Navigating Mexico City's driving restrictions can feel complicated. If you're driving in the capital or the surrounding State of Mexico, the Hoy No Circula program dictates exactly when your car stays parked. Getting it wrong means hefty financial penalties and your vehicle towed to a corralón.
The program restricts vehicle circulation Monday through Saturday from 5:00 AM to 10:00 PM based on your license plate's ending digit and your car's emissions hologram sticker. Designed to control air pollution and vehicle congestion across the Valley of Mexico, enforcement relies heavily on automated traffic cameras, environmental sensors, and transit police officers deployed throughout all 16 boroughs.
Understanding Holograms and Plate Schedules
Your vehicle's permission to drive depends on two main factors: the color of your registration sticker (or final plate number) and the emissions hologram issued during your last verification test.
Hologramas 0 and 00 generally enjoy full exemption from weekly and Saturday rules, except during official environmental contingencies. If your car carries a Holograma 1 or 2, you face strict weekly shutdowns and weekend bans.
- Monday: Plates ending in 5 or 6 (Hologramas 1 and 2).
- Tuesday: Plates ending in 7 or 8 (Hologramas 1 and 2).
- Wednesday: Plates ending in 3 or 4 (Hologramas 1 and 2).
- Thursday: Plates ending in 1 or 2 (Hologramas 1 and 2).
- Friday: Plates ending in 9 or 0, or temporary foreign plates (Hologramas 1 and 2).
Saturday rules operate differently. Instead of a fixed weekday schedule, restrictions rotate monthly depending on the Saturday of the month. Vehicles with Holograma 2 cannot drive on any Saturday. Vehicles with Holograma 1 rotate Saturdays based on odd and even plate numbers.
Penalties, Fines, and How to Pay Them
Driving when your vehicle is restricted brings direct financial consequences enforced by the Secretaría de Seguridad Ciudadana.
Fines are calculated using the Unidad de Medida y Actualización (UMA). Violating the schedule typically results in a penalty ranging from 20 to 30 times the daily UMA value, alongside the cost of tow truck services and impound lot storage fees. If a police officer pulls you down for violating the restriction, they hold the legal authority to remove your license plates or impound the vehicle on the spot.
You can settle fines online through the official CDMX Finanzas Portal or at authorized banking institutions and convenience stores. Prompt payment often qualifies drivers for early-payment discounts.
Exemptions and Special Permits
Not every vehicle falls under the restriction hammer. Certain categories receive permanent or conditional passes to keep essential services running.
- Emergency and Public Service: Ambulances, police cruisers, fire trucks, and official municipal vehicles.
- Public Transit: Licensed taxis, authorized buses, and school transport vehicles.
- Electric and Hybrid Cars: Vehicles featuring electric motors or certified hybrid systems typically receive Holograma Exento, allowing 7-day circulation.
- Foreign Visitors: Tourists driving foreign-plated cars can apply for a Pase Turístico, a temporary permit granting temporary exemption from regular scheduling.
You can check official updates and verify specific daily contingencies directly through the Gobierno de la Ciudad de México.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens during an environmental contingency?
When ozone or particulate pollution spikes, authorities declare a Fase 1 or Fase 2 contingency. During these alerts, restrictions expand significantly. Additional Holograma 0 vehicles, commercial trucks, and vehicles with specific personal plate numbers face mandatory bans regardless of normal weekly exemptions.
Are foreign or out-of-state cars checked?
Yes. Vehicles registered outside Mexico City or the State of Mexico face stricter rules. Out-of-state cars without a recognized local verification equivalent cannot circulate on weekdays between 5:00 AM and 11:00 AM, and face full Saturday bans unless they obtain a temporary tourist pass.
How do I check if my car can drive today?
You can verify your vehicle's status instantly online by entering your exact license plate number and hologram type into the official local verification portal, or by checking mobile transit apps before leaving your garage.
