The restrictions of Today No Circula Sabatino are back this weekend. This initiative, coordinated by the Mexico City Environment Secretariat (SEDEMA), seeks to moderate pollution levels in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico by restricting the transit of certain automobiles.
So, if you plan to make urban trips in your car, it is essential to verify what type of hologram you have and the final digits of your license plate. It is worth keeping in mind that the regulations not only cover the 16 territorial demarcations of the capital, but also extend to multiple municipal areas of the State of Mexico. Specifically, the regulation is implemented in the following areas:
- 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
Keep in mind that if your route includes crossing or circulating through any of these geographical points, you will be subject to the same road restriction guidelines.
What cars and license plates does Hoy No Circula Saturday affect?
To reduce pollution, what has been thought of, as we say, is to reduce the volume of traffic on the streets. Thus, weekends have their own rules within Hoy No Circula Sabatino. This does not mean that all drivers have to leave their cars at home. The hologram, the final number on the license plate and the position of Saturday in the month (odd or even) dictate who has the green light to drive and who must turn off the engine.
It is also vital to remember that Hoy No Circula Saturday does not operate uninterrupted 24 hours a day. The road limitations begin at 05:00 and conclude at 22:00which means that during the night and early morning hours, free transit is allowed, as long as the authorities do not activate an environmental contingency phase or another extraordinary measure that modifies the usual guidelines.
Taking the date of July 4, 2026 as a reference, the calendar shows us that we are facing the first Saturday of the month, thus classifying it as an “odd week.” That is, private cars equipped with hologram 1 whose license plates end in an odd digit will be forced to suspend activities during the stipulated time window.
If your car matches these characteristics, you should save it and wait for the night cutoff time to pass. On the contrary, those drivers whose vehicles have a 0 and 00 hologram will enjoy complete freedom to travel around the metropolis without any penalty. For their part, cars with hologram 2 are not allowed to drive on any Saturday of the month.
Beyond the general rules, there is a group that enjoys immunity from these ecological measures, allowing them to transit without setbacks. The following cases are
- Electric, natural gas or hybrid technology vehicles
- Units registered with plates for people with disabilities
- All those intended for urban public transport services (including funeral services)
- Those dedicated to school or passenger transportation
- Those assigned to public security and/or civil protection
Failure to comply with the Hoy No Circula will be punished with a fine that ranges between 20 and 30 times the value of the Measurement and Update Unit (UMA), a figure that represents approximately 1,924.40 pesos at its lowest level until reaching 2,886.60 pesos at the highest limit. In addition, the driver risks having the car taken to the vehicle depot.
Photo | Paul Hanaoka
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