The Sharjah Municipality has announced an extension of paid parking hours across the emirate, effective July 1. Under the new regulation, fees will be charged in all paid parking zones—including those in Sharjah city, Kalba, Khorfakkan, and Al Dhaid—until midnight, aligning the operating hours of yellow sign zones with those of blue sign zones, which already operated on this schedule.

Previously, yellow sign zones had shorter payable hours, but the update unifies the timings from 8 a.m. to midnight across all paid parking areas. Public parking will continue to be free on Fridays and official public holidays, except for certain zones where fees apply seven days a week, including holidays.

Hamed Al Qaed, Director of the Public Parking Department at the Sharjah Municipality, explained that the extension responds to increased demand for parking amid the emirate’s rapid urban, demographic, and tourism growth. He noted that the changes are the result of a comprehensive study involving parking usage patterns, demand trends, and input from residents and visitors.

The decision aims to address challenges faced by seasonal subscription holders and customers at restaurants and cafes who have experienced difficulty finding parking spaces after 10 p.m. Extending paid parking until midnight is intended to improve availability, reduce misuse, and facilitate better turnover in critical and commercial areas.

There are approximately 124,000 paid public parking spaces across Sharjah, and the extension seeks to optimize their usage to support the emirate’s commercial activity and residential needs. Officials emphasized that seasonal subscription fees will remain unchanged despite the longer hours, and subscribers will in fact benefit from an increase in daily exemption time—from 14 hours to 16 hours.

The municipality encourages motorists to adhere to the updated paid parking schedule and make payments through available platforms including SMS services and the Digital Sharjah app. Seasonal parking subscriptions remain available for quick and easy issuance, providing an alternative for frequent users.

This adjustment reflects Sharjah’s ongoing economic growth and its efforts to maintain efficient urban infrastructure, supporting both residents and visitors while reinforcing the emirate’s status as a thriving destination to live and work.