Dubai: If you drive through a Salik toll gate with low credit on your tag, you will get an SMS reminder to top it up. But if you do not recharge the card within two working days and drive through the toll point again, the fine is at least Dh50.
You will not receive a notification that you have incurred a fine and have to log on to your Salik account or go to the RTA's (Roads and Transport Authority) portal, www.salik.ae, and key in the particulars of your vehicle to verify the same.
Balances can also be checked at the RTA website or by calling 800-72545, but you cannot pay the fines online from the RTA portal. According to a customer service agent, the fine can, however, be paid at the Dubai Police traffic department.
Motorists by now know there are various ways to top up their Salik credit. The online recharge option is the easiest if you are an Emirates Bank or Dubai Islamic Bank customer. There is a separate Salik payment site where you initially set up the account. Once you recharge, you will be immediately notified by SMS.
The other alternatives are to drive to one of the Eppco, Enoc or Emarat petrol stations or to the two banks mentioned above and recharge the credit.
The RTA says Salik accounts can also be topped up by mobile phone, if a user has signed up for the Dubai e-government mPay service which was launched in October last year.
You can sign up at the mPay website (mpay.dubai.ae). The registration is free and you receive an email with activation code. You have to send an SMS with the activation code to 4488 from the mobile phone you registered, and you'll receive a PIN number to use for all mPay transactions.
mPay is the payment channel provided by Dubai eGovernment. This service currently covers Salik account recharge, Dubai Police Fines Payment and Dewa bill payments.
To use mPay service, you have to register on this website only once. Click on 'new user' to register. If you any queries, you can refer to FAQs (frequently asked questions).
If you plan to sell your car, you should notify Salik to deactivate or deregister the Salik tag. The new owner has to buy a new Salik tag. Selling your car with an active Salik tag is not a good idea as it is registered in your name and you may incur all the fines the new owner runs up.
No refund of credit on cancellation- Salik is Arabic for 'open' or 'clear'. The toll collection system was launched in July 2007.
- Cancellation of a Salik is Dh10 (when you sell the car) and you do not get refund of any leftover credit.
- Fines range from Dh50, to Dh10,000 for tag manipulation.
- For any information on Salik, call toll free number 800-SALIK (72545). The customer service agents speak Arabic, English and Urdu.
- Salik uses Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology to deduct the toll amount of Dh4.
- There is Dh10 charge per month for delay in payment of fines.
- Taxis, public transport buses, school buses, ambulances, police and army vehicles are exempt from paying the toll charges.
