Paid parking in Sharjah: Maximum time limit to pay fees revealed

The Sharjah Municipality — which regulates parking in the Emirate — has reminded motorists that being inside in their parked vehicles in paid zones does not exempt them from paying the due fees. As Khaleej Times reported earlier, it’s a fairly common practice for motorists in the UAE to park their vehicles in paid zones and wait inside without paying. They often do this to answer a phone call or to wait for someone.

However, in a social media post on Thursday, the municipality said: “Staying in a vehicle does not exempt the driver from paying parking fees. Drivers have to pay the parking fees as long as they occupy or use a parking space. That is to make sure that as many drivers as possible can use the available parking spaces.”

The parking regulator also revealed the time period within which fees must be paid. Drivers must pay the fees within “10 minutes from the start of parking” through any of the available payment channels, including parking meters, SMS and Digital Sharjah app.

“Users can also avail parking subscriptions, which allow motorists to park in all areas of the city or in two specific areas selected by them,” the civic body said.

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