Dubai: 6 ways to recharge your Salik account

If you received a message on your phone indicating that you passed through a Salik gate with insufficient balance, don't worry. There are several ways to top up your Salik account.

Driving in Dubai requires all motorists to maintain an active Salik account, which allows you to pay for toll gates to avoid heavy traffic and soon, even for parking at Dubai Mall.

1. Salik website

You can check your Salik balance and recharge the account by following these steps:

• Visit salik.ae and if you haven’t already created an account, click on ‘create an account’ and provide your mobile number along with your car plate number or the Salik account number. You would have received your Salik account number when you purchased your Salik tag. You will receive a one-time password (OTP) on your mobile number to complete the registration process.

If you already have an existing Salik account, click on the sign-in button, and enter your username and password.

• You will be redirected to your dashboard, where you will see a summary of the recent toll gates you have passed and the amount in your account.
• Tap on the ‘recharge’ tab, and you will get the option of recharging through online payment or a recharge card.
• Select the amount that you wish to recharge the account with and then enter your credit card details or the recharge card details to complete the payment.

2. DubaiNow app

You can also set up your Salik account on the DubaiNow app, which can help centralise your payments for other utility services as well, including your electricity and water bill or your telecom payments.

• Open the DubaiNow app and sign in using your UAE Pass.
• Click on the ‘driving’ icon and then select ‘Salik’.
• Tap on the ‘add’ icon and enter your account number and Salik pin. You can select a recharge amount that you want to set for regularly topping up your account. You can also select the auto top-up option, which will recharge your account once the balance goes below Dh4.
• Tap on save.
• Now, you can easily top up your account using the payment settings you have put in place on the DubaiNow app, whether it is directly through your credit card or through the Apple Pay option.

3. Careem app

Another app you can use to top up your Salik account is through the Careem app if you use it for other services like taking a taxi or for food deliveries. Simply open the app and scroll down to the ‘pay your bills’ section. Select ‘Salik’ and add your account using your registered mobile number.

Enter your car plate number and code and then select the amount for which you need to recharge the account. Then, use Apple Pay or your credit card to make the payment.

4. Tamm app

The Tamm app, which is available for Apple, Android, and Huawei devices, is also an easy way to recharge your Salik account. Tamm is the official portal for all Abu Dhabi government services, and you can use it to recharge your Darb account, pay your utility bills or top-up your parking card.

Simply open the Tamm app on your phone and scroll down to the ‘my utilities’ section and select ‘Salik’.

If you have set up the app with your UAE Pass account, the app will show you the vehicles registered under your name. Select the car and tap on ‘top-up’.

Select the amount that you wish to recharge the account with and then tap on top up. You will then have the option to pay using your credit card or through Apple Pay.

5. Kiosk machines

If you are out and about in the UAE, you will be able to spot several kiosk machines at malls that allow you to make payments in cash or through your credit or debit card. You can also recharge your Salik account through these machines.

6. Recharge cards at petrol stations

If you are stopping at a petrol station to refuel your car, you can also visit the convenience store there and request for a Salik recharge card.

The cards are provided in various denominations like Dh50, Dh100 or Dh200. Once you have the card, you can then use the recharge card number to top your account by:

• calling 800 SALIK (72545), and selecting the recharge option. Enter your Salik account number and pin to top up.
• sending an SMS to 5959.
• visiting the salik.ae website and selecting the ‘recharge a Salik account’.
• entering the recharge card number in the Smart Salik app.