Abu Dhabi DARB Timing 2025: Paid and Free Hours Timing

DARB is the official toll gate system in Abu Dhabi. As per the rules, all light and heavy vehicles are required to pay toll fees in Abu Dhabi. The toll fees are called DARB Fees and the toll fines are called DARB Fines.

When your vehicle passes through a DARB toll gate, you will be charged with applicable Darb Fee and the fee will be deducted automatically from your DARB Account Wallet. The DARB Fee is charged only if a vehicle passes through a toll gate during DARB timing i.e. peak hours but there is no fee in other time period.

DARB Timing 2025

The purpose of DARB Toll System is to reduce traffic congestion on roads during peak hours. Therefore the Abu Dhabi Mobility charges DARB Fees only during the peak hours in the morning and evening.

It means that you need to pay the toll fee only if your vehicle passes through a toll gate during the peak hours mentioned by the authority. Here I provide Abu Dhabi DARB Timing 2025 as follows;

Abu Dhabi DARB Free Hours Timing 

As mentioned above, Abu Dhabi DARB Timing is from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM in the morning and from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM in the evening. So, the rest of the time is considered as free hours in the DARB System. Here I provide Abu Dhabi Toll Timing Free Hours as follows;

DARB Timing on Sunday

Abu Dhabi DARB System remains free on Sunday and all official holidays. It means that the DARB Fees are not charged on Sundays and public holidays. So, you can drive your vehicle through any toll gate in Abu Dhabi without paying any toll fee on Sunday.

DARB Timing in Ramadan Month

The Abu Dhabi Toll Gate System changes DARB Timing during the Holy Month of Ramadan every year. If you are going to drive your car through a toll gate in Ramadan, you must know about Abu Dhabi Toll Gate Timing in Ramadan announced by the authority.

Abu Dhabi DARB Toll Gate Locations

Abu Dhabi Mobility, Public Transport Authority has setup DARB Toll Gates at four places. If you pass through one of the four locations given below during DARB timing, you will be charged with DARB Fee as per rules.

• Sheikh Zayed Bridge
• Sheikh Khalifa Bridge
• Al Maqtaa Bridge
• Mussafah Bridge

When you pass by above places, you will find the DARB Toll Gate there.

Abu Dhabi DARB Fees [Toll Tax]

The Abu Dhabi DARB Fees are charged from the cars and other light/heavy vehicles passing through the toll gates during DARB timing. There is No DARB Fee for motorbikes/motorcycles.

• DARB Fees – Toll Tax: 4 AED per transaction

The 4 AED DARB Fee is applicable for crossing the toll gate one time during the given DARB timing (peak hours).

Abu Dhabi DARB Fees Capping/Limit

Some vehicle drivers/owners are required to pass through DARB toll gates multiple times in a day for work purposes. The 4 AED DARB fee per passing can be quite expensive. For example: If you pass through a DARB toll gate eight times in a day, you can be charged 4 AED x 8 = 32 AED toll fee.

In order to reduce the excess charges of DARB Fees, the authority has set daily capping limit and monthly capping limit on DARB Fees Collection System.

According to the DARB Fee Capping info shared above, the DARB System charges a maximum of 16 AED from a vehicle in a day and a maximum of 200 AED from a vehicle in a month.

If you pass through a DARB toll gate 8 times in a day, you will be charged 4 AED for first four times and then it will be free for you for that day.

If you pass through a DARB toll gate multiple times on daily basis. You will be charged 4 AED four times per day till your total DARB Fee reaches 200 AED in a month. Thereafter you can cross the toll gate for free in that particular month.

So, this is how the DARB Fees Capping save people from excess toll fee payment and provide convenience for their work trips.

Abu Dhabi DARB Fees Exemptions

The Abu Dhabi Mobility provides two types of exemptions from DARB Fees depending upon the vehicle type and other factors. Some vehicles are exempted without any request, while others are required to submit a request and they get DARB exemption only after their request is approved by the authority.

[A] Automatically Exempted Vehicles without Exemption Request:

1. Ambulances, Armed Forces, and Civil Defense Vehicles which are holding their numbers and logo.
2. Public Transport Buses.
3. Motorcycles.
4. Authorized Public Taxi Vehicles in Abu Dhabi.
5. Authorized School Buses by Integrated Transport Center.
6. All Passenger Buses (capacity has been specified by the licensing authority for 26 passengers and above).
7. Vehicles holding the logo and numbers of Abu Dhabi Police, Ministry of Interior, or other Local Emirates Police.
8. Trailer Vehicles.

[B] Exempted Vehicles by Exemption Request:

People of Determination Vehicles

The people of determination can submit a request to exempt their one vehicle from DARB Fees. Once their exemption request is approved, their vehicle is exempted from DARB Fees and they can pass through all toll gates in Abu Dhabi without any fees/charges.

Senior Citizen Vehicles AND Retired Citizen Vehicles

The senior citizens and retired citizens can get exempted from DARB Fees for one vehicle. They have to submit a request for exemption to Abu Dhabi Mobility and the DARB exemption for their vehicle will be active after the authority approves their request.

