Salik charges: toll times, VAT and tag costs (2026)

Salik, Dubai's electronic road toll, costs AED 6 plus VAT at peak times and AED 4 plus VAT at low-peak times: AED 6.30 and AED 4.20 after tax. Scheduled free periods cost AED 0. These are Salik's current rates, verified 18 October 2026; VAT began on 1 June 2026.

Source: withlida.com, 18 October 2026, from Salik's variable toll schedule. VAT and totals calculated as base × 5% and base × 1.05. *Salik excludes public holidays and public events from its ordinary Sunday timetable.

Last verified: 18 October 2026. Checked by the publication's independent check, 18 October 2026.

This is the toll line inside a household budget. The Dubai cost-of-living guide puts it alongside rent, utilities and other transport spending.

How much is Salik per crossing, and when is it free?

The normal schedule charges AED 6.30 including VAT during Monday to Saturday peak windows, AED 4.20 during low-peak windows, and AED 0 from 01:00 to 06:00. Salik's official tariff, as of October 2026, is shown above.

Salik calls the AED 4 base band low-peak and the AED 0 band off-peak. Reading the actual hours is clearer than relying on the word “off-peak” alone. The normal peak windows are 06:00 to 10:00 and 16:00 to 20:00. Saturday follows that Monday to Saturday schedule. All times here are Dubai local time. Source: Salik, October 2026.

Value Added Tax, or VAT, is added to the base charge. The calculation is AED 6 × 1.05 = AED 6.30, or AED 4 × 1.05 = AED 4.20. Salik's rate page dates toll VAT to 1 June 2026; this is a current tariff reference. Source: Salik, verified 18 October 2026.

Is Salik free on Sunday or a public holiday?

An ordinary Sunday costs AED 4.20 including VAT during paid hours outside Ramadan, with the normal free window from 01:00 to 06:00. For example, one unpaired crossing at 08:00 on such a Sunday costs AED 4 + AED 0.20 VAT = AED 4.20. Source: Salik's schedule, as of October 2026.

Public holidays are not automatically free. Salik's FAQ says the designated variable toll schedule applies. Its rate table expressly qualifies Sundays with “Except for public holidays and public events”, and its FAQ says specific rates and timings for public holidays and major events will be announced closer to the dates. The ordinary Sunday row cannot settle the charge for one of those dates. Sources: Salik's rate table and Tolls & Charges FAQ, as of October 2026.

Al Maktoum Bridge also follows the variable toll schedule on Sundays, according to the same official FAQ as of October 2026.

Does Ramadan change Salik timings?

Ramadan moves the published free window to 02:00 to 07:00 and the Monday to Saturday peak window to 09:00 to 17:00. The table below applies today's VAT calculation to Salik's published Ramadan schedule, as verified in October 2026.

Source: withlida.com, 18 October 2026, from Salik's normal and Ramadan rate table; VAT-inclusive amounts calculated. *The public-holiday and public-event qualification still applies.

These are the hours currently published by Salik. A journey during a particular Ramadan still needs the schedule and any holiday or event announcement in force for its date.

When do Al Mamzar and Al Safa gates count as one charge?

Each named pair counts as one charge when both gates are crossed in the same direction within one hour: Al Mamzar North with Al Mamzar South, or Al Safa North with Al Safa South. The applicable tariff comes from the first crossing. These are Salik's FAQ rules as of October 2026.

Crossing into another tariff band between the paired gates does not replace that first-crossing timing. Two illustrations make the distinction clear:

Source: withlida.com, 18 October 2026, illustrations calculated from Salik's timetable and first-crossing FAQ.

The rule is specific to those pairs and conditions. Salik's FAQ separately confirms that Al Mamzar and Airport Tunnel attract separate charges. Opposite-direction return crossings are also separately charged; a return journey does not join the outward journey into one toll. Source: Salik, as of October 2026.

How much do a Salik tag and prepaid balance cost?

The current tag package costs AED 102.50: AED 52.50 for the tag including VAT, plus AED 50 credited to the account for tolls. Online delivery adds AED 20 including VAT, making AED 122.50 paid upfront. Salik notes that some UAE areas fall outside its delivery coverage. Source: Salik's tag-cost FAQs, as of October 2026.

The tag is the vehicle's electronic identifier. The prepaid balance is money held in the Salik account for later transactions.

