Checking your NOL card balance online takes less than 60 seconds if you know exactly where to go. The RTA provides multiple digital methods to check your balance without visiting a metro station or ticket machine: the official nol.ae portal, the NOL Pay mobile app, NFC tap on Android phones, and a guest card number lookup that works even without an account.
This guide covers all four methods with exact steps, explains when each one works best, and answers the most common questions about checking NOL card balance online including why your balance sometimes shows “pending” after a top-up.
For a complete overview of all balance check methods (including offline options), see the How to Check NOL Card Balance – Complete Guide
Can You Check NOL Card Balance Online?
Yes you can check your NOL card balance online using three different platforms provided by the RTA. The fastest is the nol.ae web portal. The most convenient for daily use is the NOL Pay app. If your phone supports NFC, you can also tap your physical card to your phone to read the balance instantly without logging into anything.
The key distinction is whether your card is registered or unregistered:
- Registered Personal NOL card linked to your Emirates ID and an nol.ae account. All three online methods work fully, including transaction history, expiry date, and statement downloads.
- Unregistered Silver or Blue NOL card not linked to any account. You can still check the current balance using the guest card number lookup on nol.ae or by tapping the card via NFC. Full transaction history is not available for unregistered cards.
If you use your NOL card every day, registering it online takes under five minutes and unlocks all digital management features. The registration guide is at NOL Card Registration.
Method 1: Check NOL Card Balance on nol.ae (Official Portal)
The nol.ae website is the official RTA portal for all NOL card management. It is the most reliable way to do a full nol card balance check online, including viewing your complete transaction history and statement.
Who this works for: Registered Personal NOL card holders only.
Steps to check balance on nol.ae:
- Open your browser and go to
- www.nol.ae
- Click “Sign In” at the top-right corner of the homepage
- Enter your registered email address and password
- Once logged in, click “My Cards” in the left-hand navigation menu
- Your NOL card balance appears immediately, alongside your card number and expiry date
- To view your full travel history, click “Statement” on the card dashboard
The balance shown on nol.ae reflects all tapped transactions. If you recently topped up online, the new credit may show as “pending” see the section on balance sync below.
Important note: This portal method only works if your NOL card is registered. Unregistered Silver or Blue cards cannot access the dashboard. If you have an unregistered card, use the guest balance check option described in Method 4 below.
For a dedicated walkthrough of everything you can do on the portal, see the nol.ae Balance Check Portal Guide.
Method 2: Check Balance Using the NOL Pay App
The NOL Pay app (previously called NOL Plus) is RTA’s official mobile app and the most practical way to do an online NOL card balance check from your phone. It works on both Android and iOS and gives you instant access to your balance, transaction history, and expiry date.
Steps to check balance on NOL Pay:
- Download NOL Pay from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store (search: “NOL Pay RTA”)
- Open the app and tap “Sign In” or “Create Account” if you’re new
- Register using your Emirates ID and phone number
- Tap “Link Card” and enter your 16-digit NOL card number (printed on the front of your card)
- Once linked, your card balance displays on the home screen immediately
- Tap the card to view your detailed trip history, balance statement, and expiry date
After the card is linked, every time you open the NOL Pay app, your balance refreshes automatically. You do not need to re-enter your card number each time.
Pro Tip NFC balance tap: NOL Pay supports NFC on Android phones. If your Android has NFC enabled, you can tap your physical NOL card to the back of your phone directly inside the app to read the balance instantly without typing in any card number. This is covered fully in Method 3 below.
For the full breakdown of the app’s features and download steps, see the
NOL Card Balance Check App Guide and the dedicated NOL Pay Balance Check Guide.
Method 3: Check Balance via NFC on Your Smartphone
NFC (Near Field Communication) is the fastest way to do an online NOL card balance check when you have the card in hand. Instead of logging into a website or manually entering a card number, you simply tap your physical NOL card to your phone and the balance appears within seconds.
For Android users (Samsung, Xiaomi, OnePlus, Huawei, etc.):
- Go to Settings → Connections → NFC and enable NFC
- Open the NOL Pay app on your phone
- Tap “Read Card” on the app’s home screen
- Hold your NOL card flat against the back of your phone (near the top-centre, where the NFC chip is)
- Your NOL card balance, card number, and last transaction appear within 2–3 seconds
This works whether or not your card is registered to an nol.ae account. The NFC read pulls the balance directly from the card chip.
For iPhone users: iOS NFC support for NOL cards is limited. The NFC balance tap feature works on some newer iPhone models with the NOL Pay app, but compatibility is inconsistent. Android phones offer the most reliable NFC experience with NOL Pay.
