All You Need to Know about Salik in Dubai (Toll System Guide)

If you have ever driven across Dubai, you must have seen a Salik gate. Serving as the automated toll system of the city, a Salik gate aids in road maintenance and facilitates traffic control. If you want to drive safely, you must be aware of Salik, irrespective of whether you are a resident, expat, or tourist. Ever since its launch in July 2007, the Salik system has single-handedly contributed to the improvement of the city’s road networks. 

In this space, we are going to provide an all-inclusive guide to Salik, uncovering its mechanisms, its locations, and operating hours. We will dig deep into the critical importance of regularly checking and recharging your Salik balance for a hassle-free and smooth travel experience on the roads of the city.

What is Salik?

Salik is the official electronic toll collection system of Dubai. It facilitates the charging of vehicles on specific roads of the city. Salik tags are scanned at toll gates with the help of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, and the corresponding charges are deducted from the prepaid account of the vehicle’s owner automatically. 

This mechanism not only helps in streamlining the toll payment process but also enables smoother traffic flow on Salik-enabled roads. The Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) launched this electronic toll gate system on July 1st, 2007, to help improve traffic flow on the major roads of the city. 

As a vehicle passes through a toll gate, the toll charges are automatically collected. The term Salik translates to ‘open’ or ‘clear’ in Arabic. As the vehicles don’t need to stop by to pay, the Salik system minimises congestion and makes sure that an orderly flow of traffic is maintained both within and outside the city.

The RTA Dubai Salik system is based on the mechanism of the RFID technology. The Salik tag refers to a sticker which is fitted with an electronic SIM. Vehicle owners need to register their vehicles under Salik and fix a Salik tag on their respective vehicles. When the vehicle is detected at the toll gate with the help of the scanners, a toll amount is directly deducted from the vehicle owner’s account.

How Does Salik Work?

As stated above, Salik is the electronic toll system of Dubai and an integral part of Dubai’s transportation system. When a vehicle registered with a Salik tag passes through a toll gate, the system identifies it and deducts the toll fee automatically from the prepaid Salik account of the vehicle owner. 

This system employs RFID technology to detect the Salik tag and process the transaction without needing the vehicles to stop. To register your vehicle with Salik, you may visit the official Salik website and create an account as an individual.

What do You Need to Do?

First of all, you need to buy and activate your Salik tag before sticking it to the windshield of your vehicle. After the tag is set up, you need to make sure that your Salik account has an adequate balance to cover any transaction charges.

How is Salik Toll Automatically Paid?

Each time your vehicle drives through a Salik toll gate, RFID technology detects your vehicle and begins scanning your Salik sticker tag. The toll fee is then deducted automatically from your prepaid toll account.

Keep Driving at Normal Highway Speeds

You are not required to stop or even slow down when you pass through any of the Salik toll gates. The system is a meticulously designed, free-flow tolling mechanism that works seamlessly. This ensures that you never get stuck at a toll booth, barrier, or gate on any highway in the city.

Managing a Salik Account

Efficient management of your Salik account is pivotal for a smooth driving experience in the emirate. Let us share some valuable tips to help you stay on top of your account details.

Keep Your Contact Information Updated

You need to make sure your phone number and email address are up to date in your Salik account. This ensures you receive notifications on time about your account status, balance, and other allied important updates.

Frequently Examine Account Statements and Transaction History

Stay informed about your toll expenses by regularly reviewing your Salik account statements along with transaction records. This assists you in detecting any unauthorised usage or discrepancies, prompting you to take corrective actions.

Salik Toll Gates in Dubai

Dubai has a total of eight Salik gates located at various points along the major roadways of the city. These gates are located strategically to collect tolls from vehicles that are using these routes. The specific locations of these Salik gates in Dubai are as follows.

• Al Barsha – Sheikh Zayed Road
• Al Garhoud Bridge – Sheikh Rashid Road
• Al Maktoum Bridge – Tariq Bin Ziyad Road
• Al Mamzar South – Al Ittihad Road
• Al Mamzar North – Al Ittihad Road
• Al Safa – Sheikh Zayed Road
• Airport Tunnel – Beirut Street
• Jebel Ali – Sheikh Zayed Road

Salik Charges

The Salik system of Dubai comprises multiple toll gates placed strategically on key routes. When navigating the city’s Salik toll gates, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology plays a vital role in the seamless collection of toll charges. 

Each Salik Dubai Toll Gate charges AED 4 every time you pass through a gate, irrespective of how many trips you take within a day. But the Al Mamzar toll gates on Al Ittihad Street and Al Safa gates on Sheikh Zayed Road are the exceptions.

When travelling through both Al Mamzar gates in the same direction within an hour, you will only be charged AED 4 once. Similarly, passing through Al Safa South and North gates in the same direction within one hour will lead to an AED 4 deduction from your Salik balance.

In the same manner, there will be no charges when you pass the Al Maktoum Toll Gate from Monday to Friday (10:00 pm to 06:00 am) and Saturday from 10:00 pm to Monday at 06:00 am.