Source: withlida.com, 18 October 2026, from Salik's FAQ. Tag base and VAT split calculated from the stated VAT-inclusive amount and 5% rate.

For an online purchase, the immediate tag-and-delivery expense is AED 72.50; the remaining AED 50 is prepaid credit. When making a budget, counting the entire AED 122.50 as a setup expense and then counting every toll funded by that credit again would duplicate the credit.

Salik says VAT is not charged when the account is recharged. It applies when a toll transaction is incurred. Each vehicle needs its own tag. Website and Smart Salik app purchases activate automatically after the successful-payment SMS; other purchase channels require manual activation. Source: Salik, as of October 2026.

For a newly arrived driver, the driving-licence conversion guide explains the separate licence process.

How much would a regular commute cost in Salik?

In the first illustration below, one peak crossing each way costs AED 12.60 per workday, or AED 277.20 over an assumed 22-workday month. The route's crossings and schedule determine which illustration fits.

All four examples assume Monday to Saturday travel outside Ramadan, 22 workdays, no special-event tariff and no other journeys. They include toll VAT. “Physical crossings” counts gates passed; “paid charges” applies the named-pair rule.

Source: withlida.com, 18 October 2026, original illustrations calculated from Salik's rates and paired-gate rules. Monthly total = daily charge × 22 assumed workdays.

These are toll examples, not an average household transport bill. Fuel, parking, vehicle costs, tag setup and other trips sit outside the table. For an address comparison, the useful input is the actual home-to-work gate sequence at the expected crossing times. The moving-to-Dubai guide places the commute within the wider home-setup sequence.

Does parking paid through Salik use the toll tariff?

Parking is a separate service with its own tariff, even when payment comes from the same Salik balance. Salik's FAQ explains that Dubai Mall parking charges depend on time parked and are deducted when the vehicle exits. It also says account reports separate parking transactions from toll transactions. Source: Salik, as of October 2026.

The AED 6.30 and AED 4.20 road-toll amounts do not price a parking stay. Salik says VAT on non-toll services follows the applicable laws and the service's own terms. The relevant parking operator's current tariff determines the parking charge. Source: Salik, as of October 2026.

How do I check, recharge or dispute a Salik charge?

Salik's website and Smart Salik app provide the account balance, toll trips and statements; its FAQ lists official recharge and dispute channels. The following routes were verified against Salik's published information in October 2026.

1. Check the journey and balance

   The Smart Salik app provides account management, recharge and trip records. Match a transaction to the gate, direction and time, including any eligible paired crossing.

2. Recharge the account

   The FAQ links to Salik's recharge options. It currently states a minimum of AED 50, a maximum of AED 50,000 per transaction and amounts in multiples of AED 50. The website service can be restricted outside the UAE; Smart Salik is another official recharge channel. Loading credit does not itself trigger toll VAT.

3. Use the official dispute route

   For a disputed violation, Salik's FAQ lists Smart Salik, the RTA Dubai app, its website and 800 Salik (72545). For a parking-fee dispute, it lists customerservice@salik.ae or 800 Salik. The official FAQ and Salik customer-service form provide the relevant routes for a query.

FAQ, checked 18 October 2026

What is the price of Salik today?

As verified on 18 October 2026, Salik's base rates are AED 6 plus VAT, AED 4 plus VAT and AED 0. With the published 5% VAT, the paid amounts are AED 6.30 and AED 4.20. The applicable time band comes from Salik's official schedule.

Which time is Salik free in Dubai?

Salik's published normal free window is 01:00 to 06:00. Its published Ramadan free window is 02:00 to 07:00, as of October 2026. Public-holiday and event announcements need a separate date check. Source: Salik.

Is Al Maktoum Bridge free on Sunday?

Salik's FAQ says Al Maktoum Bridge follows the variable toll schedule on Sundays. An ordinary Sunday outside Ramadan has AED 4.20 paid hours and the scheduled overnight free window, as of October 2026. Source: Salik.

How do I check my Salik amount?

The official FAQ lists the Salik website and Smart Salik app for checking the account balance, trips and statements. Compare toll transactions separately from parking when reconciling the balance. Source: Salik, October 2026.

CHANGE LOG: 2026-10-18 · first published · normal and Ramadan toll schedules, VAT, tag prices and paired-gate treatment checked against Salik's official pages.

For the charge on a particular journey, the final reference is Salik's current schedule, together with its date-specific holiday or event announcements.