We’ve all been there. You spend 20 minutes circling the block in Al Karama or Business Bay, finally snag a parking spot, and then realize you don’t have a single dirham coin in your cupholder. Worse, the nearest parking machine is halfway down the street, and it happens to be the middle of July.
Fortunately, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) figured out a fix for this years ago: mParking.
Paying for your street parking with a quick text message is hands down the easiest way to handle your car in the UAE. You don’t need to download another app, you don’t need a credit card, and you definitely don’t need cash. But there is a catch. If you send a text with the wrong format—especially if you’re driving a car registered in Sharjah or Abu Dhabi—the system will bounce your message, leaving you wide open to a frustrating AED 150 fine.
Whether you’re trying to figure out how to park a non-Dubai car, want to pay for just a quick 30-minute errand, or need to know exactly what to text the 7275 shortcode, I’ve got you covered. Let’s break down exactly how to use the RTA SMS system without the headaches.
1. The Basics: How Dubai’s mParking Actually Works
Before you start typing, let’s get the absolute basics out of the way.
The only number you need to remember is 7275 (which conveniently spells P-A-R-K on your phone’s keypad). Every time you park on a paid public street in Dubai, this is the number you’re going to text.
To get your virtual ticket, the system needs three specific details from you:
- Your vehicle’s plate code and number.
- The specific parking zone you just parked in.
- How long you want to stay (in hours).
Spotting Your Zone Code
Take a look around the street. You’ll see those tall, bright orange and blue RTA signboards. Look for the three- or four-character code printed clearly on the sign (like 335A, 118C, or 382F).
A quick tip from local experience: Always check the signboard that is closest to your car. Don’t look at the sign across the street. Parking zones frequently change depending on which side of the road you’re on or whether you’re parked in a commercial or residential strip.
Network Providers and Fees
You don’t have to register for this service if you’re driving a UAE-registered car. It works instantly on both Du and Etisalat networks. Just keep in mind that convenience comes with a tiny fee.
Here’s what it actually costs:
| What You’re Paying For | The Cost | How You Get Billed |
| The Parking Fee | Varies depending on the zone (usually AED 2 to AED 4 per hour) | Taken out of your mobile balance or added to your postpaid bill |
| The SMS Fee | 30 Fils (AED 0.30) per text | A standard telecom charge applied every time you send a request |
| Extending Your Time | 30 Fils (AED 0.30) per text | Charged if you reply ‘Y’ to buy more time |
| Typos / Error Messages | Free (Usually) | If your format is wrong and the system rejects it, you generally aren’t charged for parking |
2. Texting the Right Format for Dubai Cars
If your license plate is from Dubai, the process is incredibly straightforward. It follows a strict three-part formula, separated by a single space.
The exact formula:[Plate Code & Number] [Space] [Zone Code] [Space] [Hours]
Let’s look at a real-world example: Say your Dubai plate is A 12345. You parked outside your favorite café in zone 335A, and you plan to stay for 2 hours.
Open a blank text to 7275 and type this exactly:A12345 335A 2
Notice how there is no space between the letter ‘A’ and the numbers ‘12345’. That’s exactly how it should look.
The Golden Rule: Don’t Walk Away Yet
Never hit send and immediately walk into a building. Stand by your car for about 10 to 15 seconds. You’ll get a confirmation text back showing your plate, the zone, and the exact minute your session expires. If you don’t get that text, you haven’t paid. If an inspector walks by and scans your plate before that confirmation arrives, you’re getting a ticket.
3. How to Pay for Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Other Emirates Plates
This right here is where most people get tripped up. The number one reason the RTA system rejects a parking text is because a driver tries to use the standard Dubai format for a car registered in a different emirate.
Because plate letters (like ‘A’, ‘B’, or ‘C’) are used in every emirate, the RTA needs to know where your car is actually from. To fix this, you have to add a specific emirate code right before your plate details.
The formula for non-Dubai plates:[Emirate Code + Plate Code] [Space] [Zone Code] [Space] [Hours]
Here is your cheat sheet for the exact codes you need to use:
| Where Your Car is Registered | The Code You Need | What the SMS Looks Like (for Plate A 12345 in Zone 335A for 1 Hour) |
| Abu Dhabi | AUH + Plate Code (e.g., AUH13) | AUH13 12345 335A 1 |
| Sharjah | SHJ + Plate Code (e.g., SHJ2) | SHJ2 12345 335A 1 |
| Ajman | AJM + Plate Code (e.g., AJM1) | AJM1 12345 335A 1 |
| Ras Al Khaimah | RAK + Plate Code | RAK1 12345 335A 1 |
| Fujairah | FUJ + Plate Code | FUJ1 12345 335A 1 |
| Umm Al Quwain | UAQ + Plate Code | UAQ1 12345 335A 1 |
| Saudi Arabia / GCC | KSA + Plate Code | KSA 12345 335A 1 |
A quick note for Abu Dhabi drivers: Abu Dhabi plates have categories (like 5, 13, 14, 50). So, if your plate is Category 13, your code is AUH13.
4. Short Errands and Motorcycles
The mParking system isn’t just for cars parking for hours at a time. It’s actually pretty flexible if you know the shortcuts.
