Salik, which means ‘open’ or ‘clear’ in the Arabic language, is an innovative electronically controlled open road tolling system which began operations in July 2007. It was introduced with the aim of reducing traffic congestion along the main roads in Dubai, like the Sheikh Zayed Road, which links the commercial districts in the city.
Salik Operations
The free flow tolling system operates at highway speeds with no plazas, gates or other impediments to traffic flow. Salik uses the latest technology in electronics to realize the free flow of its traffic operations and has no physical toll collectors, or toll booths, to obstruct its free traffic flow. The system permits free vehicle movement through the tolling points at highways with rapidity.
A unique feature of salik is that it is maintained completely above the road from walkways inside the cladded gantries, and hence requires no road closures for maintenance purposes. Salik also features world’s widest Open Road Tolling Zone at 40.3mts spanning 7 ORTs in a single direction.
As Salik participation is mandatory, the fleet accounts are large. Fleets that require sticker tags are taxi, car rentals, couriers, leases, commercial delivery and buses. Dubai has walk-in Customer Service Centre locations throughout the city, and 200 customer service representatives offer services in Arabic and English. Customers can open salik accounts by walking in to customer service centers, retail partners, through mail or via the internet.
Salik has several project firsts to its credit, such as world’s first open road tolling zone covering 7 lanes in a single direction, longest open road tolling gantry at 40.3m, world’s first CDM/ATM replenishment, world’s first SMS customer notifications, world’s first 100% retail tag distribution, world’s first 870 MHz frequency-based toll system and an industry model for fast track completion and opening of the system.
Salik Tag
The heart of the salik system is the Salik tag, which is attached to the vehicle windshield. It uses the latest Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to positively identify the vehicle as it passes along the Salik tolling point.
Salik Tag operates with no batteries or moving parts and hence, should last for the lifetime of your windshield. However, when selling your vehicle, remember to remove your Salik Tag to avoid being charged for the trips of the new owner.
Salik tag works in all weather conditions and vehicle speeds, and offers highly accurate and reliable method of identifying your vehicle. Salik tag should be attached to your windshield to allow it to operate and when attached, it cannot be removed without damaging it, so the tag cannot be moved from one vehicle to another.
The windshield sticker tags are sold at multiple venues, and more than 700,000 tags were issued within a span of one month from the opening, and millions of sticker tags are in use in Dubai at present.
Salik Tags and Salik Recharge cards can be booked at RTA Customer Service Centres, EPPCO/ENOC Petrol Stations, Adnoc Petrol Stations, Emarat Petrol Stations, Emirates.
Your Salik tag should be used only on the vehicle that it is assigned in your Salik account. You may not use the tag on any other vehicle registered in your name. Every vehicle must have its own unique tag and you can register as many tags as you like on same Salik account, as long as you have same Traffic file number.
All visitors from other emirates too are required to purchase salik tags. When a tourist rents a car, it will already have a tag. If the tourists prefer to drive their own car, they will have to buy a tag, and this will be active for several years, provided the car window is not damaged.
To Install Salik Tag
Read the instructions before installing your tag. Then install it in the proper location, removing any aftermarket tint between the tag and glass before installation. Install only one Salik tag in your vehicle, and remove any air that may be trapped under the tag.
Salik Tag Registration
This enables to register a new tag which you have just purchased. You may create an account and add a tag and vehicle to your account. The interface is very simple and intuitive. It helps by guiding you through the whole process of tag registration and account creation. When the account is created, you can create a web username and password that will allow you to access and manage your account online.
If your tag has been registered properly and tag application form has been submitted with all necessary details, the toll will be charged to your account, and no violation would occur. If you have not received an SMS within 10 days of purchase acknowledging that your new tag has been registered, you should contact Salik.
Opening a Salik road toll account
- Motorists can open a Salik account at any of the branches of Emirates Banks or Dubai Islamic Bank, ENOC, Emirate Petrol Stations and EPCO in Dubai.
- Fill in an application form to open a Salik account. The application is also available online at the Salik website (www.salik.ae).
