Hoy No Circula Rules: Which Cars Stop and When in Mexico City
The weekday chart, the Saturday rule for holograms 1 and 2, what happens to foreign and other-state plates, and the fine for driving on your day off.
Hoy No Circula keeps some private cars off the road in Mexico City and 18 neighboring municipalities from 5:00 to 22:00, Monday to Saturday. Cars with hologram 1 or 2 rest one weekday set by the last plate digit, holograms 00 and 0 run daily, and foreign-plated cars face extra limits without a tourist pass.
Which cars stop on which weekday?
On weekdays, the rest day depends on the last digit of the license plate, which also matches the color of the circulation sticker (engomado). This is the current chart published by the Megalopolis Environmental Commission (CAMe), as of November 2026:
| Day | Sticker color | Plates ending in | Holograms affected |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Yellow | 5 and 6 | 1 and 2 |
| Tuesday | Pink | 7 and 8 | 1 and 2 |
| Wednesday | Red | 3 and 4 | 1 and 2 |
| Thursday | Green | 1 and 2 | 1 and 2 |
| Friday | Blue | 9 and 0 | 1 and 2, plus permits |
The program covers all 16 boroughs of Mexico City and 18 municipalities of the State of Mexico, including Naucalpan, Ecatepec, Nezahualcóyotl, Tlalnepantla and Huixquilucan. CAMe’s Hoy No Circula guide lists all of them.
What are the Saturday rules?
Saturdays depend on the hologram and on whether the plate ends in an odd or even digit:
- Hologram 1, odd plates (1, 3, 5, 7, 9): no driving on the first and third Saturday of the month.
- Hologram 1, even plates (2, 4, 6, 8, 0): no driving on the second and fourth Saturday.
- Hologram 2: no driving on any Saturday.
- Holograms 00 and 0: no Saturday restriction.
Sundays have no restriction under the normal program. Hours on restricted Saturdays are the same, 5:00 to 22:00.
What do the holograms mean?
The hologram is the emissions sticker your car receives at a vehicle inspection center (verificentro) after the smog check, called verificación vehicular. Cleaner and newer cars receive 00 or 0 and are exempt from the normal program. Older or more polluting cars receive 1 or 2 and rest on their assigned days.
Cars registered in Mexico City or the State of Mexico must pass the check every six months, in a window set by the sticker color. Electric and hybrid cars are exempt from the program, as are emergency vehicles, school transport with a permit, funeral service vehicles and cars driven by or carrying people with disabilities with the right authorization.
What about foreign plates and plates from other states?
Cars with foreign plates, or with plates from a state outside the Megalopolis, are treated as “foreign” (foráneos). The Megalopolis means Mexico City, the State of Mexico, Hidalgo, Morelos, Puebla, Querétaro and Tlaxcala, and the program also recognizes holograms from Guanajuato and Michoacán. Without a recognized hologram or a pass, a foreign-plated car:
- Rests one weekday from 5:00 to 22:00, according to the last plate digit in the chart above.
- Cannot drive on any Saturday, because it counts as hologram 2.
- Cannot drive from 5:00 to 11:00 on the other weekdays.
Two ways out exist. The first is the tourist pass (pase turístico), issued online by the city: once per semester for 14 days, or twice per semester for 7 days each, according to CAMe’s guide. The second is a voluntary smog check at a verificentro in Mexico City or the State of Mexico, which can earn the car a hologram. If you plan to keep a US car in the city, read our guide to bringing a foreign-plated car to Mexico City first.
What changes during an environmental contingency?
When CAMe declares a Phase I or Phase II contingency, more cars stop, including some with holograms 0 and 00. Each bulletin lists the affected plates for the next day, and the list changes with each activation. Our explainer on air quality and contingencies shows how a typical Phase I bulletin works.
What is the fine for driving on your restricted day?
Mexico City’s traffic regulation (Reglamento de Tránsito), Article 47, sets a fine of 20 to 30 times the city’s unit of account (Unidad de Cuenta de la Ciudad de México) plus towing of the car to the impound lot (corralón). The peso value of that unit is updated each year, so check the current amount with the city finance office before quoting a figure. Towing and storage fees come on top of the fine.
Police can stop a restricted car anywhere in the zone during restricted hours. Being a resident, a visitor or late for work is not an exemption.
Bottom line
Check your plate digit, sticker color and hologram, then put your rest days in your calendar, including the two Saturdays if you have hologram 1. If your car has foreign plates, apply for the tourist pass before your first drive, and read the CAMe bulletin each evening during contingency season. This article describes the program and is not legal advice; CAMe, SEDEMA and traffic police apply the rules.
FAQ
Does Hoy No Circula apply on Sundays and holidays?
The normal program runs Monday to Saturday and does not apply on Sundays. On public holidays, CAMe or SEDEMA usually announce whether the program applies, so check their notices that week.
Can I drive a rental car on its restricted day?
No. The rules follow the car’s plate and hologram, not the driver. Check the hologram on the windshield and the plate digit when you pick the car up.
What if there is a fifth Saturday in the month?
The CAMe guide lists restrictions for hologram 1 only on the first four Saturdays. Hologram 2 cars cannot drive on any Saturday, including a fifth one.
Can I drive on my rest day for a medical emergency?
Yes. CAMe’s guide exempts vehicles used in obvious, urgent circumstances to attend a medical emergency. Keep any proof, such as hospital paperwork, in case police stop you.
