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Tue, Jan 20, 2026 | Shaban 1, 1447 | Fajr 05:45 | DXB 
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Paid parking to be introduced in Dubai International City from February 2026
Residents hope this will make it easier for them to find parking when they come home after work
Starting from February 1, 2026, residents and visitors in Dubai International City will need to pay for car parking. Authorities have posted notifications in the area about the new paid parking rules.
Although parking meters are not in place yet, paid parking signs have already been put up in areas such as the France and China clusters.
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Parking signboards show that tariffs at Dubai International City apply under Code Q from 8am to midnight. Data on the Parkin website shows tariffs start at Dh2 for half an hour and go up to Dh25 for 16 hours.
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More parking for residents, visitors
Finding parking is a major challenge for residents and visitors in the International City, especially during the evening and at night.
Besides residents, rent-a-car companies and many businesses with smaller cargo trucks also occupy much of the parking space, as International City is among the most affordable communities for property rentals in the emirate.
“It’s quite a tough task for me to find a parking space during the evening because I go to work in the morning and return home late. The introduction of paid parking tariffs will ensure more parking spaces available for residents when they return to their homes after work,” said Waqas Khan, who is in the delivery business.
International City is one of the last few major communities in the city where parking is free.
Najam Ahmed, who owns an apartment in International City, has rented it out to live in Al Qusais because of parking and the proximity to his children's schools.
“Definitely, parking is one of the reasons that I moved to Al Qusais. As a businessman, I return home around 10 to 11pm. By then, it is well-nigh impossible to get a parking space. And I own three vehicles due to personal and my business requirements. Now with the introduction of paid parking tariffs in International City, I can think of relocating to my apartment because I’ll be able to find parking there now,” said Ahmed.
Parkin expansion in Dubai
Parkin Company has introduced paid parking facilities in a number of communities over the past couple of years.
In November, the Dubai-listed company implemented paid parking zones in International Academic City and Sports City, days after unveiling two new similar zones in Studio City and Outsource City.
On April 4, 2025, Parkin implemented the Variable Parking Tariff Policy in Dubai with peak and off-peak tariffs to optimise parking management in congested, high-density, high-demand areas, encouraging turnover of parking infrastructure while supporting efficient traffic flow throughout the city, particularly during peak times.
Peak pricing will apply for six out of the 14 chargeable hours per day (8am – 10am and 4pm – 8pm), excluding Sundays and public holidays. Tariffs during off-peak hours (10am – 4pm and 8pm – 10pm) will remain unchanged, with pricing in line with the existing tariff structure currently in place.
Waheed Abbas
Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.
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