Family with Limited Income

The families with limited income can also submit a request for DARB Fees Exemption for one vehicle to respective authority in Abu Dhabi. If the authority finds the request valid, it will approve the request and such a family can pass their vehicle through any toll gate in Abu Dhabi without paying fees.

Both the automatically exempted vehicles and by request exempted vehicles are free from payment of DARB Fees. They can pass through all DARB toll gates of Abu Dhabi and the DARB System will not charge any fees from them.

How to Pay DARB Fees in Abu Dhabi

The DARB Fees are deducted automatically from the vehicle owner’s DARB Wallet when the vehicle passes through a toll gate in Abu Dhabi. So, the vehicle owner does not need to pay the DARB Fee manually but they must have enough balance in their virtual DARB wallet so that the toll fee can be deducted automatically.

For example: When you drive your vehicle through a DARB toll gate, the DARB System will scan your vehicle number plate and the DARB Fee of 4 AED will be deducted from your DARB Wallet.

What is DARB Wallet?

The DARB Wallet is a virtual wallet for every vehicle owner in Abu Dhabi. The vehicle owners can register in DARB System online to add their vehicle and create a virtual wallet.

The registered users can recharge their DARB Wallet via credit cards, debit cards, online banking, DARB Kiosk Machines and by cash at DARB Customer Service Centers.

The registered users can view and manage their DARB Wallet online at DARB ITC web portal and also through DARB mobile app.

Abu Dhabi DARB Registration Process

The DARB Registration is optional for vehicle owners/drivers who do not wish to pass through the toll gates during DARB timing i.e. peak hours. But the people who want to drive their vehicles through toll gates during peak hours, are compulsorily register their vehicle in the DARB System.

The DARB Registration is an online process available at DARB ITC website portal @darb.itc.gov.ae. The DARB Registration Process is also available through DARB mobile app for Android, iPhone/iPad and Huawei Phone.

DARB Registration Requirements:

1. The Traffic File Number code of the person or company.
2. Mobile Number registered with the traffic file number.
3. The Emirates ID of the account holder.
4. An Active Personal Email if you are registering a Personal Account. Please use the Establishment Mail when registering an Establishment/Company Account.

Make sure that you have all four documents/details ready before you start DARB registration online process. Here I provide the steps to register at DARB ITC Portal as under;

1. Go to Abu Dhabi DARB ITC web portal @darb.itc.gov.ae.
2. Scroll down and select Individual under Create An Account. If you are registering as a company then select Establishment option.
3. Enter your Active Email and verify it with an OTP.
4. Provide your Emirates ID Number and confirm it.
5. Enter your Traffic File Number and verify it with an OTP on its linked mobile number.
6. Add your vehicle by Number Plate or other detail in the DARB Toll System.
7. Pay the registration fee i.e. 100 AED to continue.
8. Create a password for DARB Account Login.
9. Provide remaining information to complete the registration process.

On completion of DARB registration, you will receive a confirmation email/SMS from DARB ITC. In addition, you can access your DARB Wallet by logging in to DARB ITC portal and through DARB App.

After registration, your DARB Wallet will have 50 AED balance. You can recharge it online to add more balance as per your needs time to time.

Abu Dhabi DARB Fines

The Abu Dhabi DARB Fines are charged for insufficient balance in the DARB Wallet and other violations conducted by the vehicle owners/drivers at the DARB Toll Gates. Here I provide the violations and applicable DARB Fines as under;

Insufficient Balance in DARB Wallet:

• 50 AED Fine for each transaction i.e. for one time passing through a DARB toll gate.

Manipulation with Vehicle’s License Plate (Number Plate) to Illegally Avoid DARB Fees:

• 10,000 AED Fine

Damaging Toll Gates or Electronic Payment Machines of DARB:

• 10,000 AED Fine

Unregistered Vehicle Fine [Applicable after 10 working days of grace period from the passing date]:

• First Time Passing through a DARB Toll Gate: 100 AED
• Second Time: 200 AED
• Third Time: 400 AED
• Each Time after Third Time: 400 AED

Maximum Accumulated DARB Fines:

• The DARB Fine Amount shall not exceed 10,000 AED for each owner of a vehicle.
• For multiple DARB violations, the Accumulated DARB Fines Amount shall not exceed 25,000 AED for a single vehicle in a year from the date of first violation.

How to Pay DARB Fines

The vehicle owners can pay DARB Fines online by logging in to DARB ITC website and through DARB mobile app. They can use DARB Wallet Balance and also pay the fines by a credit card.

Summary

In order to drive your car smoothly in Abu Dhabi, it is necessary understand DARB Toll System and Abu Dhabi Toll Timing i.e. DARB Timing peak hours in the morning and evening. Therefore I have shared all key information about DARB Timings, Fees, Fines and DARB Registration as well.

If you still have a query or doubt, you can call up DARB Helpline Number (800850) or ask your query in the comment section below.

FAQs