Is a lottery required to buy a pickup truck in Beijing?
2 Answers
Buying a pickup truck in Beijing does not require a lottery, as pickup trucks are not classified as passenger cars but fall under the category of light-duty trucks. The following are the conditions required for the Beijing lottery: 1. Individuals must meet the following conditions: (1) Residence in the city, including local residents, active-duty military personnel stationed in Beijing (including armed police forces), Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan residents and foreigners living in Beijing, individuals with a Beijing work residence permit, and those with a Beijing residence permit who have continuously paid social insurance and personal income tax in Beijing for the past five years. (2) No passenger car registered in the city under their name. 2. Family units must meet the following conditions: (1) The family consists of the main applicant and other family applicants (collectively referred to as family applicants), with a total of no fewer than 2 people. (2) Other family applicants are limited to the spouse, children, parents, parents-in-law, or spouse's parents of the main applicant. (3) No passenger car registered in the city under the name of any family member or their spouse.
As someone who has been driving in Beijing for over a decade, I must remind you that purchasing a pickup truck doesn't require participating in the license plate lottery. Pickups are classified as light-duty trucks, which is a completely different system from passenger vehicles. While you have to compete in the lottery and queue for a passenger car plate, you can directly get a Beijing license plate for a pickup with much simpler procedures. But don't celebrate too soon - Beijing has numerous traffic restrictions: you can't freely drive within the Fifth Ring Road during daytime, especially during rush hours, and the fines are hefty if caught. If you live in the suburbs or frequently transport goods for small businesses, pickups are indeed practical - spacious for cargo and saving you from the lottery hassle. However, urban usage is restricted, and fuel and insurance costs aren't low either. I recommend checking the latest traffic restriction maps or consulting the vehicle management office for any regulation updates to avoid disadvantages.