Vehicle Plate End-Digit Driving Restrictions

1. Definition and Policy Background

Vehicle plate end-digit driving restrictions refer to traffic management measures enforced by public security traffic control authorities that limit vehicle movement within designated zones and time windows based on the final digit of the vehicle registration plate. Typically executed on working weekdays, the core objective is to regulate total on-road vehicular volume through administrative measures, thereby alleviating traffic congestion and reducing vehicular emissions. Since its debut during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, this measure has become normalised across multiple megacities and major urban centres, including Beijing and Xi'an.

2. Implementation Rules in Major Cities

Provisions vary across regions in terms of restricted hours, coverage zones, and rotation mechanisms, giving rise to two primary operational models.

Rotation System (represented by Beijing) : Restricted digit pairings rotate every 13 weeks. Taking the period from 30 March 2026 to 28 March 2027 as an example, restrictions apply between 07:00 and 20:00 on weekdays across roads within the 5th Ring Road (excluding the 5th Ring Road itself), with the specific rotation schedule structured as follows:

Fixed System (represented by Xi'an) : Fixed digit pairings are assigned from Monday to Friday for easier recall. For instance, from 10 November 2025 to 6 November 2026, restrictions apply between 07:00 and 20:00 on weekdays within the Ring Expressway: Monday restricts 1 and 6; Tuesday restricts 2 and 7; Wednesday restricts 3 and 8; Thursday restricts 4 and 9; and Friday restricts 5 and 0. Restrictions are lifted on statutory public holidays and weekends.

Common Rules: Temporary registration plates are subject to restrictions according to their final numeric digit; if the plate ends with an alphabet, it is treated as "0". Outstation vehicles entering restricted zones must strictly adhere to local end-digit regulations. In Beijing, outstation vehicles face an additional restriction prohibiting them from entering roads within the 5th Ring Road (inclusive) during morning and evening rush hours (07:00–09:00, 17:00–20:00).

3. Legal Framework and Procedures

The primary legal basis for end-digit restrictions is Article 39 of the "Road Traffic Safety Law of the People's Republic of China", which authorises traffic control authorities to enforce road restriction measures according to road and traffic flow conditions. In addition, the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Atmospheric Pollution" provides statutory backing from an environmental protection standpoint. Major policy decisions must undergo public consultation, expert evaluation, risk assessment, and legal review before being officially gazetted and announced.

4. Effectiveness and Policy Boundaries

Beijing imposes a 100 RMB fine with no demerit points on non-compliant vehicles. In Xi'an, despite rapid vehicle population growth, peak and off-peak congestion indices decreased post-implementation while average speeds remained generally stable, proving effective in easing overall traffic gridlock.

Exempted Vehicles: Authorities grant full exemptions to police cars, fire appliances, ambulances, breakdown and emergency recovery vehicles, public transit buses and trolleybuses, as well as battery electric passenger vehicles (BEVs, as per Beijing regulations).

Legal Characterisation: From a jurisprudence perspective, a "one-day-per-week driving restriction" is viewed as a social obligation inherent to property ownership, representing a relatively mild, universally applicable limitation. Conversely, "odd-even plate rationing" severely restricts vehicle utility, effectively creating an expropriation effect that requires much higher standards of legal justification and review.

5. Development Trends

Restriction frameworks continue to be refined. Under Xi'an's "Heavy Air Pollution Emergency Plan (2024 Revision)", odd-even rationing was abolished in favour of "more rigorous, targeted vehicle movement restrictions". Shijiazhuang explored an alternative restriction-free model, keeping traffic flow healthy via intelligent traffic management platforms and AI analytics. Additionally, several cities have introduced "pre-booked travel" systems, allowing motorists to adjust their restricted travel days based on urgent personal needs, reflecting a clear shift towards smarter, more adaptable traffic governance.