Entry and exit lanes
Barriers, loop detectors, safety photocells, and a ticket dispenser or ANPR camera at each lane.
See our parking barrier systems.
Parking Payment Systems
Parking Payment Systems: Pay-on-Foot, Ticket and Ticketless ANPR
A paid car park needs a way to start the stay, take the payment and release the barrier. That can be a ticket and a pay station, a pay-at-exit lane or a number plate camera with no ticket at all. Emirtech installs and integrates these systems for private car parks in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.
Written Quotation Since 2018 Abu Dhabi & Al Ain
In short: a paid car park normally uses one of four set-ups: a ticket at entry with a pay-on-foot station, a pay-at-exit lane, ticketless entry where an ANPR camera reads the plate, or permits and validation for season holders and tenants. The barrier, loop detectors, camera, ticket and payment equipment are all tied to a parking management system. Emirtech installs and integrates this equipment with platforms such as Skidata, Designa or ScanCoin, and does not operate car parks, collect fees or process payments. The software licence, the payment processing and the running of the car park stay with the owner or their operator. A site survey comes first, then a written, itemised quotation.
Parking payment set-ups compared
| Set-up | How it works | Suits | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ticket and pay-on-foot | The driver takes a ticket at entry, pays at a pay station before returning to the car and leaves through the exit barrier. | Malls, hotels, hospitals and larger paid car parks. | Needs a ticket dispenser, pay stations and exit validation, and staff to handle faults. |
| Pay at exit | The driver pays at a lane or booth at the exit. | Smaller car parks with one or two exits. | Queues at peak times; needs a cashier or a self-service lane. |
| Ticketless ANPR with barrier | An ANPR camera reads the plate on entry and exit, and the fee is linked to the plate. The barrier still opens and closes. | Car parks that want no tickets but still need a physical barrier. | Depends on plate-read accuracy; needs a fallback for unreadable plates. |
| Barrierless (free-flow) ANPR | Cameras read plates and the operator bills the owner afterwards, with no barrier. | Large operators and public car parks with enforcement and billing in place. | Needs an operator to bill and enforce. Emirtech equips the car park but does not run it. |
| Permits, season holders and validation | Tenants and season holders enter by RFID or plate; shops or clinics validate visitor stays. | Offices, towers, hospitals and residential buildings. | Needs a clear permit list and a person who manages it. |
What goes into a paid car park system
Pay stations and payment terminals
Self-service pay-on-foot stations or pay-at-exit terminals taking cash, card, contactless or mobile wallet payments, as the platform supports.
Payment processing stays with the owner or operator.
ANPR and credentials
ANPR cameras for ticketless entry and plate-based permits; RFID or UHF tags where plates are not preferred.
See ANPR and parking access control.
Parking management software
The platform that holds tariffs, permits, reports and alerts. Examples are Skidata, Designa and ScanCoin.
Licence and tariffs belong to the owner or operator.
What we cover and what we do not
A survey comes first; the written quotation follows.
We install and integrate
Barriers, loops, photocells, ANPR cameras, ticket dispensers, pay stations and the link to the parking management platform, with cabling, programming, commissioning and training by our own engineers.
We do not do
Operate car parks, collect fees, hold a payment processing licence, write parking software, or build the civil works and car park structure. Where a barrier must release for fire egress we configure it to the project design; ADCD approvals are not ours.
Survey, then quotation
There is no price list and no standard duration. Cost depends on the number of lanes, the payment equipment and the software, and is given in a written, itemised quotation.
Emirtech is an independent integrator in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi, ADMCC-approved for security systems in the Abu Dhabi emirate. We serve Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and are not a brand partner or distributor of any parking brand; equipment is installed and commissioned through authorised UAE channels. We have no office in Al Ain, so visits there are by appointment.
Have this ready when you call us
- The number of entry and exit lanes and how many cars use them at peak.
- Whether the car park is free, paid, or a mix of public, tenant and season holders.
- Whether you want tickets, ticketless ANPR or both.
- Who will run the car park and hold the payment account (owner or operator).
- Any existing barriers, software or access control you want to keep.
- Plans or photos of the entrances and the pay station location.
This page is general information about parking payment systems. Responsibility for fees, payment processing and enforcement rests with the car park owner or operator. Brand names are trademarks of their owners; Emirtech is not a brand partner or distributor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pay-on-foot parking system?
The driver takes a ticket at entry, pays at a self-service station before going back to the car, and the validated ticket opens the exit barrier. It suits busier paid car parks because payment is taken away from the exit lane.
What is ticketless parking?
An ANPR camera reads the number plate at entry and exit, so the system knows how long the car stayed without a paper ticket. The fee is linked to the plate. The barrier can stay, so the car park keeps physical control, or it can be removed in a barrierless set-up.
What is barrierless or free-flow parking?
Cameras read plates and the operator charges the vehicle owner afterwards, with no barrier or ticket. Abu Dhabi has started automatic ANPR payment in some public multi-storey car parks through Darb wallets, as Gulf News reported in June 2026. A private car park needs its own billing and enforcement before choosing this.
Does Emirtech take the payments or run the car park?
No. Emirtech installs and integrates the equipment and does not operate car parks, collect fees or hold a payment licence. The parking software licence, the payment processing and the operation stay with the owner or their appointed operator.
Which parking management platforms do you work with?
We install and integrate platforms such as Skidata, Designa and ScanCoin, and others where the project needs them, through authorised UAE channels. We are an independent integrator and not a brand partner. See our Designa smart parking page.
Can a pay station take cards and mobile payments?
Most modern pay stations take cash, card and contactless, and some take mobile wallets. What is available depends on the platform and the payment provider the owner or operator chooses.
Can tenants and visitors use the same car park?
Yes. Tenants and season holders can enter by RFID or plate, while visitors take a ticket or are validated by the tenant. This needs a permit list that someone manages. See parking access control.
Do I need a barrier with ANPR parking?
Not always, but most private car parks keep one. A barrier gives physical control and a clear moment to take payment or check a permit. Barrierless parking only suits sites that can bill and enforce afterwards.
How much does a parking payment system cost?
It depends on the number of lanes, the payment equipment, the ANPR cameras and the software, so we do not publish prices. We survey the car park and send a written, itemised quotation.
How do I get a parking payment system installed in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain?
Send a WhatsApp message or use the request form with the details above. We reply the same working day, survey the car park and send a written quotation before any work.
Planning a paid car park?
Tell us the lanes, the payment method you want and who will run it. We reply the same working day, survey and send a written quotation.
Need a free site survey or quote in Abu Dhabi?
Talk to Emirtech's engineers — we reply the same working day across Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. CCTV, security, IT, AV and smart-building solutions.
Mon–Sat 8AM–7PM · [email protected] · Since 2018 · ADMCC-approved for security systems