Dubai waives charges on online payments

Move applies to commissions paid through e-Pay portal from bank accounts

The Government of Dubai’s Department of Finance (DOF) announced the cancellation of commission on the payment of all government transaction fees that customers incur when paying the fees from their current and savings bank accounts, through the smart Dubai portal (e-Pay).

DOF explained that no commission will be collected when government customers pay the service fees of any Dubai government entity through the e-Pay portal, with the bank direct debit, confirming that “the commission collection has now become invalid”.

Strategic goals

Jamal Hamed Al Merri, Executive Director of the Central Accounts Sector at DOF, revealed that customers’ payments of government services fees through credit cards “continues to occupy the largest share among the governmentapproved smart payment channels”.

“We found that many customers, on the other hand, want to pay government transaction fees through direct debit cards linked to their bank accounts, both current and saving. Therefore, we decided to cancel the commission that was imposed on the use of direct debit cards, in order to encourage customers, and provide them with more payment options,” he added. “This step comes in support of the demand for smart payment channels, especially since the Government of the Dubai will become completely paperless next December, to achieve the objectives of the Dubai Paperless Strategy.”