In the heart of the Valley of Mexico, where traffic starts from the early hours of the morning, Not all cars can go out on the road this Monday, March 16th.The Hoy No Circula program is once again defining who can drive and who must leave their vehicle parked to help contain pollution.
The measure It remains in effect as normal in the 16 boroughs of Mexico City, more than 40 municipalities in the State of Mexico, and the areas of Toluca and Santiago Tianguistenco.Although it is an official holiday, the environmental scheme is not suspended and maintains its usual schedule and criteria.
Today No Driving Day March 16: which cars and license plates cannot circulate
For this Monday, The Hoy No Circula calendar sets mandatory rest days for a very specific group of vehicles., defined by the color of the sticker, the license plate ending and the type of verification hologram.
During the day of March 16, 2026 They cannot circulate in Mexico City and the State of Mexico. Cars with the following characteristics:
- Yellow sticker.
- Plate termination 5 and 6.
- Verification hologram 1 and 2.
- Good part of the vehicles with foreign license plates whose criteria coincide with the previous ones, with more severe restrictions in the morning hours.
These cars They must remain out of circulation in the Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico between 5:00 a.m. and 22:00 p.m., without special free transit windows within that time.
La Megalopolis Environmental Commission (CAMe) And the Ministry of the Environment (Sedema) reminds everyone that Monday is dedicated to yellow stickers, so Any vehicle that fits that profile and has a hologram 1 or 2 must remain stopped. to avoid violations and additional penalties such as impoundment.
Hoy No Circula schedule this Monday in Mexico City and the State of Mexico
The restricted traffic scheme remains unchanged: The "Hoy No Circula" program starts at 05:00 a.m. and ends at 22:00 p.m.Whether it's a regular workday, a holiday, or a long weekend, the time frame is the same unless there is an official announcement to the contrary.
During that interval, Vehicles subject to restriction must remain off public roads in Mexico City and in the municipalities of the State of Mexico that participate in the program, both in the Valley of Mexico and in the areas of Toluca and Santiago Tianguistenco.
- Start of the restriction: 05 hours.
- End of restriction: 22 hours.
- Geographic scope: Mexico City, Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico, Valley of Toluca and Valley of Santiago Tianguistenco.
- Responsible authority: Megalopolis Environmental Commission (CAMe) and local environmental authorities.
The only day on which the "Hoy No Circula" (No Driving Today) program does not apply to any car is Sunday.From Monday to Saturday, there is always some group of vehicles restricted by sticker color and license plate ending.
Where it applies: municipalities and boroughs with Hoy No Circula
The program was initially focused on the capital and its metropolitan area, but Over the years it has extended its coverage to more areas of the State of Mexico to try to curb the pollution generated by daily traffic.
Currently, the Hoy No Circula program is in effect from Monday to Saturday in:
Boroughs of Mexico City
In the capital, All 16 boroughs are subject to the vehicle restriction scheme:
- Alvaro Obregon
- Azcapotzalco
- Benito Juárez
- Coyoacan
- Cuajimalpa de Morelos
- Cuauhtémoc
- Gustavo A. Madero
- iztacalco
- Iztapalapa
- Magdalena Contreras
- Miguel Hidalgo
- high milpa
- Tlahuac
- Tlalpan
- Venustiano Carranza
- Xochimilco
Metropolitan Area of the Valley of Mexico (State of Mexico)
In the State of Mexico, The program covers a large number of municipalities with strong road connections to the capital.. They stand out among them:
- Atizapan of Zaragoza
- Coacalco de Berriozábal
- Cuautitlan
- Cuautitlan Izcalli
- Chalco
- Chicoloapan
- Chimalhuacán
- Ecatepec de morelos
- Huixquilucan
- ixtapaluca
- Naucalpan de Juarez
- Nezahualcoyotl
- Nicolas Romero
- Tecamac
- Tlalnepantla de Baz
- Tultitlan
- Chalco Valley
- La Paz and other districts with a comparable regime
Toluca Valley
Following its most recent expansion, The "Hoy No Circula" program also applies in various municipalities of the Toluca Valley., such as:
- Almoloya de Juárez
- Calimaya
- Chapultepec
- Lerma
- Metepec
- Mexicaltzingo
- Ocoyoacac
- Otzolotepec
- Rayon
- San Antonio The Island
- San Mateo Atenco
- Temoaya
- Valley Tenango
- Toluca
- Xonacatlán
- Zinacantepec
Santiago Tianguistenco Valley
In this area, The program covers several municipalities with heavy traffic towards the capital of the State of Mexico and Mexico City.:
- Almoloya del Río
- Atizapán
- Capulhuac
- Texcalyacac
- Tianguistenco
- Xalatlaco
Is there an environmental emergency today or a double "Hoy No Circula" (No Driving Today) program?
In the days leading up to March 16, Air quality in the Valley of Mexico remained at unfavorable levels due to the presence of ozone and PM10 particles.and they were even activated Contingency episodes in Mexico City on previous dates.
However, As of the last official update prior to Monday, March 16, a new Phase 1 of Contingency had not been declared.That implies that, For this day, the Double No Driving Day program remains deactivated. and traffic follows the regular Monday schedule.