Under the latest payment changes, Dubai motorists need to pay increased charges of AED 6 instead of AED 4 to pass through the Salik tolls of the city during peak hours. This has come into effect from January 31 2025.

Salik will be free from 01:00 am to 06:00 am. Salik charges will be AED 4 on Sundays, apart from special occasions, public holidays, or as announced by RTA. Off-peak charges from 10:00 am to 04:00 pm and 08:00 pm to 01:00 am will be AED 4.

Dubai Salik prices will remain the same during the holy month of Ramadan. But the peak hour timings will be a bit different.

• Peak hours (AED 6 charge) during Ramadan will be from 09:00 am to 05:00 pm.
• The Salik gates will be free to cross between 02:00 am and 07:00 am in Ramadan.
• Off-peak hours (AED 4 charge) during Ramadan will be from 07:00 am to 09:00 am and 05:00 pm to 02:00 am.

Exemption from Salik Toll Fee

The Salik fee exemption system provides a solution for People of Determination that enables them to travel on the roads of the city without the burden of toll costs. The Government of Dubai has built this system to make sure that People of Determination can benefit from the freedom of movement and independence on smooth roads.

Type of Disabilities

If you are challenged in any of the following categories, then you are eligible to apply for an exemption from paying Salik road toll fees.

• Physical disabilities
• Mental disabilities
• Visual disabilities
• Autism

Relationship Degrees

The relation of the Person of Determination with the vehicle owner should be of the below-mentioned category in order to apply for Salik fees exemption:

• Parents
• Children (Birth Certificate required)
• Husband / Wife (Marriage Contract required)
• Sister / Brother
• Grandchildren
• Grandparents

Documents Required

• Valid vehicle registration card of the People of Determination or any of the relatives from 1st or 2nd degree.
• Copy of a Valid Emirates ID of the Person of Determination.
• Valid Sanad card issued by the Community Development Authority or People of Determination ID card issued by the Ministry of Community Development 
• Valid proof of relationship document (1st or 2nd degree relatives) if the person of determination is not the vehicle owner - To be sent to the email: specialaccounts@salik.ae.

How to Get a Salik Toll Gate Tag?

A Salik tag is simply a sticker with an electronic SIM put on your car’s windscreen. It allows a toll gate in Dubai to read your vehicle when it passes by. As such, the Dubai Salik price is deducted directly from the monetary balance of your account.

To obtain a Salik tag and ensure seamless travel on Dubai's roads, there are a couple of steps you must follow. The easiest way to buy a Salik tag is through the Salik website, where you will be required to give the details from your Vehicle Registration Card. After the application has been successful, you will get a confirmation SMS, and the Salik tag will be delivered within 5 working days. Once you receive the Salik tag, you must install it on the windshield of your vehicle, following the provided instructions to make sure it functions correctly.

Receiving a new Salik Dubai Tag online is easy. The Dubai Roads and Transport Authority has made the process digital, taking just a few minutes to complete. The new Salik tags can be bought, registered, and activated digitally either through the official website of Salik or the Smart Salik app.

When buying a Salik tag through the official dealers or the Salik website, you have to provide the following details.

• Mobile phone number
• Traffic file number
• Registration card of the vehicle

Many gas stations in Dubai offer authorised RTA dealers to provide you with a Salik tag. To buy and place your Salik tag on your car, simply go to any of the following locations.

• Emarat 
• ENOC 
• EPPCO
• ADNOC 

How to Install Salik Tag? 

As per Salik, the correct place for the Salik tag is in the top centre of the windscreen of your vehicle. You have to position your tag exactly one centimetre below the rearview mirror. Please note that you only need one tag per vehicle.

In the event you have a vehicle with a metallised or metallic windshield, the ideal position to place the Salik tag is on the dotted area of the windshield. For vehicles with a windshield that has a darker-tinted area, please place the tag on the lighter area instead of the tinted one.

Here are three easy steps to sticking your Salik tag.

Clean Your Windshield 

Clean and dry the inside of the windshield where you will be sticking your Salik tag.

Peel Your Salik Tag

Hold your tag by the edges and slowly peel the transparent liner off the sticky tag.

Stick Your Salik Tag

Press one edge of the tag to the windshield and seamlessly work your way to the opposite edge, rubbing the surface of the tag to prevent trapping any air bubbles between the windshield and the tag.

Salik Fines in Dubai

Salik fines in Dubai are incurred when vehicles pass through toll gates without enough credit in the Salik account. To check for Salik fines, you need to visit the website of the RTA and enter your vehicle details. Keep in mind that there are no notifications sent directly for Salik fines. As such, you must check proactively. 

Recharging your Salik account is hassle-free and quick, thanks to the broad range of convenient options available. Whether you want to use online services or do it on the go, Salik makes it easy to stay topped up.

You can recharge through the official app, Salik website, SMS, or even at kiosks and petrol stations throughout the city. With so many easy methods, managing your Salik balance has never been more convenient—keeping your drives through the city uninterrupted and smooth.

