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The final invoice you receive when renting a car is not limited to the daily rental rate. In this post, we discuss what is not included in the car rental price in Dubai, but what you still need to account for. We will cover aspects such as Salik, mileage, fuel, parking, and fines. We will explain how these charges are calculated, which of them may be included in a deposit deduction, and show by example how to calculate how much you will actually have to pay, including post-rental charges.
Why the Daily Rate Is Only Part of Your Dubai Rental Bill
According to various estimates, hidden costs of car rental in Dubai can account for up to 30% of the final bill. The daily rental rate covers only 70–85% of the total.
The Five Charges That Appear After You Return the Car
The difference between the base rate and the total consists of typical post-rental charges:
- mileage exceeding the daily limit,
- Salik,
- fuel costs,
- parking fees and fines,
- plus 5% VAT.
The list of additional expenses may also include an admin fee, which can be added for processing the charges listed above. We have already provided a full price breakdown, so here we will focus on managing additional payments that appear on the itemised bill. By the way, we strongly recommend carefully reviewing the written quote before signing the agreement rather than relying solely on the cost per day of ownership.
How and When Are Additional Charges Added to the Bill?
| Expense | How it is charged | When it appears on the bill |
|---|---|---|
| Excess mileage | Kilometres exceeding the package × the rate specified in the agreement | Upon return, based on the odometer |
| Salik | For each gate crossing, based on the vehicle’s licence plate, sometimes with an admin fee | After the rental |
| Fuel | The renter refuels the car themselves; if the fuel level is lower than required, refuelling is charged at the company’s rate | Immediately (at the petrol station) or upon return |
| Parking | Paid by the driver in a paid parking zone | Immediately; unpaid parking may result in a fine |
| Fines | Charged based on the vehicle’s licence plate and passed on to the renter, usually with an admin fee | With a delay of up to 2–3 weeks |
| 5% VAT | Calculated on the daily rental cost and additionally on all expenses and services incurred afterwards (fines, Salik, etc.) | Paid in two stages: the first at the time of signing the agreement and paying the daily rental rate; the second, for additional charges, upon returning the car or as an amount deducted from the security deposit |
Next, let’s look at how such payments are calculated in practice. For example, consider a family of five. They have chosen to rent a car costing AED 600 per day and plan to travel for 5 days. They will spend three days in Dubai and one day each in Abu Dhabi and Hatta. Using the same example, we will also explain some of the traffic rules tourists should know.
Mileage: 250 km a Day, Overage Charges, and When Unlimited Mileage Pays Off
The standard mileage limit at DCR is 250 km per day for most popular vehicles in the fleet. Anything above the established kilometre cap is charged separately.
At other car rental companies, daily mileage limits may vary: the average market range is 150–300 km. The mileage limit for car rentals in Dubai can be lower, particularly for premium cars. This is because they are more expensive to maintain, and mileage is one of the factors that affects maintenance costs. You may also be offered an unlimited mileage package for long-term rentals or as an additional option under a standard rental agreement.
Typical Allowances by Rental Length
| Rental period | Typical market limit |
|---|---|
| A day | 150–300 km |
| One week | 1,200–2,000 km |
| One month | 3,000–4,500 km |
Mileage is recorded based on the actual odometer reading. If you have not purchased an unlimited or extended mileage package, an overage charge per km is usually applied, averaging approximately AED 0.5–3 per kilometre. The exact rate depends on the vehicle class, and the rate will vary for each specific vehicle you would like to rent. Be sure to clarify this before signing the agreement.
In the table above, you may notice that the weekly or monthly limits are not always the daily rate multiplied by the number of days. This is because, for rentals longer than one day, a rolling limit within the rental period applies. You can use your weekly allowance over several days. It may happen that you do not use your entire monthly allowance even if, on individual days, you drive more than the 150–300 km stated as the daily limit. For long-term rentals, the total mileage is what counts.
What One Trip to Abu Dhabi or Hatta Does to Your Allowance
When renting a car in Dubai, unlimited mileage may not always be necessary. However, when travelling between the emirates, the daily limit may not be enough. For example, a trip to Abu Dhabi is approximately 300 km round trip. With a 250 km limit, you would have to pay for an additional 50 km. The same applies to a trip to Hatta. A round trip is already around 260 km. If you also need to drive around the city, the figure on the odometer will be higher. However, if you have a weekly rental, the rolling limit can fully cover this excess mileage.
| Day | Route | Approx. km |
|---|---|---|
| 1, 3, 5 | City, shopping malls, beach | 60 per day |
| 2 | Abu Dhabi and back + city driving | 330 |
| 4 | Hatta and back + city driving | 280 |
| Total | ≈ 790 km |
If the weekly limit is 1,200 km, you have 1,200 − 790 = 410 km left. There’s nothing extra to pay.
But if you renewed the rental daily, the overage would be about 80 km for the trip to Abu Dhabi, plus another 30 km for the trip to Hatta. That’s 110 km in total (figures are approximate). The extra cost would be 110 km × (0.5–3 AED) = AED 55–330.
Unlimited Mileage: Doing the Maths
The question arises: can I rent a car in Dubai with unlimited mileage? Yes, an extended package allows unlimited mileage. It makes sense if you travel to another emirate more often than 2–3 times a week and the rolling limit doesn’t cover it. First, calculate roughly how much you will need to drive around the UAE. Then compare weekly rates, monthly rates, and a contract with unlimited mileage. This way, you can determine the most financially advantageous option among those available.
