Saturday, September 6 … Everything sounds like it should be a particularly comfortable and rested day. However, it will not be if your car falls under the measures of the Hoy No Circula program. As many know, certain vehicles must remain protected at home during this day.
This initiative, promoted by the Mexico City Ministry of Environment ([Sedema](https://sedema.cdmx.gob.mx/programas/programa/hoy-no-circula)), primarily aims to decrease toxic emissions and improve the air quality we breathe.
The operation is straightforward: certain cars, especially those that produce more pollution, are restricted from circulating. Of course, it does not always affect the same vehicles every Saturday, as this provision governs specific areas, with set vehicles resting in alternate weeks.
Where is the program applied?
The restrictions apply specifically in the 16 mayors of Mexico City and the following conurbation municipalities of the State of Mexico:
- Atizapán de Zaragoza
- Coacalco de Berriozábal
- Cuautitlán
- Cuautitlán Izcalli
- Chalco
- Chicoloapan
- Chimalhuacán
- Ecatepec de Morelos
- Huixquilucan
- Ixtapaluca
- La Paz
- Naucalpan de Juárez
- Nezahualcóyotl
- Nicolás Romero
- Tecámac
- Tlalnepantla de Baz
- Tultitlán
- Chalco Valley
What Cars and Plates Are Affected by the Hoy No Circula on Saturday?
Who should stay home? Understanding the daily functioning of the program is simple, as illustrated in the images. However, on Saturdays, the rules change, and not all cars face the same limitations every week. Certain vehicles have the freedom to circulate on some Saturdays, while on other occasions, they face prohibitions.
The categories for this day can be divided into:
- Cars that can circulate every Saturday
- Cars that must rest every Saturday
- Cars that rest alternately each Saturday
These limitations are in effect exclusively between 5:00 AM and 10:00 PM . In the evenings, the prohibition is lifted, allowing unrestricted traffic without the possibility of fines. It is crucial to check three elements before leaving home: the calendar of the month , the hologram classification the vehicle carries, and the last digit of its license plate .
As indicated, cars with hologram 2 maintain their current limitation every Saturday, while those with holograms 0 and 00 can circulate freely each week. Cars with hologram 1 will face interspersed limitations week after week.
On Saturday, September 6, 2025 , being the first Saturday of the month (odd), vehicles with license plates ending in odd numbers are obliged to stay off the roads. The following week, which is the second Saturday (even), the restrictions will apply to those with plates ending in even numbers.
However, some exceptions should be noted, as the following vehicles will retain complete mobility:
- Electric, natural gas, or hybrid vehicles
- Vehicles with disabled plates
- All vehicles dedicated to urban transport services (including ambulances)
- Vehicles for school or passenger transport, as well as those dedicated to public safety and civil protection
Violating these provisions will result in fines ranging from 20 to 30 times the unit of measure and update (UMA) , which equates to a penalty between 1,924.40 and 2,886.60 pesos .
Photo | Danylo Suprun
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