Starting July 1, 2026, Sharjah Municipality is set to extend its public parking hours, with paid zones across Sharjah city, Kalba, Khorfakkan, and Al Dhaid operating until midnight. This policy shift unifies the timing for all parking areas, ensuring that zones previously marked with yellow signs now follow the same midnight cutoff as those with blue signs. While this update covers most areas, the existing exemption remains for Fridays and official public holidays, unless a zone is specifically designated for seven-day-a-week paid parking.

Hamed Al Qaed, Director of the Public Parking Department, explained that the decision is a strategic response to the emirate’s rapid urban and tourism growth. By extending operating hours, the municipality aims to reduce parking misuse, improve turnover in busy commercial districts, and ensure that residents and visitors can find available spaces during late-evening hours. Importantly, seasonal subscription fees will remain unchanged, and current permit holders will actually gain an extra two hours of daily exemption. Officials are encouraging all motorists to utilize the "Digital Sharjah" app or SMS services to manage payments and avoid violations under the new schedule.