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At a paid Doha car park, check the approved entrance tariff: misuse of an accessible bay carries QAR 1 000 and 3 penalty points.
Rules and prices
Parking in Doha: where you can park, rules and prices
The basic rule for parking in Doha is simple: in Qatar, a vehicle may park or wait only in an area designated by the Licensing Authority. At a paid car park, find the approved tariff at the entrance, then check the zone and permitted time.
Municipal authorities may designate free and paid public parking in regulated areas, reserve spaces for specific categories and set a maximum parking duration. Check the signs and conditions of the individual facility.
Parking rules and penalties
At a glance: where you can park and what a breach may cost
Scenario
What to check
Possible settlement amount
Designated space
Sign, zone purpose and time limit
Approved entrance tariff
Crossing, pavement or prohibited area
Whether there is a marked bay and whether the car blocks a view or entrance
QAR 300 for most Article 78 items
Accessible bay
Whether the driver is entitled to use it
QAR 1 000 and 3 penalty points
Ticket missing, invalid or for another zone
Ticket or permit zone and validity
QAR 200 under Law No. 13 of 2021
Ticket time exceeded
Expiry time
QAR 100 under Law No. 13 of 2021
Space reserved without a valid permit
Permit and its conditions
QAR 2 000, or QAR 1 000 for breaching permit conditions
In public and private car parks, you may not leave a vehicle without number plates, obstruct the use of parking spaces, or occupy a prohibited space or one reserved for a specified category. An empty bay is still unsuitable when its sign reserves it for someone else.
Payment checks
Parking prices and where to find the tariff
An operator of a paid public or private car park in Doha must obtain municipal approval for the tariff and display the approved price list prominently at the entrance; an increase requires ministerial approval.
In a chargeable car park, parking without payment and staying beyond the time paid through the meter are prohibited.
Online Mawaqif bookings have a separate caveat: Mawaqif states that time outside the booked period is charged at the standard tariff displayed at that car park's entrance, on top of the online charge.
Bans and sanctions
Where parking is prohibited and the settlement amounts
Article 78 prohibits parking on pedestrian crossings and pavements; on bridges, flyovers and in tunnels without designated spaces; within 15 m of intersections, entrances to squares, roundabouts, crossings and stops; and wherever the vehicle obscures signs, sightlines or entrances.
The settlement amount for most Article 78 parking offences, including pavement parking, prohibited areas, non-payment and exceeding paid meter time, is QAR 300; accessible bays are regulated separately. Parking in an accessible bay without entitlement carries a QAR 1 000 settlement amount and 3 penalty points.
Under Law No. 13 of 2021, having no valid ticket or permit, or using a ticket for the wrong zone, carries a QAR 200 settlement amount; exceeding the time on the ticket carries QAR 100. Reserving a parking space without a permit or with an expired permit carries QAR 2 000, while breaching permit conditions carries QAR 1 000.
Amounts for different offences
QAR 100
exceeding ticket time
QAR 200
no valid ticket
QAR 300
most Article 78 offences
QAR 1 000
misuse of an accessible bay
These provisions should not be compressed into one fine range. The separate guide to Qatar's roads and driving fines covers broader road rules and camera enforcement.
Parking options
Verified parking options in Doha
Destination
What is verified
Price
Al Wakra, Al Qassar, Lusail and Education City stations
Official Park & Ride facilities at Al Wakrah, Al Qassar, Lusail and Education City metro stations provide free parking spaces. See the Doha Metro guide for the onward journey.
The official Souq Waqif website lists six car parks: four North Parking and two West Parking facilities.
The live Hotel Park Doha form shows QAR 20/hour for the first and second hours, then QAR 10/hour. Hotel Park in West Bay is open 24/7, accommodates more than 2 500 vehicles and advertises a West Bay shuttle every 15 minutes.
Natalya Rostun
Airport and valet
Parking at Doha airport
The Mawaqif car park at Hamad International Airport has East, West and C sections with 3 325 spaces, including approximately 34 accessible spaces.
On Mawaqif's live airport page, valet costs QAR 100 for a short two-hour stay, QAR 275 for a day and QAR 450 for the two-day Friday–Saturday weekend package. These are valet prices, not regular self-parking rates.
If a car remains in the facility outside an online booking period, Mawaqif adds the standard entrance tariff to the online charge. Before driving, compare this option with the routes from Doha airport to the city centre.
Driving in Qatar
Rental cars and parking
The rules do not change with a rental car: find a designated bay, check the category of the zone and read the tariff before entry. Vehicle choice and rental terms are covered in the guide to renting a car in Qatar.
Parking check
Checklist before leaving the car
Confirm that the Licensing Authority has designated the place for parking.
Check the signs, zone category and time limit.
Do not use a pavement, crossing or any area within 15 m of the locations listed above.
Do not obscure a sign, sightline or entrance, or obstruct adjacent parking spaces.
At a paid car park, read the approved entrance tariff.
Pay for the stay and set a reminder before the paid time expires.
For an online booking, check the extra charge for time outside the reserved period.
The short rule is this: if the bay's purpose, tariff or time limit is unclear, use another official car park.
Parking questions
Parking in Doha FAQ
How do I know parking is allowed?
Parking is allowed only in a place designated by the Licensing Authority. Also check the sign, bay category and time limit.
How do I know a car park is paid?
A paid public or private car park must display its approved price list prominently at the entrance. Check the individual operator's conditions there.
Where can I find free Park & Ride parking?
Official free Park & Ride facilities are at Al Wakra, Al Qassar, Lusail and Education City stations.
What do Hotel Park and airport valet cost?
Hotel Park charges QAR 20/hour for the first and second hours, then QAR 10/hour. Mawaqif airport valet costs QAR 100 for two hours, QAR 275 for a day or QAR 450 for the Friday–Saturday package.
What happens outside a Mawaqif online booking period?
Mawaqif adds the standard entrance tariff to the online charge for time outside the booked period.
In Doha, the reliable sequence is to confirm that the place is designated, read the tariff and time limit, and only then leave the car.
