How many ring roads can the Beijing Entry Permit allow access to?
4 Answers
The Beijing Entry Permit allows vehicles to drive within the Sixth Ring Road. The permit should be placed on the lower left side of the vehicle's front windshield. If applying through the Beijing Traffic Police APP, you need to download and print the permit yourself. Each vehicle can apply for a Beijing Entry Permit up to 12 times per year, with each permit valid for a maximum of 7 days. The vehicle must exit the designated area before the permit expires. If a vehicle without a valid Beijing Entry Permit is parked on urban roads above the branch road level within the designated area, the number of days the vehicle can apply for a Beijing Entry Permit in that year will be reduced accordingly based on the number of days parked. Driving within the designated area without a valid Beijing Entry Permit is considered a violation of traffic prohibition signs and will be penalized by the traffic management department of the public security authority in accordance with the law.
Last time I drove to Beijing for tourism, I got checked and only then did I understand the whole Beijing Entry Permit thing. The current rule is that vehicles with non-local license plates must obtain a permit to enter within the Fifth Ring Road, with the focus on the area between the Second and Fifth Ring Roads. Vehicles with the permit can drive within the Fifth Ring Road but must avoid the morning and evening rush hours, and the main roads of the Second Ring Road are off-limits all day. No permit is needed outside the Sixth Ring Road, but some areas in Tongzhou also require one. When I stayed at a hotel in East Third Ring Road, I saw traffic police checking permits firsthand—those without one got 3 points deducted and a 100 yuan fine. This policy really needs to be remembered; getting stopped would delay your trip. I recommend using a mobile app to apply in advance—it’s all electronic now, no need to print anything.
I just drove from Hebei to Beijing for business and have thoroughly researched the Beijing entry permit issue. First, a permit is mandatory within the Fifth Ring Road, including urban areas like Chaoyang and Haidian. The key point is that the Second Ring Road is completely off-limits all day, though the Fifth Ring auxiliary roads allow passage during non-peak hours. A reminder that Tongzhou District also requires a permit throughout its entire area—I was randomly checked at Tongzhou Wanda last time. The permit is only valid for 7 days, and you'll need to reapply for an extension. Don't forget to display the environmental label; my colleague was fined 200 yuan last year for not having it. Areas outside the Fifth Ring like Changping and Shunyi don't require permits, but the airport expressway checkpoint frequently inspects trunks.
Veteran taxi drivers with 20 years of experience in Beijing know that non-local vehicles must display permits to enter the Third Ring Road. The core restricted area covers everything within the Fifth Ring Road, including CBD and Zhongguancun. The Fifth Ring auxiliary roads are accessible after 10 PM, but the Second Ring main road is strictly off-limits. Tongzhou District has tightened enforcement - last year I was required to show a Beijing entry permit when taking passengers to Universal Studios. No permits are needed for areas outside the Sixth Ring like Mentougou, but temporary checks occasionally occur on the Badaling Expressway. Pay special attention to rush hour restrictions - movement within the Fifth Ring is nearly impossible from 7 to 9 AM.