When to use NFC: NFC is ideal when you want a quick balance check without internet. The tap reads the card chip directly the balance shown is accurate to the last tapped transaction (not including any pending online top-up). For real-time account balance including pending recharges, log in to nol.ae or the NOL Pay app.
Method 4: Check NOL Card Balance Online Without Registration (Guest Method)
You do not need an nol.ae account to do an online nol balance check. The RTA provides a guest balance lookup on the nol.ae homepage using just your 16-digit card number.
Steps for guest balance check (no account needed):
- Go to
- www.nol.ae
- On the homepage, look for the “Check Balance” option (available as a guest, without signing in)
- Enter your 16-digit NOL card number printed on the front of the card
- Click “Check” your current balance and last transaction date display immediately
This method works for all card types registered and unregistered Silver, Gold, Blue, and Red NOL cards. You will not see full transaction history with this method, but you get the current balance and last transaction.
For the complete guide on using your card number for balance lookup: NOL Card Balance Check with Card Number.
Why Your Balance May Not Update Immediately After a Top-Up
One of the most common questions after doing an online NOL card balance check is: “I just topped up but my balance hasn’t changed why?”
The RTA’s NOL system uses a two-step sync process for online recharges:
- You recharge online (via nol.ae or NOL Pay app) the credit is held in RTA’s system as “pending”
- You tap your physical card on any metro gate, bus reader, or TVM this triggers the card to sync with the system and loads the pending balance onto the card
Until you physically tap your card on an RTA reader, the online balance may still show the old amount. This is by design and applies to all online nol card balance check methods that read from the card chip (including NFC tap). The nol.ae dashboard and NOL Pay app account view will show the pending top-up separately from your current card balance.
Practical tip: After topping up online, the next time you board the metro and tap your NOL card, the pending balance will load automatically. You do not need to visit a customer service centre.
Comparing All Online Balance Check Methods
| Method | Account Needed | Works Without Registration | Shows Full History | Speed |
| nol.ae portal | Yes | No | Yes | Fast |
| NOL Pay app | Yes (Emirates ID) | No | Yes | Instant |
| NFC tap (Android) | No | Yes | No | Fastest |
| Guest card number lookup | No | Yes | No (last transaction only) | Fast |
NOL Card Balance Check Online – Common Issues & Fixes
“My card number is not recognised on nol.ae”
Make sure you are entering all 16 digits without spaces. The card number is printed on the front of your NOL card. If the card is very old or damaged, the number may be hard to read visit any metro station TVM to confirm it.
“I forgot my nol.ae login password”
Click “Forgot Password” on the nol.ae login page. A reset link will be sent to your registered email. If you no longer have access to that email, contact RTA at 800-9090.
“The NOL Pay app won’t link my card”
Ensure your Emirates ID and phone number match the details used during NOL card registration. If they don’t match, you may need to re-register via nol.ae or visit an RTA Customer Happiness Centre.
“My balance shows AED 0 but I know I have credit”
This can happen if your card has expired. Check the expiry date on the front of your card or via nol.ae. For renewal steps, see the NOL Card Expiry Check guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check my NOL card balance online without a registered account?
Yes. Go to nol.ae and use the guest “Check Balance” option on the homepage. Enter your 16-digit card number and your current balance and last transaction will appear. No account or Emirates ID is required. You can also use NFC on Android with the NOL Pay app for an instant tap-and-read.
Does the NOL Pay app show real-time balance?
Yes if your card is registered and linked to the app, the balance shown is real-time from your account. If your card is unregistered, use the NFC tap option inside the app to read the card chip directly for the most current balance.
Can I check my NOL card balance online without the internet?
No. All online methods nol.ae, NOL Pay app, and NFC tap require either an internet connection or an active NFC chip read. For a fully offline check, use any metro station TVM: insert or tap your card, select “Card Information”, and your balance displays without any login or internet.
Is the SMS balance check still available for NOL cards?
No. RTA’s SMS-based balance check service has been discontinued. The current official methods are nol.ae, the NOL Pay app, NFC tap, and metro station TVMs. There is no active SMS shortcode for NOL balance enquiries.
How many times can I check my balance online?
There is no limit. You can check your NOL card balance online as many times as needed via nol.ae or NOL Pay app there are no fees or usage caps for balance checks.
Does online balance check work for all NOL card types?
The full account-based check (nol.ae login, NOL Pay app) works for registered Personal NOL cards. The guest card number method works for Silver, Gold, Blue, and Red cards registered or not. NFC tap works for all card types on NFC-enabled Android phones.
