Dubai's Paid Mosque Parking Starts in August

Paid Parking at Mosques from August – Free During Prayer Times

A new parking regulation will be implemented in Dubai in August, affecting parking spaces around mosques. Parkin Company, Dubai's largest public parking service provider, has partnered with the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Activities Department (IACAD) to manage 2,100 parking spaces around 59 mosques in the city.

Free Parking During Prayer Times – But Only for an Hour

The newly introduced system allows worshippers to park for free for one hour during prayer times. Outside of these times, however, parking becomes paid, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Parking zones are divided into two categories:

Zone M (standard): Dh2 for half an hour, Dh4 for an hour.

Zone MP (premium): Dh2 for half an hour and Dh4 for an hour during off-peak times, while during peak times, Dh3 for half an hour, and Dh6 for an hour.

Out of the 59 locations, 41 belong to the standard (M) zone, while 18 are in the premium (MP) zone.

The Goal: Reducing Abuse and Improving Parking Efficiency

Parkin aims to reduce misuse by non-visitors, i.e., parking not related to the prayer venues, through this measure. They also promise greater parking accessibility to support the convenience and quality of religious life.

Significant Expansion in Parkin's Portfolio

This collaboration further expands Parkin's private parking portfolio, which already reaches 20,800 parking spaces, while its full portfolio of public and private managed spaces includes 209,000 paid parking spaces, according to data from the first quarter of 2025.

The company also operates about 19,000 developer-owned parking spaces and maintains ticketless, automated systems in several shopping malls.

More Mosques Could Join the System

In addition to the initial phase of 59 locations, more mosques may join the system in the future from the prayer houses in IACAD's portfolio. Although the current contract is not significant financially for Parkin's overall performance, it is strategically important as it opens up new collaboration opportunities between the city administration and religious authorities.

Summary

Dubai's new parking initiative could make areas around mosques more convenient and orderly, while maintaining free parking for worshippers during prayer times. The city seeks to balance the efficient use of public spaces with respect for religious practices – through an innovative, regulated, and service-oriented approach.

(Source of the article: Parkin Company press release.)