Salik is Dubai’s electronic road toll. Each time you pass one of its 10 gates you pay AED 6 at peak times or AED 4 off-peak, and it’s free from 1am to 6am. The money comes off a prepaid account linked to a tag on your windscreen. If your balance runs dry and you don’t top up within 5 working days, you’re fined AED 50.
If you drive Sheikh Zayed Road or Al Khail Road most days, Salik quietly becomes one of your biggest car costs. Here’s what you’ll pay, when it’s free, and how to stay clear of fines.
Last reviewed: 4 November 2026
| Key Fact | Salik Dubai, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Peak rate | AED 6, 6am–10am and 4pm–8pm (Monday to Saturday) |
| Off-peak rate | AED 4, 10am–4pm and 8pm–1am; AED 4 all day on Sunday |
| Free hours | 1am–6am every day |
| Number of gates | 10 |
| Most common fine | AED 50 for low balance after 5 working days |
| VAT | 5% on toll transactions |
What Is Salik?
Salik is Dubai’s toll system, run by Salik under the RTA, and you never have to stop for it. There are no booths or barriers. A gate reads the tag on your windscreen and takes the toll from your account as you drive under it.
Just bought a car? You have 10 working days from your first trip through a gate to register and activate a tag, so there’s no need to panic if you crossed one on the drive home from the dealer.
How Does Salik Work?
Salik works with a tag stuck on your windscreen and a prepaid account linked to your plate. Each time you pass a gate, the toll for that time of day is deducted. If you drive through a gate before your tag is set up, you have 10 working days from that first trip to register and activate it (Gulf News).
- Get a Salik tag through Salik’s official channels listed on salik.ae.
- Stick the tag on the inside of your windscreen, just behind the rear-view mirror.
- Activate it online with your plate details and mobile number.
- Keep the account topped up. Our guide on how to check your Salik balance and recharge shows every method.
Salik Toll Rates 2026
Salik charges AED 6 per crossing at peak times and AED 4 off-peak, with free crossings from 1am to 6am. This variable pricing started on 31 January 2025, replacing the old flat AED 4 (Gulf News).
| Day | Peak (AED 6) | Off-Peak (AED 4) | Free |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday to Saturday | 6am–10am and 4pm–8pm | 10am–4pm and 8pm–1am | 1am–6am |
| Sunday | None | All day, except free hours | 1am–6am |
5% VAT applies to all toll transactions (Gulf News).
What Time Is Salik Free In Dubai?
Salik is free from 1am to 6am every day, including Sundays. During Ramadan the free window moves to 2am to 7am. Plan late-night or early-morning trips through the gates for these hours and you pay nothing.
Quick tip: catching an early flight? Leave before 6am and every gate on the way to DXB is free.
Salik Timings On Sunday
On Sundays, Salik charges a flat AED 4 all day, with free crossings from 1am to 6am. There is no AED 6 peak rate on Sundays. The Sunday rate does not apply on public holidays, special occasions or major events, when Salik announces its own timings.
What Are Salik Timings During Ramadan
During Ramadan, Salik uses different hours (Gulf News):
| Ramadan Rate | Monday To Saturday |
|---|---|
| AED 6 (peak) | 9am–5pm |
| AED 4 (off-peak) | 7am–9am and 5pm–2am |
| Free | 2am–7am |
On Sundays in Ramadan, Salik charges AED 4 outside the free hours. Check Salik’s announcement before each Ramadan, because timings can change.
Where Are The Salik Gates in Dubai?
Dubai has 10 Salik gates. The two newest, Business Bay Crossing and Al Safa South, opened in November 2024 (The National).
| Salik Gate | Road | Opened |
|---|---|---|
| Al Garhoud Bridge | Al Garhoud Bridge | 2007 |
| Al Barsha | Sheikh Zayed Road, near Mall of the Emirates | 2007 |
| Al Maktoum Bridge | Al Maktoum Bridge | 2008 |
| Al Safa North | Sheikh Zayed Road | 2008 |
| Al Mamzar North | Al Ittihad Road | 2013 |
| Al Mamzar South | Al Ittihad Road | 2013 |
| Airport Tunnel | Under Dubai International Airport | 2013 |
| Jebel Ali | Sheikh Zayed Road, near Ibn Battuta Mall | 2018 |
| Al Safa South | Sheikh Zayed Road | 2024 |
| Business Bay Crossing | Al Khail Road | 2024 |
Driving in Abu Dhabi? The toll there is Darb, not Salik. See our guide to Mawaqif and Darb in Abu Dhabi.
Salik Fines In Dubai
There are three Salik fines: AED 50 for low balance, AED 100 to AED 400 for driving without a registered tag, and AED 10,000 for tampering (Gulf News).
Most Salik fines are small and easy to avoid. The usual one is AED 50 for a low balance, and you can only get one a day per car, so a week of forgetting won’t wipe you out. The fines that hurt are for driving without a registered tag (up to AED 400) and for tampering (AED 10,000).
| Violation | Fine | When It Applies |
|---|---|---|
| Insufficient balance | AED 50 | No recharge within 5 working days of a crossing; one fine a day per vehicle |
| Unregistered plate or tag | AED 100 first, AED 200 second, AED 400 after that | Tag not registered and activated within 10 working days of the first trip; one fine a day per vehicle |
| Tampering or damage | AED 10,000 | Tampering with a tag, or damaging gates or Salik machines |
How To Check And Pay Salik Fines
You can check and pay Salik fines in three places (Gulf News):
- Salik website: go to Salik Services, choose Violations, enter your plate number and search.
- RTA Dubai app: open Services, find the Salik section and tap Violations.
- Dubai Police app: go to Pay Traffic Fines, select Ticket, then Salik.
For other fines on your car, see our guides to Dubai traffic fines and how to check fines with your Emirates ID.
Salik Contact Number And Official Links
Driving Through Salik Every Day? Check Your Car Insurance
If you cross Salik gates every day, you drive Dubai’s busiest roads, so make sure your cover fits that. Your Salik tag is tied to your car’s registration, and a Dubai registration renewal needs valid car insurance. Our Dubai car registration renewal guide lists the steps.
Compare car insurance in Dubai before your renewal date, or renew your car insurance online in a few minutes.
FAQs
Salik costs AED 6 per crossing at peak times (6am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm, Monday to Saturday) and AED 4 at other times.
No, it is not free, it is flat rate, AED 4 per Salik on Sunday(all day).
Yes, Salik is free from 1am to 7am each night.
The fine is AED 100 for the first offense, AED 200 for the second and AED 400 for each one after that. You have 10 working days after your first trip through a gate to register and activate a tag before these fines start, with a maximum of one fine a day per vehicle
Yes, 5% VAT is charged on Salik. So AED 6 per Salik gate means you have to pay AED 6 plus 5% VAT for crossing a Salik gate.
Read Also
- Salik Balance Check And Recharge 2026: By Plate Number, App And SMS
- Dubai Traffic Fines: Check, Pay And Discounts
- Dubai Parking Timings, Zones And Fines
- Mawaqif Abu Dhabi: Parking Fees, Darb And Fines
- Dubai Car Registration Renewal: Fees And Steps
- Dubai Number Plate Price: RTA Fees In AED
- How To Check Your Driving Licence Online In The UAE
