This Saturday the Hoy No Circula Saturday scheme is reactivated, the tool with which the Secretariat of the Environment of Mexico City (SEDEMA) limits the circulation of certain cars in the Valley of Mexico to reduce pollution levels. Those who plan to use their vehicle must verify in advance the completion of the license plate and the verification hologram before entering the road.
The limitations are not limited to the 16 municipalities of CDMX, but also extend to several suburban municipalities of the State of Mexico, where the scheme is applied under the same conditions. The program also operates in:
- Atizapan of Zaragoza
- Coacalco de Berriozábal
- Cuautitlan
- Cuautitlán Izcalli
- Chalco
- Chicoloapan
- Chimalhuacan
- Ecatepec de Morelos
- Huixquilucan
- Ixtapaluca
- Peace
- Naucalpan de Juárez
- Nezahualcoyotl
- Nicolas Romero
- Tecámac
- World of Baz
- Tultitlan
- Chalco Valley
Also, remember that if your route passes through any of these locations, the Saturday No Circulation Day also applies.
What cars and license plates does Hoy No Circula Saturday affect?
The objective of the program is to take part of the vehicle fleet out of circulation to cut emissions, but on Saturdays specific criteria are applied that are added to the scheme from Monday to Friday. Not all car owners rest on the same weekend: the hologram, the last digit of the license plate and whether Saturday corresponds to an odd or even week determine which cars stay parked and which can drive. According to the Secretariat of the Environment of Mexico City (SEDEMA), this Saturday scheme complements the regular calendar of the Hoy No Circula program in the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico.
It is worth remembering that the Today it does not circulate on Saturdays, it does not operate 24 hours a day. The application hours go from 5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., so that outside of that period—at night and early morning—the program does not impose restrictions on the circulation of vehicles, unless an environmental contingency or other extraordinary provision is decreed that temporarily extends the usual limits.
In the case of March 14, 2026, the calendar indicates that it is the second Saturday of the month, which is why it is considered an “even week.” Under this configuration, vehicles with hologram 1 and license plates ending in an even number are those that must remain out of circulation during program hours.
If your car meets that combination, you will have to leave it stored until after 10:00 p.m. On the contrary, cars with hologram 0 and 00 maintain permission to circulate without restrictions within the framework of Today No Circula Saturday. Those with hologram 2 cannot circulate under any circumstances on Saturdays.
In addition to the previous cases, remember that there are a series of exempt vehicles that can circulate without being affected by these limitations. These are:
- Electric cars, natural gas or equipped with a hybrid system
- Vehicles with plates registered for people with disabilities
- Units intended for urban public transport service, including funeral services
- Vehicles dedicated to school or passenger transportation
- Units assigned to public security and/or civil protection tasks
Those who decide not to comply with the provisions of Hoy No Circula are exposed to a significant financial penalty. The fine for violating the program ranges from 20 to 30 times the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA), which is equivalent to approximately 1,924.40 pesos at the minimum and up to 2,886.60 pesos at the maximum. Added to the economic impact is the possible immobilization of the vehicle and the time spent resolving the situation before the authorities.
In conclusion, if you are going to travel by car this Saturday through CDMX or through the suburban municipalities of the State of Mexico included in the program, it is advisable to check before starting what hologram your vehicle has, what the ending of your license plate is and if the calendar shows an even or odd week. Hoy No Circula Saturday focuses on taking the most polluting cars off the road, but at the same time it requires better planning of trips and evaluating mobility alternatives when the vehicle must rest.
Foto | Valerie Kaarna
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