With summer holiday season approaching Dubai, it’s not uncommon for many residents to go back home for longer periods of time. But in this time there’s one thing that’ll have to sit ideal in your purse – your Nol card. But instead of letting that card collect dust, or even worse, expire, while you’re away, why not get a cash refund on your balance. Didn’t know that was even possible? Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. Keep reading to find out more information.
But Don’t Get Rid Of Your Nol Card Completely, Because The New Dubai Airport Express Line Will Connect To DXB, DWC & 5 Metro Stops, making your commutes faster and more affordable.
What You Can Do With Your Remaining Balance
You’ve got two options in front of you. You can either transfer your nol balance to another card or request a straight-up cash refund. Balance transfers between registered personal nol cards are completely free, while cash refunds come with a small fee. However, one thing to note is you can’t move the funds directly to a bank account. But you absolutely can get them back. Here’s how.
1. Transfer Your Balance To Another Nol Card
If you’ve got a new nol card, or want to pass the balance to a family member’s card, a NOL-to-NOL transfer is your best bet. There are three ways to do it:
Via the Nol Pay App: Open the app on your phone and use NFC to transfer your balance instantly. Honestly, it takes less time than making a cup of coffee.
Via the RTA Dubai Website: Log in, head to the “NOL to NOL Transfer” service, and follow the steps from there. Simple and straightforward.
Via a Metro Kiosk: Not a fan of apps or websites? Just walk up to any Ticket Vending Machine at the Dubai Metro and sort it out in person.
2. Cash Refund
If you’d rather just have the money back in your hand, you can request a cash refund. But there are a couple of things to keep in mind depending on how much is left on your card.
- If your balance is under AED 100, you can go ahead and request a direct cash refund. Just note that a small service fee applies. Usually AED 5, or a percentage of the balance, whichever works out higher.
- If your balance is over AED 100, the RTA will typically ask you to transfer the funds to another registered nol card rather than issuing a cash refund.
To kick off your refund, just head to the RTA Dubai Website, submit a refund request, and follow the on-screen steps.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind Before You Start
Before you dive in, here are a couple of quick things worth knowing. Both nol cards need to be registered under the same Emirates ID for a transfer to go through. Also, if your card is unregistered or expired, unfortunately online transfers won’t be an option. So it’s worth getting your card registered sooner rather than later.