CAMe makes it clear that The decision to escalate to Double No Driving Day depends on the evolution of pollutants and weather conditions.If ozone or fine particulate matter levels exceed certain thresholds, restrictions are tightened and the number of cars that must remain off the road is increased.
When the decree is issued Double No Circulation Today In Phase 1 of the contingency, the usual situation is that:
- Se Stop 100% of vehicles with hologram 2.
- The limit half of the cars with hologram 1, depending on whether the license plate ends in an even or odd number.
- In some episodes, circulation is reduced a part of holograms 0 and 00also according to the last digit of the license plate.
However, for this Monday, The indication is that the program is operating normally despite the poor air quality recorded at several monitoring stations.so only the restrictions related to the yellow sticker with plates 5 and 6 and hologram 1 and 2 apply.
Which vehicles are exempt from the Hoy No Circula program?
Although the program covers millions of cars, There is a comprehensive list of vehicles that can circulate even on restricted days.whether by using cleaner technologies or by providing essential services.
Among the vehicles that They are not affected by the Hoy No Circula program in its usual form. are:
- Cars with hologram 00 (exempt for two years, except for temporary adjustments in contingency).
- Cars with hologram 0 (exempt for six months, with possible changes if there is poor air quality).
- Electric and hybrid vehicles.
- Public transportation authorized.
- Emergency units (ambulances, firefighters, public safety, civil protection).
- vehicles of school transportation registered.
- Cars with signs for people with disabilities.
- Motorcycles and very light vehicles with a gross weight equal to or less than 400 kg.
- Agricultural tractors and machinery for construction or mining that does not normally circulate on urban roads.
- vehicles with antique or classic car license plates.
- Units with “EXEMPT” hologram or special certificates issued by the environmental authority.
- Vehicles registered in environmental self-regulation programs or electromobility.
- Cars with Metropolitan Tourist Pass or Paisano Tourist Pass within the authorized periods.
- vehicles with special permit to transport people with disabilities.
- Units with official letter extending the verification period or equivalent authorizations issued by Sedema.
Furthermore, The Mexican government is considering provisions for temporary exemption. For those who need to travel for urgent medical reasons or to assist people who require help. In these cases, a specific permit can be obtained by submitting the required documentation; if the person cannot attend, it is possible to send a representative with a letter signed by witnesses and identification.
Fines and penalties for violating the "Hoy No Circula" (No Driving Today) program.
Skipping the program can be costly. Failure to comply with the Hoy No Circula restrictions is punishable by fines calculated in Measurement and Update Units (UMA), in addition to other measures such as removing the vehicle from the public road.
In 2026, the most common references are:
- Mexico City: between 20 and 30 UMA, that is, approximately 2.346 to 3.519 pesos, with possible remittance to the impound lot.
- State of Mexico: sanctions regarding 20 UMA for driving on a restricted day, with the possibility of removal of license plates and other administrative measures.
In some more serious cases, such as vehicles that emit visible smoke or significantly exceed emissions limitsThe financial penalty can be supplemented with extraordinary checks and prolonged stays in the vehicle impound lot, which further increases the final cost for the owner.
Before starting, Authorities recommend checking the sticker color, the last digit of the license plate, and the verification hologram.as well as checking the latest Air and Health Index report and the statements from CAMe and Sedema, since a bad afternoon of pollution can lead to last-minute changes.
Why does the "Hoy No Circula" program exist and how is it related to pollution?
The Hoy No Circula program began to be implemented in the late 80s as response to the extremely high levels of pollution that Mexico City was experiencingand since then it has remained, with adjustments and expansions, a key tool of local environmental policy.
Currently, Mexico is among the Latin American countries with higher concentration of fine particles PM2.5a pollutant associated with respiratory and cardiovascular problems. Recent reports place the national average at around 3,5 times above the annual value recommended by the World Health Organizationwith the capital and other major cities leading the rankings.
The main problem in areas like Mexico City and Monterrey is fine particles and tropospheric ozoneThese emissions are largely generated by traffic, industrial activity, and fuel combustion. The vehicle restriction program aims to reduce the volume of cars on the road during peak congestion days and times and thereby moderate the peak of emissions.
When air quality deteriorates to levels considered “very bad” or “extremely bad”, CAMe can declare an environmental emergency and to implement the "Double No-Drive Day" program to further reduce the number of vehicles on the streets. The validity of these measures is constantly reviewed and may be lifted or extended depending on pollutant levels.
This Monday, March 16, 2026, those who live in or travel through Mexico City, the State of Mexico, the Toluca Valley, or the Santiago Tianguistenco area They will have to adjust their mobility plans if their car has a yellow sticker, license plates ending in 5 or 6, and a hologram 1 or 2.The program operates full-time from 5:00 a.m. to 22:00 p.m., in normal mode and without the "Double No Driving Today" restriction, while Vehicles with hologram 0 and 00, electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles, and essential services are exempt.With air quality remaining under pressure, the general recommendation is to stay tuned to official announcements and, whenever possible, Choose public transport or carpool to reduce emissions and avoid fines.
