United Arab Emirates
Salik
Dubai's automatic road toll system, billing AED 4 in off-peak and AED 6 in peak hours per gate from 2026, with VAT added from June 2026 and 13 gates across the city.
Overview
Salik (salik.ae) is Dubai's automatic road toll system run by Salik Company PJSC, a publicly listed company spun off from the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). The network of 13 toll gates straddles Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Maktoum Bridge, the Floating Bridge, the Business Bay crossing, and other key arteries. The system works on RFID stickers (Salik tags) fixed to the windshield: every time a registered vehicle passes under a gantry, the account is debited automatically and the trip lands on the statement, no slowing down, no booths.
From 31 January 2026 Dubai moved to variable toll pricing. Peak hours (06:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00 on weekdays) charge AED 6 per gate, off-peak hours (10:00-16:00 and 20:00-01:00) charge AED 4, the 01:00-06:00 window is free, and Sundays sit at a flat AED 4 outside the free window. From 1 June 2026 a 5% VAT is added on all toll passages and tag activation fees, which residents need to factor into monthly commuting budgets. The Salik tag itself costs AED 100 at activation (AED 50 credit, AED 50 device), and replacement tags cost AED 50.
Accounts are mandatory for any vehicle on Dubai roads using these gates; unpaid passages accumulate fines of AED 100 for the first offence, AED 200 for the second, and AED 400 for the third. The same vehicle is suspended at four offences. The Salik account is linked to the RTA driver file, so a Salik debt blocks vehicle registration renewal and driving licence renewal until cleared, which is the moment most residents discover the unpaid passage. Confirm specific charges on salik.ae before any payment dispute.
Services offered
- Salik tag activation
- Toll account top-up
- Trip history and statements
- Variable peak / off-peak / free-hour toll lookup
How to access
1. Buy and activate a Salik tag
Visit salik.ae > Register, or open the Salik app. Enter your UAE mobile, Emirates ID, vehicle plate number and Mulkiya details. Pay AED 100 (AED 50 device + AED 50 credit). Pick up the tag from any RTA Customer Happiness Centre or ENOC/ADNOC station or have it delivered.
2. Affix the tag to the windshield
The tag goes on the inside of the windshield behind the rear-view mirror, with no metallic film between tag and gantry. The adhesive is one-time; peeling and re-fixing damages the RFID. If you change cars, you need a new tag for the new vehicle (do not move it).
3. Top up and enable auto-recharge
Recharge through salik.ae, the Salik app, the RTA Dubai app, DubaiNow, or any UAE bank app. Set auto-recharge from AED 100 to AED 500 to avoid a zero-balance fine cycle. Auto-recharge triggers when the balance drops below your set threshold.
4. Link the tag to the correct plate
If you change the plate number (new vehicle, new emirate) the tag must be re-linked in the account. A passage with a mismatched plate generates the AED 100 unregistered-vehicle fine even though the tag is technically active.
5. Pay fines and dispute within 90 days
Fines for unpaid passages appear in the Salik account and also in the RTA driver file. Pay through Salik, RTA, DubaiNow, or any bank. Dispute on the Salik portal within 90 days; older disputes are usually rejected.
FAQs
AED 100 at activation, which is AED 50 for the tag device and AED 50 starting credit. Replacement tags are AED 50. From 1 June 2026 a 5% VAT is added on the tag activation fee, so confirm the line item on salik.ae at the time of purchase.
AED 6 per gate during peak hours (06:00-10:00 and 16:00-20:00 weekdays). AED 4 per gate off-peak (10:00-16:00 and 20:00-01:00). Free between 01:00-06:00 every day. Sundays are flat AED 4 except the free window. From 1 June 2026 a 5% VAT is added on top. Confirm exact rates on salik.ae before assuming a budget figure.
Dubai operates 13 Salik gates as of 2026, positioned on Sheikh Zayed Road (multiple gantries), Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Maktoum Bridge, the Business Bay crossing, the Floating Bridge, Al Safa, Airport Tunnel, and other key arteries. The full gate map is published on salik.ae.
The plate is read, the registered owner is identified through RTA, and an unregistered-vehicle fine is generated: AED 100 for the first offence, AED 200 for the second, AED 400 for the third, and vehicle suspension at the fourth. The toll is added on top of the fine.
No. Salik is Dubai-only. Abu Dhabi runs its own Darb toll system on Sheikh Zayed, Maqta, Mussafah and Sheikh Khalifa bridges, with its own separate account. Sharjah and the northern emirates have no toll system. A Salik tag passing under a Darb gate does nothing; the vehicle owner gets a Darb fine.
No. The tag adhesive is one-time and the RFID is plate-linked. You must buy a new tag for the new vehicle and deactivate the old one in your Salik account. Failing to deactivate continues to accumulate any passes on the old plate against the old vehicle, which can affect a buyer.
Log in to salik.ae or open the Salik app, navigate to Fines. The same data appears in the RTA driver file on rta.ae and in DubaiNow. Mulkiya renewal will not proceed while Salik fines are unpaid, so most residents clear them in the same session.
No. Salik is the road toll system for private vehicles. Nol is the RTA's transport and micro-payment card used on Metro, bus, tram, water bus, and at parking meters and Nol-enabled retailers. They are separate accounts run by separate teams, although both ultimately roll up under the RTA umbrella.
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