- A salik tag needs to be obtained first. For this, submit a photocopy of your car registration and pay Dh.100 money at any of the centres mentioned above (Dh.50 is for the tag and Dh.50 is the prepaid toll balance added to Sailk account). In case you own more than one car, you can register them on the same account, but you will need to purchase additional tags for each car.
- Providing your mobile number is a must, as Salik can send you a text message or sms with your account number, and when your credit is running low.
- Stick the tag carefully on your windscreen following the instructions in the Salik package, or visit the website www.salik.ae (for BMW, Mercedes, Range Rover, and Rolls Royce Phantom owners) for finding the correct location of Salik tag, or call 800-SALIK (72545).
- Finally, Salik/RTA will send a PIN and account number to your mobile phone for online access.
- When the credit in salik account runs low, you will be sent an sms reminder for top up.
To Check Salik Account Balance
You can verify account balance by calling 800-SALIK(72545) or by accessing your salik account through the web at www.salik.ae or via kiosks.
Managing Salik Account
To access your online account, you first need to set up a username and password by visiting www.salik.gov.ae. After creating an online account, you will be provided with username and password to login and manage the account from the comfort of your home.
By managing your own salik account online, you can view your toll trips, salik account balance, manage your personal profile, manage your vehicle, recharge your friend’s account too, check for any violations received and add a tag/vehicle to your account.
Salik Toll Points in Dubai
There are six tolling points in Dubai:
- Al Safa toll gate
- Al Barsha toll gate
- Al Garhoud Bridge toll gate (Al Garhood)
- Al Maktoum Bridge toll gate (Al Maktoom)
- Al Mamzar toll gate (Al Mumzar)
- Airport Tunnel toll gate
Each time you pass through a Salik tolling point, your vehicle will be identified using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology built into your Salik sticker tag. The system identifies your vehicle through communication with the small Salik sticker tag affixed to your wind shield. The toll of Dh.4 will be deducted from your prepaid toll account. In case of toll gates such as Al Mamzar, Beirut Street (Airport Tunnel) the toll of Dh.4 will be deducted only once from your prepaid toll account.
Al Maktoum Bridge tolling point is free from 10pm on Thursday to 9am on Friday, and from 10pm to 5am every other day of the week. If you pass through Al Safa and Al Barsha tolling point or vice versa within one hour in the same direction, you will be charged only one toll of Dh.4.
Revenue Collection
The Salik toll system charges the drivers based on a toll fee on entry/exit they use on the highway. Until recently, there was a daily Salik cap of Dh.24 or six trips which has been in place since the introduction of toll system in Dubai in 2007, has been abolished effective 15th July 2013 by the RTA. Therefore, people using Salik toll gates more than six times a day will be charged for all their trips henceforth.
Further, from mid January 2013, Salik toll charges are being automatically added to Dubai taxi fares, as taxis were earlier exempted from salik tolls.
The vehicle owners need to use the remaining balance in their account within five years from the date of last recharge or payment made by passing through a salik toll gate. If not, the remaining balance will be deleted from the user’s account.
The latest law on salik stipulates that vehicle owners must use the remaining balance in their account within five years from the date of the last recharge or payment made by passing through a Salik toll gate. Else, the remaining balance will be deleted from user’s account.
Payment/Recharge methods
Salik Recharge Card
The Salik Recharge Card is an easy and simple way of instantly recharging a Salik Account. To recharge, scratch off the film on the back of your salik recharge card so as to expose the unique 12 digit number, and then choose the recharge method that best suits your need.
Phone Salik
Call 800-SALIK (72545), choose the preferred language select option, and follow instructions. In the end, you will receive a verification message confirming your new account balance.
SMS Salik
Type R*Recharge Card No*Salik Account No.*Salik PIN and send it to 5959. You will receive a confirmation message from your phone provider indicating successful transaction. Then, you will receive a confirmation message from Salik confirming your account recharge.
Online recharge
Log on to your account, click on recharge and select the salik recharge option. Enter the 12 digit number on the back of your recharge card in the screen provided and click send. Your new account balance will be displayed on screen along with receipt number. The online recharge also allows you to recharge for your friend if required, provided you enter your friend’s account number and PIN and the 12 digit Salik recharge card number.
