How often is the Beijing car license lottery held?
2 Answers
Bi-monthly lottery, meaning it is held 6 times a year, once every two months. Beijing residents do not need to provide proof as long as they do not own a car. The lottery is held every two months on the 26th of even-numbered months. After the lottery on the 26th, individual lottery records will be updated within 2 working days. Requirements for the Beijing license plate lottery: 1. Residency: Beijing residents with local household registration or non-local residents who have held a valid Beijing residence permit and continuously paid social insurance in the city for the past two years (excluding back payments); 2. Age: Must be at least 18 years old and not own a passenger vehicle registered in Beijing or have all registered passenger vehicles in the city marked for compulsory cancellation; 3. Driving license: Must hold a valid driving license and not possess a valid quota or be eligible to apply for a quota update. The lottery for applications from the previous month is held on the 26th of each month, and the results are then published on the Beijing Passenger Vehicle Quota Regulation and Management Information System website. The validity period is 6 months. If the website is not accessed to confirm an extension after 6 months, the applicant will not be included in the lottery pool.
I've lived in Beijing for ten years and always wanted to buy a car for commuting. The license plate lottery is held quarterly, in February, May, August, and November. Unfortunately, I've participated over 20 times without winning, feeling like it's a lottery. Over time, I've gotten used to it—the frequency is fixed, applying online at the end of each quarter and waiting for results, though the winning rate is pitifully low, reportedly below 0.1%. This affects my daily commute, forcing me to squeeze onto subways or buses. Despite the inconvenience, seeing reduced urban congestion makes me think the lottery system controlling vehicle growth is a good thing. I encourage everyone not to lose heart; keep applying, and maybe one day luck will strike. If you really can't wait, consider applying for a new energy vehicle quota—the process is slightly different, but for regular gasoline cars, this is the rule.
