Beijing unveils measures to ease traffic flow (LI WEN)

First, get a license plate

The Beijing authorities announced on December 23, 2010 that any car sold after that date would not be granted a license plate until January 1, 2011, when buyers could apply for registration. In other words, you won't be able to get your dream car unless you're one of the 17,600 lucky private car buyers who get a license plate number at the monthly lottery draw.

This new regulation affects not only Chinese people but also foreigners. Those who qualify include permanent residents, military servicemen, foreigners, and residents from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and those who have no residency status, but have paid personal income tax or made social security contributions in the city for at least five straight years.

If you still wish to take part in the lottery despite the odds - only one in some 20 applicants got a license plate in the February draw - you can do so as long as you've lived and worked in Beijing for at least a year, you don't already own a car and you're able to provide some documents, e.g. a valid passport with a temporary resident's permit, and the certificate of temporary accommodation.

If you meet the above conditions, you can submit applications online or at transport departments' application offices. After filling an application form, you will be given an application number. You can check the results online 25 minutes after the lottery or by phone one hour later. If you're not among the lucky ones, you will automatically be included in the next monthly draw, along with new applicants, which means fewer chances to win. However, if you have won the golden ticket, make sure to buy your car within six months or your registration right will expire.