A personal nol card is the blue nol card printed with your name and linked to your Emirates ID. It costs AED 70, including AED 20 credit, and you apply online through the RTA website, nol Pay or S’hail with UAE Pass. It is delivered free within 2 to 4 working days.
Students, seniors aged 60 and over and People of Determination need it to get their fare discount. For other adults, having your own nol card is mainly about protecting the balance.
What the blue nol card gives you
Compared with an anonymous Silver card, it adds:
- Concession fares: 50% off for students and seniors, free travel for People of Determination
- Balance protection: if the card is lost, it can be blocked and the balance moved to a new one
- A higher limit: up to AED 5,000 on the card, against AED 1,000 on an anonymous card
- All travel passes: 7, 30, 90 and 365-day passes, where anonymous cards get only the 7-day pass
- Family features: a guardian can link it in nol Pay and set automatic top-ups
It works on the Metro, tram, buses and RTA parking, like any nol card, and you top it up through the same nol card recharge options. The card is valid for 5 years.
Nol card price and versions
RTA’s Manage nol Card service page lists these fees. Every version includes AED 20 of travel credit.
Version | Total | Made up of |
Personal Silver | AED 70 | AED 50 application + AED 20 credit |
Personal Silver with ISIC (students) | AED 95 | adds AED 25 ISIC fee |
Personal Gold | AED 80 | adds AED 10 Gold design fee |
Silver, special design | AED 100 | adds AED 30 design fee |
Gold, special design | AED 110 | adds AED 10 and AED 30 |
People of Determination | Free |
One point to check on the form: RTA’s page says Gold Class is offered only to the regular adult category, and Silver Class only to concession categories. The same page also gives AED 70 as the standard nol card price. If the form only offers you Gold, remember that a Gold card pays double fares on every Metro and tram trip.
Who gets a discount, and what you need
Category | Fare discount | Documents |
Regular adult | None | None, details come from UAE Pass |
Student, 5 to 23, at a UAE school, college or university | 50% discount | None if your school is on KHDA’s records; otherwise a recent letter from your school or university |
Emiratis and residents aged 60+ | 50% discount | None, a valid Emirates ID |
People of Determination | Free | Sanad card, or an official POD card or certificate |
The discount applies on the Metro, tram and buses, but not on intercity or seasonal buses. People of Determination also travel free on intercity buses. Student and senior discounts last 1 year and must be renewed. RTA sends reminders 30 and 15 days before they expire. Our student nol card guide covers the student rules in more detail.
How to apply for a nol card online
There are three channels: the RTA website, the nol Pay app and the S’hail app. The steps on the website:
- Log in with your own UAE Pass and allow RTA to read your details.
- Open Manage nol Card and choose Apply for a Personal nol Card.
- Choose Self or On Behalf, then the category, travel class and card design.
- Upload documents if they are not retrieved automatically. Files must be in Arabic or English.
- Enter the delivery address and confirm.
- Pay by credit or debit card once the application is approved.
You have 30 days from approval to pay, or the application is rejected. Your printed name will match your UAE Pass exactly.
RTA’s current page lists only online channels for new applications. Some older pages say you can buy one at a ticket office. We would not count on that.
How long does delivery take?
RTA gives two timelines. If your details are approved automatically, such as a student registered with KHDA, the card arrives within 2 working days of payment. If your documents are checked by hand, RTA reviews them within 2 working days and delivers within 4 working days of payment.
Delivery is free. Emirates Post (EMX) calls the mobile number on your application to arrange a time, and the courier asks to see your Emirates ID. After 3 failed call attempts, the card goes back to RTA. If it is not collected within 30 days, it is blocked with no refund. You can track the shipment through RTA’s Track Delivery service or the Mahboub chatbot.
Check the card on the day it arrives. RTA only accepts reports of a defect within 3 days of delivery.
Applying for a child or another family member
The family guardian can apply on behalf of a student, a senior or a resident Person of Determination. Under-18 students are applied for by their official sponsor. Students aged 18 or over must apply themselves with their own UAE Pass.
RTA’s rules on children travelling alone are worth knowing at the same time. RTA says children under 8 should not use public transport without an adult. From 8 to 11, a parent must issue a permit. From 12, children can use public transport alone.
Is it worth it for regular adults?
For a student, senior or Person of Determination, yes, without question. A student riding two 2-zone trips a day saves AED 5 a day, so the card pays for itself in about two weeks.
For a regular adult, we think a registered Silver card is the better buy. Registering an existing Silver card costs AED 30 on RTA’s registration service, giving you the same balance protection, the AED 5,000 limit and the longer travel passes. A Silver card plus registration costs AED 55 with AED 19 credit, against AED 70 with AED 20 credit for a personal card in your name. Neither gives an adult any 50% discount.
The Blue card wins only if you want your name on it, or if you plan to switch to a concession category later.
Why applications get rejected
These are the issues RTA itself describes:
- Only the “POD Tourist” option appears. Your UAE Pass is linked to a passport, not an Emirates ID. Link it using face verification or at a UAE Pass kiosk.
- Documents in the wrong language. Anything not in Arabic or English needs a legal translation.
- Payment not made in 30 days. The application lapses.
- A second concession card. You can hold up to 5 personal or registered cards, but only one active concession card.
- A pending application. You can’t apply again until the first one is printed or rejected.
If you are rejected, RTA sends the reason by email and SMS, and you can reapply.
Frequently asked questions
Can tourists get a blue nol card?
Most tourists can’t, because the application needs UAE Pass linked to an Emirates ID. The exception is visiting People of Determination. They can get a Sanad Tourist card through the Dubai Now app, apply for a free card and travel free while the Sanad Tourist card is valid, which is 2 months.
Can someone else use my card?
No. RTA says a personal card can only be used by its owner. Using a card designated for someone else is on RTA’s fines list at AED 200. For a family, the guardian can manage each member’s own card in nol Pay instead, including scheduled top-ups and low-balance reminders.
What is the difference between personal and personalised nol cards?
A personal card is the one issued in your name, with a category such as student or senior. A personalised card is an existing Silver or Gold card that you registered with RTA for AED 30. Both protect your balance, but only the personal card gives concession fares.
What should I do if I lose my personal card?
Apply for a replacement straight away, then submit a refund request on the RTA website or in nol Pay. That request blocks the old card within 48 hours and moves your balance to the new one. You are responsible for any use before the block.
Before you apply for a personal nol card
Have your UAE Pass ready when you apply online, check that it is linked to your Emirates ID, and know your delivery address. If you are a student outside KHDA’s records, get a fresh letter from your school first. Once the card arrives, our guide to replacing a lost nol card is worth bookmarking, and our nol card types comparison shows how Blue stacks up against Silver and Gold. For more, visit our travel section or the Live In Gulf homepage.
