
Vehicle restriction refers to traffic restrictions based on the last digit of a vehicle's license plate number, allowing only specified license plate numbers to drive on the road each day. 2. Purpose of vehicle restriction: Vehicle restriction can reduce the traffic burden caused by the rapid growth of urban vehicles, lower the emission of motor vehicle exhaust in cities, and effectively control the urban air pollution index within a reasonable range. Different cities adopt different restriction systems. Users can check and manage personal information such as traffic violations through the 12123 platform, stay updated on road conditions, information, and conveniently plan travel times. The platform also autonomously pushes information such as annual vehicle inspections and traffic violation points. Vehicles exempt from license plate restrictions include police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, buses, taxis, and other similar vehicles.

I just got fined 100 yuan last week because my car was restricted by the license plate ! Simply put, big cities limit certain license plate endings from driving on specific days to reduce traffic congestion. For example, in Beijing, two plate endings are restricted each weekday from Monday to Friday. My plate ends with 3 and 8, which are restricted on Thursday, and I got caught by an electronic camera when I drove out. The rules vary significantly between cities, so it's essential to check the local traffic police announcements. Before heading out, I always check the traffic restriction calendar app on my phone or glance at the restriction notice board at the neighborhood entrance. The most frustrating part is that restrictions often change on adjusted working days after holidays. Last year, on the first working day after National Day, I forgot it had rotated to restrict my plate number.

Yesterday, while driving my kid to school, I heard on the radio that today is a double-numbered license plate restriction day. This kind of is commonly used in cities like Beijing and Shanghai. Basically, it determines whether you can drive based on the day of the week and the last digit of your license plate. For example, if it's a single-numbered restriction day on Wednesday, cars ending with 1, 3, or 5 have to stay home. Some cities also divide the restrictions by zones, only limiting driving within the downtown ring roads. My old car's plate ends with 0, and I always forget whether it counts as single or double. Eventually, I just printed out the restriction schedule and stuck it on the sun visor. By the way, most places don't restrict new energy vehicles now, but it depends on whether they have green or blue plates. If you realize you've taken the wrong route, just pull over and stop—as long as you don't enter the main road, you'll be fine.

Last time I was on a business trip to Chengdu, I got caught by the traffic restriction . The hotel front desk told me that the restrictions there run from 7:30 AM to 8: PM, completely different from the rules back home. Later, the car rental company shared a trick: check the last digit of the license plate. On Mondays, numbers ending with 1 and 6 are banned, Tuesdays are 2 and 7, and so on, with weekends generally free to drive. Each city has its own rotation method—Shijiazhuang changes the restricted number combinations monthly, while Tianjin simply divides restrictions into morning and evening rush hours with different numbers. Navigation apps now come with traffic restriction alerts; setting your destination before heading out of town onto the highway can automatically avoid restricted routes. The fines aren't steep, but the penalty points are really annoying.

Last time I helped my mother-in-law move her car, I realized it was her license plate restriction day. Simply put, it's a combination of the day of the week and the last digit of the license plate that restricts road access. For example, in Hangzhou, during weekday mornings from 7 to 9 and evenings from 4:30 to 6:30, vehicles with license plate endings corresponding to the date cannot enter the ring road. Interestingly, exemption policies vary widely across regions. In Shenzhen, all new energy vehicles are exempt, while in Beijing, pure electric vehicles are also unrestricted, but plug-in hybrids have to follow the same rules as gasoline vehicles. In emergencies, you can apply for a temporary pass—my colleague successfully applied for one when his wife was in labor. Pay special attention to the rotation at the end of each month, as many cities like Chengdu update the restriction schedule for the next month on the last working day.

My elderly neighbor was complaining the other day about getting confused by the traffic restriction . It's actually a method used by traffic authorities to control vehicle flow—pairing your license plate's last digit with specific weekdays, and you're not supposed to drive on the matching days. Take Xi'an's approach for example: Monday restricts plates ending with 1 and 6, Tuesday 2 and 7, Wednesday 3 and 8, and so on, with Fridays and weekends off. A special case is the coordinated restrictions in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, where cross-city business trips require checking both local rules. It's much more convenient now—just search for the local traffic police's official account on WeChat, bind your license plate, and you'll get automatic reminder notifications. If you really can't remember, there's a simple trick—divide your plate's last digit by 5, and the remainder corresponds to your restricted weekday.


