Around 124,000 public parking spaces will be affected, while subscription fees will remain unchanged.
Sharjah City Municipality has announced that paid public parking hours across the emirate will be extended until midnight from July 1, 2026.
The decision will apply to all paid parking spaces in the cities of Sharjah, Kalba, Khorfakkan, and Al Dhaid, including areas marked with yellow signboards, bringing them in line with blue-zone parking that already operates until 12am.
The municipality clarified that parking will remain free on Fridays and official public holidays, except in designated areas where fees apply throughout the week, including on holidays.
The revised operating hours will apply to approximately 124,000 paid public parking spaces across the emirate. Parking fees will now be in effect from 8am to midnight, although fee structures and operating mechanisms may vary in smart parking zones across different areas, particularly in tourist destinations.
Hamed Al Qaed, Director of the Public Parking Department at Sharjah City Municipality, said the decision has been introduced in response to rising demand for public parking services across the emirate’s cities and to keep pace with Sharjah’s urban, demographic, and tourism growth.
He said the municipality carried out a comprehensive study of parking patterns, occupancy rates, and demand levels across different areas before introducing the change. The assessment also included benchmarking exercises and took into account feedback from residents and visitors.
According to Al Qaed, Sharjah’s growing economic and commercial activity has increased the need to extend public parking operations until midnight in order to improve availability, reduce misuse of parking spaces, and address parking-related challenges.
He noted that seasonal parking permit holders, as well as visitors to restaurants and cafés, often face difficulties finding parking after 10pm, making it necessary to enhance the system and improve efficiency for both residents and visitors.
The extended hours are expected to promote better utilisation of public parking spaces, reduce random and illegal parking, and increase turnover in busy commercial and high-demand areas. The move is also intended to improve services in residential and commercial districts while supporting Sharjah’s appeal as a tourism destination and a preferred place to live and visit.
Al Qaed stressed that the extended operating hours will not lead to any increase in parking subscription fees, with existing rates remaining unchanged. Subscribers will instead benefit from an additional two hours of daily coverage.
He noted that the previous 14-hour exemption period for subscription holders will now increase to 16 hours per day.
Sharjah City Municipality urged motorists to comply with the revised parking hours and pay fees through available channels, including SMS services and the Sharjah Digital app. Residents and visitors were also encouraged to make use of seasonal parking subscriptions, which can be obtained quickly and conveniently through the municipality’s services.
