Driving in Dubai? Here Is How the 10 Salik Toll Gates Work
Dubai has 10 Salik toll gates, and each crossing costs AED 6, AED 4 or nothing, plus 5% VAT, depending on the day and the hour. You pay from a prepaid account linked to a tag on your windshield, so you never stop at a barrier. This guide covers where the gates are, what you pay and when, how to get a tag, how to top up, and the special cases for visitors, rental cars and electric vehicles.
Named after the Arabic word for ‘open’ or ‘clear’, the Salik system uses free-flow overhead gantries that read your tag as you drive underneath. Every vehicle that passes a gate needs a tag linked to an account with enough balance. For what happens if it does not, see our Salik fines guide.
The 10 Salik Toll Gate Locations Across the City
Dubai currently operates 10 Salik toll gates along the emirate’s busiest corridors and bridges. Knowing where they sit helps you plan routes and estimate what a journey will cost.
| Gate | Road |
|---|---|
| Al Safa North | Sheikh Zayed Road |
| Al Safa South | Sheikh Zayed Road |
| Al Barsha | Sheikh Zayed Road |
| Jebel Ali | Sheikh Zayed Road |
| Business Bay Crossing | Al Khail Road |
| Al Garhoud Bridge | Sheikh Rashid Road |
| Al Maktoum Bridge | Umm Hurair Road |
| Al Mamzar North | Al Ittihad Road |
| Al Mamzar South | Al Ittihad Road |
| Airport Tunnel | Beirut Street |
How Much Each Salik Crossing Costs
Dubai uses variable tolling at all 10 gates, so the price depends on when you cross, not which gate you use. Al Maktoum Bridge is no longer free on Sundays, and public holidays follow the normal schedule rather than being toll-free.
| Time band (normal hours) | Monday to Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|
| Peak: 6 AM to 10 AM and 4 PM to 8 PM | AED 6 + VAT | AED 4 + VAT |
| Low-peak: 10 AM to 4 PM and 8 PM to 1 AM | AED 4 + VAT | AED 4 + VAT |
| Off-peak: 1 AM to 6 AM | AED 0 | AED 0 |
A 5% VAT applies to every toll transaction from 1 June 2026, added on top of the toll. That makes a peak crossing AED 6.30 and a low-peak crossing AED 4.20. Ramadan uses a different set of time bands, so check Salik’s published rate table during the holy month. For the wider VAT changes, see our guide to VAT on Salik.
When You Are Charged Once, and When Twice
- Crossing Al Safa North and Al Safa South in the same direction within one hour is charged once.
- Crossing Al Mamzar North and Al Mamzar South in the same direction within one hour is charged once.
- Al Mamzar and the Airport Tunnel are separate gates, so crossing both means two charges.
- Every other gate is charged each time you cross it, at the rate for that time of day.
Worked Toll Total: A Weekday Commute
Hypothetical figures, using the rates above: a driver crosses one gate at 8 AM on a Tuesday and one gate again at 6 PM on the way home. Both fall in peak hours, so each costs AED 6.30 with VAT, or AED 12.60 for the day. Over about 22 working days that is roughly AED 277. If the same driver can shift the trip to cross at 11 AM, the charge drops to AED 4.20, and a crossing between 1 AM and 6 AM is free.
How Salik Tag Rules Apply to Your Vehicle
Anyone driving through a Salik gate needs a tag fixed to the windshield and an account with enough balance for each crossing. Tags are not transferable, so each vehicle needs its own.
If you drive into the UAE in your own foreign-registered car, the same rules apply as soon as you reach the city’s gates. Visitors must buy a tag, activate it and stick it to the windshield before using the toll roads.
Rental cars are usually the easy case. Most Dubai rental companies fit their cars with a tag and pass the toll charges on to you when you return the vehicle, so you do not buy one yourself. Check your rental agreement for how tolls are billed and whether the company adds a handling fee.
Electric vehicle owners can get a free tag, but the trips themselves are still charged at the normal variable rates. EVs are not exempt from Salik tolls.
Buying, Activating and Topping Up a Tag
| Item | What to know |
|---|---|
| Cost of a new tag | AED 102.50 including VAT: AED 52.50 for the tag and AED 50 prepaid toll balance added when the tag is activated |
| Online delivery | Extra AED 20 including VAT; the tag arrives within five working days after the payment SMS |
| Where to buy | The Salik website or Smart Salik app, selected Emarat, EPPCO/ENOC and ADNOC stations, selected service centres, or the Careem app |
| Activation | Activate before you cross a gate, through the Salik website, Smart Salik app, RTA Dubai app or the 800 72545 self-service line. Tags bought online are activated automatically once payment clears |
| Recharge amount | Minimum AED 50, maximum AED 50,000 per transaction, in multiples of AED 50 |
| Ways to recharge | Card, app or website, e-voucher or recharge card, bank auto top-up, or cash at supported kiosks and deposit machines |
| Unused balance | Stays in the account for up to five years without activity, then is forfeited |
What You Need to Do Before You Drive
- Get an official Salik tag if you own a private, commercial or foreign-registered vehicle that lacks one.
- Stick the tag to the windshield following the installation instructions, so the overhead sensors read it.
- Activate the tag and link it to your account before the first crossing.
- Keep enough balance for every gate you pass, or set up auto top-up through your bank.
What Happens If You Cross Without a Tag or Balance
Salik allows a short grace period, then fines apply. With a tag but too little balance, you have five working days to top up before an AED 50 fine, with a maximum of one per vehicle per day. With no tag, you have ten working days from the first trip to buy and activate one; after that the fines start at AED 100 for the first trip, AED 200 for the second and AED 400 for each one after. Our Salik fines guide covers how to check and dispute them.
Where to Go Next
- Salik fines in Dubai: how to avoid penalties
- 5% VAT on Salik tolls: what it costs drivers
- Dubai parking fees and VAT
