Chances of getting a Beijing license plate have hit a record low

With those sorts of odds, hopeful motorists are running on fumes

Since 2011, the Beijing Government has utilised a license plate lottery in order to cap the number of cars on its roads. Drawn once every two months, the lottery aims to ease traffic congestion and curb air pollution by rationing license plates. 

It's notoriously difficult to obtain a license plate in the capital, with many enterprising Beijingers resorting to renting license plates, or even marriage, in order to be able to obtain a coveted plate. However this month's lottery – the first of the year – is set to be even more difficult with more than 12 million applicants vying for only 6,460 license plates.

Last year, 1 in 800 applicants were able to snag a license plate. This year it's 1 in 1,907, making them the worst odds since the lottery was first put in place. Back in December, Beijing authorities announced that the annual car license quota would be capped at 100,000 in 2018, in comparison to the 150,000 licenses that were up for grabs in 2017. Of those 100,000 cars, the quota allows for 60,000 energy efficient cars (which remains the same as last year) and 40,000 gasoline-powered cars (down from 90,000). 

With odds of 1 in 1,907, you're probably more likely to date a millionaire in Beijing than you are to get a license plate. (There are 213,000 millionaires in Beijing. That's one millionaire for every 101 people is all we're sayin'). So probably best to get back on that bike.

To find out how to get a Chinese driving license (not the plate), hit 'Read more'.

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