How to Park a Motorcycle
Yes, bikes need to pay for parking in Dubai too. To make sure the system knows you’re parking a motorcycle (and applies the right rules), just drop the letter B (for Bike) at the very front of your text, followed by a space.
Example for a Dubai motorcycle (Plate 12345) in Zone 335A for 1 hour:B 12345 335A 1
Paying for Just 30 Minutes
If you’re just running into a pharmacy or grabbing a quick Karak, you don’t have to waste money on a full hour. RTA lets you pay for a half-hour slot.
To do this, just swap out the number of hours at the end of your text for 0.5, 30, or the letter H (for Half).
Example:A12345 335A 0.5(Or if you prefer: A12345 335A H)
5. Buying More Time Without Going Back to Your Car
This is easily the best feature of the SMS system. It completely saves you from having to sprint out of a restaurant because your parking is about to expire.
Exactly 10 minutes before your time is up, the RTA system will shoot you an automated warning text.
If you realize you need more time, you don’t have to type everything out again. Just reply to that exact message with the letter Y.
- What typing ‘Y’ does: It simply duplicates whatever you bought the first time. If your original text was for 2 hours, replying ‘Y’ buys you another 2 hours.
- What if you just need 1 extra hour? If your first session was for 2 hours, but you only need 1 more, do not hit ‘Y’. Instead, send a brand new text with the full format, but end it with a ‘1’ (like
A12345 335A 1).
6. Prefer WhatsApp? Meet Mahboub
If you’re tired of paying that extra 30 fils telecom charge every time you text, or if you just prefer using WhatsApp over regular SMS, you’re in luck.
RTA integrated its parking system into their WhatsApp chatbot, Mahboub.
- The Number to Save: +971 58 800 9090.
- How to Use It: Open WhatsApp, message that number, and type out the exact same format we talked about above. The bot processes it instantly.
- A Word of Warning: Don’t mix them up. You can’t send a regular text message to the WhatsApp number, and you can’t WhatsApp the 7275 shortcode. Keep them separate.
7. The Typos That Will Cost You (How to Avoid Fines)
Even if you’ve lived in Dubai for a decade, a simple slip of the thumb can result in a parking fine. Avoid these three common mistakes:
- The Extra Space: Typing
A 12345instead ofA12345. The system relies on spaces to separate your plate from the zone. If you add an extra one, the whole format breaks. - Assuming the Zone Code: Don’t assume the zone code is the same as the parking lot across the street. Zones change constantly. Look at the sign you are physically parked next to.
- Walking Away Too Fast: Assuming your text went through just because you had bars on your phone. Sometimes the network stalls. If the inspector scans your plate before you receive that confirmation text, the fine is legally yours.
A tip for daily commuters: If you park in the exact same zone outside your office every single day, type out the perfect SMS format once and save it as a draft or a template on your phone. It completely removes the chance of an early-morning typo.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Do I need a smartphone or an internet plan to use mParking?
Not at all. The 7275 service runs on standard cellular SMS. Any basic phone that can send a text message will work perfectly.
2. Why isn’t it working on my company phone?
If you’re using a corporate phone, your company’s IT department might have blocked premium SMS services or third-party billing to prevent extra charges on the company account. If that’s the case, your texts to 7275 will just fail to send.
3. Is parking free on Sundays in Dubai?
Yes, public street parking in Dubai is currently free on Sundays and on officially declared public holidays. But be careful—multi-storey parking buildings still charge fees, and a few specific commercial zones are paid 7 days a week. When in doubt, read the orange sign.
4. What do I do if the confirmation text never arrives?
Don’t leave your car. Double-check your spelling and make sure you texted 7275. If you still don’t get a reply after a couple of minutes, pay via a physical machine, the RTA App, or WhatsApp. Without that text, you aren’t covered.
5. Can I pay for exactly 3 and a half hours?
No. The SMS system works in full hourly blocks (1, 2, 3, 4) or a single half-hour block (0.5). You can’t mash them together into a 3.5-hour text.
6. Does this SMS format work for sandy lots or mall parking?
No. The 7275 service only works for public street parking and lots directly managed by Dubai RTA. Private sandy lots and mall parking facilities have their own separate payment systems.
7. Can I pay for my friend’s car using my phone?
Yes, you can. The system doesn’t link your mobile number to your specific car registration. You can pay for anyone’s parking just by texting their correct plate number and zone.
8. If I have a prepaid mobile plan, how do I pay?
The total cost (the parking fee plus the 30 fils SMS charge) is instantly deducted from your current mobile balance. If you don’t have enough credit, the message will fail.
9. What if I’m on a postpaid monthly plan?
Your telecom provider (Du or Etisalat) tracks the charges and adds them to your monthly phone bill, usually under a section labeled “third-party services” or “parking.”
10. What happens if I keep replying ‘Y’ to extend my time?
Every time you reply ‘Y’, it duplicates your previous time block, but only up to the maximum limit for that zone (which is usually 4 hours for street parking). If you try to reply ‘Y’ past the maximum time limit, the system will reject it.
