming a discount exists. How the police discount works for traffic fines is covered in our Sharjah and Ajman traffic fines guide.
Contesting a Sharjah Parking Fine
If you think a fine is wrong, for example because you had a valid SMS ticket or permit, file an objection through the municipality website, a service center or by email, quoting the fine number or plate number. The municipality reviews the evidence and replies within 5 working days, either cancelling the fine or rejecting the objection. The service line is 996 (Sharjah City Municipality, objection to a parking violation). Keep your SMS confirmation or app receipt: it is your best evidence.
Wheel Clamps in Sharjah
Sharjah can lock (clamp) a vehicle. To release it, you pay all outstanding dues on the vehicle. The fee is “according to the value of the dues”, and release is immediate once paid. You can pay on the website, the smart app, Tasheel service centers or the Digital Sharjah app, or call 993 (Sharjah City Municipality, vehicle unlock request). Unpaid parking fines that pile up are what usually trigger a clamp.
Ajman
Ajman Municipality and Planning Department enforces paid parking with fixed cameras and camera-equipped patrol vehicles, so a missing ticket is recorded automatically (MPDA). Fines are checked and paid in the MPDA app. The department does not publish its parking fine amounts in its service catalogue, and we could not verify a current figure from an official source. Check the amount on the fine itself in the app.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Assuming Friday is free in Sharjah. It is in yellow-sign zones, but blue-sign zones charge every day, including public holidays.
- Using old evening hours. Sharjah’s paid parking now runs to midnight in every zone. Ajman still stops at 10pm, with a free 1pm to 5pm break.
- Texting the wrong number. 5566 is Sharjah, 5155 is Ajman, and 7275 is Dubai.
- Parking in an Ajman VIP bay at the regular rate. VIP bays cost AED 6 an hour, not AED 2.
- Expecting a Dubai or Abu Dhabi permit to work. Permits are emirate-specific. If you move between emirates, see our guide to moving emirates within the UAE.
How Sharjah and Ajman Compare With Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Sharjah’s AED 2 for one hour is low by UAE standards. Its midnight cut-off and seven-day blue zones make it stricter on hours than Ajman. Dubai uses zone-based tariffs, free Sundays and peak-hour pricing, covered in our Dubai parking rules guide. Abu Dhabi’s Mawaqif system has its own zones and fines, covered in Abu Dhabi traffic fines and Mawaqif parking. If you are weighing a Sharjah home against a Dubai job, our Dubai vs Sharjah commute cost breakdown puts parking next to Salik, fuel and rent. Parking is also one line in the full cost of running a car in the UAE.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the paid parking hours in Sharjah?
From 1 July 2026, all paid zones in Sharjah city, Kalba, Khorfakkan and Al Dhaid charge from 8am to midnight. Standard yellow-sign zones are free on Fridays and public holidays, while blue-sign zones charge every day.
Is parking free on Friday in Sharjah?
In standard zones with yellow signs, yes. In seven-day zones marked with blue signs, no: they charge from 8am to midnight on Fridays and public holidays too.
How much is parking in Sharjah per hour?
AED 2 for one hour, AED 5 for two hours, AED 8 for three hours and AED 12 for five hours. Paying by SMS adds 38 fils per message.
What is the SMS number for parking in Sharjah?
5566. Send your plate source, plate number and hours, for example “SHJ 12345 2”. The service works on e&, du and Virgin Mobile.
How much is a monthly parking permit in Sharjah?
AED 390 for one month covering all paid areas, or AED 166 for a personal permit limited to two zones, plus about AED 45.50 in collection, research and service center fees.
What is the fine for not paying parking in Sharjah?
AED 150 for parking without a valid ticket after the 10-minute grace period, as reported from the municipality. Overstaying a paid ticket is commonly reported at AED 100.
How do I check parking fines in Sharjah?
Use Sharjah City Municipality’s vehicle fines inquiry service on its website or app, entering your plate number or fine number. You can pay there or at a municipality service center.
What are the paid parking hours in Ajman?
8am to 1pm and 5pm to 10pm, Saturday to Thursday. Parking is free from 1pm to 5pm, overnight, and on Fridays and public holidays.
What is the SMS number for parking in Ajman?
5155. One hour by SMS costs AED 2.38. For longer stays, use the MPDA app, which sells tickets from 30 minutes up to a year.
How much is parking in Ajman?
AED 1 for 30 minutes or AED 2 for an hour in regular bays, and AED 3 or AED 6 in VIP bays. Long-term tickets cost AED 100 for 10 days, AED 200 for 20 days and AED 300 for 30 days.
Can expats get free parking cards in Ajman?
Expats with a Ministry of Interior parking permit for people of determination qualify, and environmentally friendly vehicles get a free card. The free resident and senior cards are for UAE nationals only.
Do people of determination pay for parking in Sharjah?
No. People of determination or their guardians can apply online for a free digital subscription that covers all paid public parking in Sharjah.
Official Sources
- Sharjah City Municipality: Parking reservation service (hourly SMS tariff, prepaid cards, payment channels)
- Sharjah City Municipality: Parking subscription for all areas of Sharjah (prices, documents)
- Sharjah City Municipality: Parking subscription for two zones (prices)
- Sharjah City Municipality: Parking permit for people of determination
- Sharjah City Municipality: Vehicle fines inquiry and electronic payment
- Sharjah City Municipality: Objection to a parking violation
- Sharjah City Municipality: Vehicle unlock (wheel clamp release) request
- Sharjah City Municipality: 50% fines discount, 2023 (expired)
- Ajman Municipality and Planning Department: Parking Reservation Request (tariff, cards, SMS 5155), archived April 2025
- Ajman Municipality and Planning Department: Smart parking monitoring project, 2022
Information current as of October 2026. Sharjah’s hourly tariff, subscriptions and services were read from Sharjah City Municipality’s live service cards. The July 2026 hours change, the grace period and the fine amounts come from press reports of municipality announcements, because the municipality does not publish them on its current website. Ajman’s website did not respond while this guide was prepared, so its tariff was read from the archived service card (last updated 2 September 2024), and its paid hours from press reports of department announcements.
This guide is for informational purposes only. UAE regulations and fees are subject to change. Always verify current requirements with the relevant official authority before proceeding with any application or transaction.
