Everything about Hoy No Circula totally explained
Hoy No Circula (literally in
Spanish: "today it [yourcar] doesn't circulate", though known abroad academically as
One Day Without a Car) is the name of an
environmental program intended to improve the
air quality of
Mexico City. A similar coordinated program operates within the
State of México, which surrounds Mexico City on three sides.
| Weekday |
Plate's last digit |
Sticker color |
| Monday |
5 or 6 |
yellow |
| Tuesday |
7 or 8 |
pink |
| Wednesday |
3 or 4 |
red |
| Thursday |
1 or 2 |
green |
| Friday |
9 or 0 |
blue |
History
Hoy no Circula was started in late
1989, and consisted of prohibiting the circulation of 20% of vehicles from Monday to Friday depending on the last digit of their
license plates (see table). The program was planned to apply only during the winter, when
air pollution is at its worst. Winter follows the rainy season when
thermal inversion, an atmospheric condition which traps smog and pollution close to the ground, increases air pollution noticeably. However, the program was made permanent at the end of the
1990 winter season.
Emissions testing
Hoy No Circula is coupled with an
exhaust monitoring program, known as
verificación in Spanish, whereby a car's pollutant emissions are analyzed every six months. A sticker is affixed to each vehicle following an emissions test, indicating whether a vehicle is exempt from the program or not. Based on the result of their emissions test, vehicles are assigned to four classes. Class "00" (for certain new vehicles exempt from emissions testing) and class "0" (generally, cars less than 10 years old and meeting more stringent emissions requirements) are exempt from the Hoy no Circula program. Class "1" vehicles are subject to the
Hoy no Circula program. Class "2" vehicles (including all pre-1991 passenger cars) meet weaker emissions requirements, but are subject to both
Hoy no Circula and an emergency recall program. In a Phase I air-quality emergency, Class "2" vehicles may drive only on alternate days matching the last digit of their license plate, and in a Phase II emergency or the third consecutive day of Phase I, Class "2" vehicles may not drive at all, barring medical emergency.
Property tax
If Mexico's vehicle
property tax (known in Spanish as
tenencia) isn't paid, or lapses, the vehicle won't be permitted to have the obligatory emissions testing performed. Such vehicles are then not allowed on the road at all.
Exemptions
In
1997, to encourage the use of newer, fuel-efficient vehicles equipped with
catalytic converters, cars manufactured after
1993 became eligible for an exemption. As a result, by
2003 only 7.6% of vehicles were not allowed to circulate on the average weekday, down from 20% when the program was launched. As of 2008, only vehicles under 11 years old are allowed to receive the 0 or 00 sticker.
Vehicles with plates other than Mexico City or Mexico state plates, including thousands of vehicles with
US license plates, are no longer exempted from the license plate restrictions, and are deemed to be of class "2" regardless of age. However, they may submit to emissions testing and obtain an "0" sticker if there vehicles are not more than 5 years old. Any vehicle older than 5 years old won't be allowed to test.
Emergency services, solar or electric vehicles, government and school buses, and the disabled (with permit) are exempt.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Hoy No Circula'.
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