Abu Dhabi toll gates: What you need to know about ‘Darb’ before it comes into effect on January 2

Abu Dhabi: Motorists will soon begin to incur road tolls in Abu Dhabi, with the dedicated ‘Darb’ system, which is set to go live on January 2. The emirate’s public transport regulator, the Department of Municipalities and Transport’s Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), had earlier announced that more than 100,000 vehicle accounts have already been registered on Darb.

Ahead of its rollout, here is all you need to know:

When do Abu Dhabi’s toll gates become operational?

The Darb toll gates will begin charging users from Saturday, January 2, 2021. Effectively, the first vehicles to be charged will be those passing under a toll gate between 7am and 9am on Saturday.

How many toll gates are there and where are they located?

There are currently four toll gates in the capital, each located near one of the four bridges connecting Abu Dhabi island to the mainland: Al Maqtaa Bridge, Musaffah Bridge, Sheikh Zayed Bridge and Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Bridge.

What is the charge for passing under a toll gate?

A Dh4 toll will be collected if a motorist passes under any of the gates between 7am and 9am, and between 5pm and 7pm, between Saturday to Thursday. These are the designated peak hours.

Are there times when passing under a toll gate will be free?

Passing under any of the toll gates during non-peak hours every day, and at any time on Fridays and public holidays, will be free for motorists.

Is there a cap on the maximum toll amount charged in a day?

The maximum daily toll amount per vehicle is capped at Dh16. In addition, a monthly cap of Dh200 on the toll will apply for the first vehicle on a user’s account, along with a cap of Dh150 on the second vehicle, and Dh100 on all additional vehicles. The order of vehicles can be rearranged on the Darb toll payment site. There is no daily or monthly cap on tolls for corporate-owned vehicles.

Do I need to put a sticker on my vehicle?

The Darb toll system will automatically detect plate numbers and deduct the relevant toll from the payment account. There is no need to attach a tag or sticker.

How do I pay the toll?

Follow these steps:

• Visit the Darb toll website on darb.itc.gov.ae, or download the mobile app from iOS App Store, Google Play or Huawei App Gallery.

• To create an account, choose Individual.

• Enter a valid email address, then the OTP sent to the email.

• When prompted, select the emirate where your vehicle is registered.

• Enter the traffic code.

• Enter a registered mobile phone number, then enter the OTP sent to the number.

• Enter a password to complete registration.

• Register your vehicle by clicking ‘Register’ on the dashboard, then choose the payment method (either Amwal wallet or credit card) and the wallet, and click ‘Pay’. The system has an initial vehicle registration fee of Dh100 per vehicle, of which Dh50 will be credited as a balance in the registered account.

• Top up your wallet by clicking ‘Top Up’ on your dashboard. Select the amount you want to add, then click ‘Top up using credit card’. Enter your credit card details and then click ‘Pay’.

• You can see additional vehicle details by navigating to the ‘Vehicles’ tab on the dashboard and even rearrange them to change the monthly capped toll on each vehicle.

What do I do if I have already created an account in the past?

If you have a previously registered account, just log in to the toll gate system and activate the account by following these steps:

• Visit the Darb toll website on darb.itc.gov.ae, or download the mobile app from iOS App Store, Google Play or Huawei App Gallery.

• Login using your Emirates ID or traffic code.

• Enter a valid email address, then submit the OTP sent to the email.

• Select a registered phone number and click on ‘Verify number’. Enter the OTP sent to the number.

• Enter the password and click submit.

Are any vehicles exempt from the road tolls?

All vehicles must be registered on the Darb system. Following this, some can apply for exemptions. The exemption categories include:

• One vehicle owned per senior Emirati aged 60 years and older.

• One vehicle owned per retired Emirati.

• One vehicle used for a person with special needs. A vehicle used by an Emirati person of determination can also be registered using their relevant People of Determination Card.

• One vehicle owned per Emirati with limited income.

• Ambulances.

• Armed forces and Civil Defence vehicles bearing plate numbers and emblems.

• Public buses.

• Public taxis licensed in Abu Dhabi.

• School buses authorised by ITC.

• Passenger buses with a capacity of 26 passengers and above.

• Vehicles bearing the plate number of Abu Dhabi Police, Ministry of Interior or the police forces of other emirates.

• Towed vehicles.

• Motorcycles.

How can I apply for a road toll exemption?

Follow these steps:

• Visit the Darb toll website on darb.itc.gov.ae, or download the mobile app from iOS App Store, Google Play or Huawei App Gallery. Log in.

• On the dashboard, click on ‘Requests’.

• Then click on the ‘Submit Request’ button.

• Select ‘Exemption Request’ from the drop-down list, then select the type of exemption requested (for instance, person of determination or low-income).

• Enter the vehicle plate number, and any description in the text box.

• Attach the relevant documents, then submit the request.

Are there any fines applicable for not registering a vehicle?

All vehicles must be registered on the Darb toll system.

In case a vehicle is not registered when passing under the toll gates, the user will be given a grace period of 10 business days to register the vehicle. Otherwise, a fine will be applied.

Are there any fines applicable for having insufficient balance in my toll payment account?

The procedures differ based on where a vehicle is registered.

For vehicles registered in Abu Dhabi, motorists can pay off any unpaid tolls when completing their annual vehicle licensing procedures.

For vehicles registered outside Abu Dhabi Emirate, motorists will be given a grace period of five working days to recharge the account before a fine is applied.

Where can I view any fines incurred?

Any fines incurred will be listed on the Darb website and app.

Follow these steps:

• Visit the Darb toll website on darb.itc.gov.ae, or download the mobile app from iOS App Store, Google Play or Huawei App Gallery. Log in.

• On the dashboard, click on ‘Fines’.

What fines have been announced so far?

The ITC has announced fines for the following violations:

Dh100 for an unregistered vehicle that has not yet been registered within the ten-day grace period of passing under a toll gate. This fine applies for the first time after the grace period ends.

Dh200 for an unregistered vehicle that has not yet been registered within the ten-day grace period of passing under a toll gate. This fine applies for the second pass after the grace period ends.

Dh400 for an unregistered vehicle that has not yet been registered within the ten-day grace period of passing under a toll gate. This fine applies for the third pass and subsequent passes after the grace period ends.

Dh50 for each pass without sufficient balance by a vehicle registered outside Abu Dhabi, followed by a similar penalty in case of failure to top up sufficiently within the grace period of five working days.

Dh10,000 for manipulating the vehicles’ licence plate to evade fines.

Dh10,000 for damaging any electronic payment machine or toll gate.