Salik Tolls: How Much You Pay and How Rentals Bill Them
If you look in the contract for who pays Salik on a rental car in Dubai, you will see that this expense is also placed on the renter. Salik charges on a rental car in Dubai have been deducted automatically by the car’s plate number since 1 January 2025. The rental company issues this bill at the end of the rental. So when you drive on roads like Al Khail Road (E44), you have to account for additional costs, which will be settled when your security deposit is returned.
Peak, Off-Peak and Toll-Free Hours
How much is Salik per crossing? Dubai has a variable tariff, so you can plan your trips with variable toll pricing in mind.
| Time | Cost per gate crossing |
|---|---|
| 06:00–10:00 and 16:00–20:00 (peak) | AED 6 |
| Off-peak | AED 4 |
| 01:00–06:00 | Free |
| Sunday flat rate | AED 4 |
| Ramadan schedule | Set separately |
Check current pricing on salik.ae and rta.ae. Tolls (darbs) are usually billed by plate. If you travel along central roads, you can cross 3–4 gates in a day. Accordingly, for a one-way trip during peak hours, you spend an extra AED 12–24. An admin fee per toll may be charged on top.
Darb Gates in Abu Dhabi
The Salik toll gate is used in Dubai. Darb gates in Abu Dhabi are the alternative to Salik. Before a trip to Abu Dhabi, you need to register the car in the Darb system (if the rental company hasn’t already done so). At the entrance to the main bridges, the system automatically deducts AED 4 from the account. Since 4 May 2026, several new Darb points have appeared, for example, on Wahat Al Karama Street. The new Darb gates operate around the clock. Ask the rental company how they will charge these tolls to your account.
Fuel and Parking: Small Numbers That Add Up
Fuel policy for car rental in Dubai: the renter pays for the fuel they use. The car is delivered with a certain amount of fuel in the tank. You need to return it same-to-same or full-to-full. If you return the car with less fuel than it had when it was handed over to you, the company has the right to deduct from the security deposit an amount equal to the refuelling, at the company’s refuelling charge. This is standard practice for most companies. What the fuel policy on rental cars in Dubai is for the specific fleet you are choosing a car from is worth clarifying, including the particular nuances, before signing the contract.
Fuel Policy and What a Litre Costs Right Now
Fuel prices in the UAE are set at the federal level. They are the same for all emirates and are reviewed monthly. The table shows the prices for October 2026, including VAT. Current petrol prices per litre can be found in the publications of the UAE Fuel Price Committee.
| Fuel | AED per litre |
|---|---|
| Special 95 | 4.28 |
| Super 98 | 4.40 |
| E-Plus 91 | 4.21 |
| Diesel | 4.80 |
So, an approximate calculation for orientation.
If you filled the car with the most popular fuel, Special 95, and travelled as a family of 5 in a large SUV for 100 km a day, you used about 12 litres at 4.28, i.e. you spent about AED 51.36. Suppose that over 5 days you covered 500 km. In that case, fuel took AED 256.80 from your account for 60 litres.
Paid Parking Zones and How to Pay
Like fuel, the driver of the rental car pays for parking. The parking cost in Dubai for a rental car is AED 2–4, and the price varies between paid parking zones. If you see an orange parking machine in the parking lot, you can pay there. If it is more convenient, you can use the RTA parking app instead. In either case, keep your payment confirmation. Unpaid parking can lead to fines, which may average AED 30–40. We covered how and why fines are issued, and how to pay them correctly, in a separate article on parking payment and fines in Dubai. We also recently looked at reporting a parking violation.
Free Parking Hours in Public Car Parks
At night, you may not have to pay for a parked car. No payment is required from 22:00 to 08:00. The hourly parking tariff also does not apply on official holidays and on Sundays. Multi-storey car parks and JLT/DMCC have no free parking.
Fines and Admin Fees: What Happens After You Return the Car
It’s always better to know the rules and laws for tourists and avoid fines altogether. Familiarize yourself with them before your trip. Moreover, car rental does not insure you against fines in Dubai. The system issues fines by plate number, but with a delay of 2–3 weeks. That is why rental companies are in no hurry to return the security deposit before that time.
If the car was caught by a speed radar, you received an RTA fine, or you even managed to earn a Dubai Police fine, all of them are issued after you have returned the car. The company, as the owner, has to pay these fines, including an admin processing fee. After the owner company has paid all the costs, a deduction from the deposit takes place. At this stage, you have the right to ask for evidence of the fine.
If a deposit was paid, fines, the admin fee for a traffic fine on a rental car, and other costs are deducted automatically. But if you used a no-deposit rental, non-payment of fines can lead to black points being assigned and to being unable to rent without a deposit in the future.
What AED 600 per Day Turns Into
| Expense | AED |
|---|---|
| Rental: 5 × 600 | 3,000 |
| 5% VAT on rental | 150 |
| Salik | ≈ 68 |
| Fuel | ≈ 256.80 |
| Parking | ≈ 30 |
| Mileage (rolling limit) | 0 |
| Fines | 0 with careful driving |
| Total | ≈ 3,504.8 |
In our example, the actual amount payable turned out to be 15% higher than the car rental alone for 5 days. This calculation is purely illustrative and approximate. The real amount depends on the route, the time of the trip, the type of car chosen, the fuel price at the time of rental, any fines, and so on.
Author: Ilnur Shakirzyanov