Credit cards/ePay
Salik offers a seamless link to the ePay gateway allowing customers to recharge their Salik accounts using their credit cards. ePay is the centralized, integrated and secure payment gateway developed by Dubai eGovernment for individuals and businesses to pay for their government transactions such as Salik, in a secure environment. To use ePay, you will have to first log in to your Salik Online Account.
mPay
Salik offers a gateway to mPay to allow using the convenience of your credit card to recharge your Salik account through your registered mobile phone. mPay is an online payment option introduced by Dubai eGovernment to allow customers to pay all related bills and fee of the Dubai Government, including Salik, without having to visit multiple websites. To use this service, you will have to first open an mPay account.
Salik Fines
Keep salik informed if you change your plate number or sell your vehicle, else you may be charged for violation. Also, if you do not have sufficient balance in your salik account and fail to recharge your Salik account in 5 days, you will have to pay violation of Dh.50 for each day, if you pass through Salik toll gate. Hence, it is essential to maintain sufficient balance in your Salik account, by recharging through one of the various payment options available.
If you drive through a Salik toll gate with low credit on your salik account, you will receive an SMS reminder to top it up. However, if you do not recharge the card in two working days and drive through the toll point again, the fine is Dh.50. There is a maximum of one violation a day.
If you pass through a Salik toll gate without a Salik tag on your vehicle, you should purchase a tag within 10 days to open a Salik account, or add new tag to your existing account. Failure to do so, can attract a fine of Dh.100 for first day time pass, Dh.200 for second time and Dh.400 for every time thereafter when you pass through the gate. Maximum violation amount per calendar year is Dh.10,000.
The salik website has a section for violation management, wherein, you can search for violations, if any, against your vehicle registration information. It gives you the option to dispute them. When the results are displayed, one or more violations can be submitted for dispute. Salik violations can also be disputed through any of the salik customer service centres or RTA customer service centres or through the RTA website www.rta.ae.
To dispute about Salik violations, ensure that you provide certain documents such as list of fines to be disputed, payment receipt for paid violations, car registration card and valid ID. The period to object about salik violations should not exceed 120 days from date of first violation. Salik completes all dispute investigations within 15 working days of submission.
Violations should be paid before vehicles can be registered or sold. The license plate recognition software enables reducing the number of images sent for manual review before and after implementation, and for reducing errors of wrong identifications.
Salik violations can be paid by visiting the website www.rta.ae and clicking the tab Fines Enquiry and Payment. However, fines can also be paid at Dubai Police traffic department, it is said. Else, they can be paid through Dubai Police website. For other emirate violations, visit the Vehicle Registration Department or the internet banking if you are an Emirates NBD customer.
More Salik information
- Your car rentals may charge you 10 to 25 percent administrative fee.
- As of now, vehicles exempted from salik toll charges are Public and School buses, police and military vehicles, ambulances and vehicles for special need institutes.
- If you are selling your car, cancellation charge of Dh.10 is charged, and no refund of any leftover credit is given.
- Fines can range from Dh.50 to Dh.10,000 depending on the offence
- In case you do not pass through any Salik gantry or make an account recharge for a period of 5 years, then your Salik account balance may be forfeited. Salik will send you an SMS notification in one month, then at two weeks prior to the five years elapsing period, to advise you of the pending account forfeit.
Salik at a glance
- Salik is a road toll system introduced to ease traffic in 2007
- There are six Salik gates in Dubai – Al Barsha, Al Garhoud Bridge, Al Safa, Al Maktoum Bridge, Al Mamzar and Airport Tunnel.
- A toll of Dh.4 is charged per trip
- Salik subscription costs Dh.100 per tag.
- As for fines, Dh.50 is charged for passing through Salik gate without sufficient balance in account, Dh.100 is fined for passing through Salik gate without a tag and Dh.10 is charged per month for delay in payment of fines.
- Salik account can be topped up through phone banking, recharge cards, online, through SMS, ePay or mPay. You can also use the Smart Salik App, or use the 600 walk-up kiosks available at shopping centres and co-operative societies, or use your Salik account at 17 banks.
- For all details, please visit the website http://www.salik.gov.ae/.