Salik tags can be deactivated if no longer required, and you can check your Salik balance online to avoid violations. To avoid paying Salik taxes, please ensure you don’t break any of these rules:

Unregistered Plate 

You will be fined if you drive through a Salik gate without a Salik tag. You need to register your vehicle within ten working days.

Insufficient Credit

You will be fined if you pass by a Salik toll gate without enough money in your account and do not recharge it within five working days. The cost of a violation is AED 50.

Costs for Violations

• AED 100 for the first trip
• AED 200 for the second 
• AED 400 for each further trip

A vehicle can only be charged with one Salik violation per day. Constantly monitor your Salik account on their website or app to stay updated. Maintaining your account will help you prevent incurring needless fines.

How to Avoid Salik in Dubai?

To prevent Salik (Dubai's toll system) charges, you can choose alternative routes, such as Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311) or the Al Khail Road (E44). Passengers in taxis may request their drivers to avoid Salik gates, though this may affect the overall time of the journey. 

As the Salik gates in Dubai are generally located on the main highways, you can avoid paying the toll charges by taking alternate routes. You may use Google Maps to locate a convenient toll-free route.

A list of alternate routes to avoid paying the Salik tax is as follows.

• Al Garhoud, Al Maktoum - Floating Bridge route
• Airport Tunnel -D 83/Rebat Street
• Al Mamzar South & North gates - Al Wahda Street, E311 Sheikh Zayed Road, and Al Damascus Street
• Jebel Ali, Al Safa, Al Barsha - E311/ Sheikh Zayed Road
• Al Garhoud - Business Bay Crossing route

Free Salik Timings

Salik is free of charge between 1:00 AM and 6:00 AM. Therefore, if you pass through any Salik gate during these hours, you will not be charged.

Apart from this window, toll fees will apply depending on the time of day. The rate is AED 6 in peak hours (6:00 AM to 10:00 AM) and AED 4 in off-peak hours, which include 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and again from 8:00 PM to 1:00 AM. 

To Conclude 

Salik is a free-flowing system, so you don’t have to stop your vehicle at any point on a Dubai highway and pay a road toll to someone manually who is inspecting at a toll booth. You may travel freely, at normal highway speeds.

There are no toll booths, barriers or physical gates. As such, you can drive straight through the tolling gate. Every time your car passes through a Salik toll point, a toll fee is deducted automatically from your prepaid Salik toll account..

Managing your Salik balance is vital for a hassle-free driving experience in the city, aiding you in avoiding fines and penalties while staying updated about your account status. Monitoring a sufficient balance ensures uninterrupted and smooth travel on toll roads and allows you to easily monitor your account.

FAQs

Commonly Asked Questions about Salik in Dubai

How much is the Salik fee?

The general Salik toll in Dubai is AED 4. In peak hours, the fee increases to AED 6. Peak hours are from 6:00 am to 10:00 am and from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm. During other times, the fee is AED 4. Please note that Salik is free from 1:00 am to 6:00 am.

How many Salik gates are there in Dubai?

At present, there are eight Salik toll gates in Dubai. These gates are situated at various points on major roads throughout Dubai. 

How is the toll automatically paid?

Salik is an automatic electronic toll system where your account is debited each time you pass through a toll gate. To pay automatically, you have to register and get a Salik tag for your car. The tag is attached to the windshield of your car. When your car passes by a Salik tollgate, the system reads the tag and automatically deducts the toll fee from your prepaid Salik account.

What is Salik free time in Dubai?

Salik has free hours in Dubai every day from 1:00 AM to 6:00 AM. In peak hours (6:00 AM - 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM, Monday to Saturday), the Salik toll is AED 6. Off-peak hours (10:00 AM - 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM - 1:00 AM), Salik is charged at AED 4. 

Is Salik free on Sunday in Dubai?

No, Salik is not free on Sundays. Salik gates operate 24/7, 7 days a week, and toll charges apply every time a car passes by a gate, including on Sundays. While there are some time slots with reduced tolls (for instance, free between 1 AM - 6 AM, and a lower rate from 6 AM - 10 AM and 4 PM - 8 PM), no Salik gate is completely free on Sundays.

What is Salik’s One-hour rule? 

The One-Hour Rule of Salik states that if you pass through two specific sets of paired toll gates – Al Mamzar (North and South) or Al Safa (North and South) – in the same direction within an hour, you will be charged only once. 

How to check Salik balance in Dubai?

To check your Salik balance in the city, you may use the Salik website, the Smart Salik app, or call the Salik call centre.

How to top up your Salik account?

To recharge your Salik account, you may use several methods, including online portals, SMS, or even visiting kiosks or retail locations. Please note that you may recharge online through the Salik website, the Smart Salik app, the Dubai Now Smart app, or the RTA Dubai Drive app. 

Otherwise, you may send an SMS to 5959 with your account number, recharge card number, and PIN. You can also find Salik recharge cards at convenience stores and petrol pumps, and use them at kiosks or by calling the Salik customer centre.