Speed limitChina
5. Speed limit
A speed limit is the maximum legal speed permitted on a road, lane or within a designated area. It may be established by general traffic law or indicated by fixed, variable or temporary traffic signs.
A speed limit is a maximum, not a target speed. Drivers must travel more slowly whenever traffic, visibility, weather, road conditions, vulnerable road users or the condition of the vehicle make the maximum permitted speed unsafe.
Wikimedia.org • 我的姓名 • CC BY-SA
Which general speed limits should car drivers know in China?
In mainland China, unsigned urban roads have maxima of 30 km/h without a centre line and 50 km/h with one motor-vehicle lane in each direction. The corresponding unsigned highway figures are 40 and 70 km/h. The national expressway ceiling for a small passenger car is 120 km/h; lower signed limits and other restrictions apply.
🔗 xzfg.moj.gov.cn • Mainland China — Law Article 42; Regulations 45–46 and 78
🔗 jtgl.beijing.gov.cn • Beijing Traffic Police — full Road Traffic Safety Law, 2021 amended text
🔗 samr.gov.cn • SAMR — full implementing Regulations, 2017 amended text
How does mainland China determine a limit when no speed sign or marking is present?
The implementing regulations distinguish an urban road from a highway, and whether it has no centre line or only one motor-vehicle lane in the direction of travel. Those statutory defaults still apply without a speed-limit sign or marking. Do not infer an unlimited maximum from missing roadside numbers.
🔗 xzfg.moj.gov.cn • Mainland China — Law Article 42; Regulations 45–46 and 78
🔗 jtgl.beijing.gov.cn • Beijing Traffic Police — full Road Traffic Safety Law, 2021 amended text
🔗 samr.gov.cn • SAMR — full implementing Regulations, 2017 amended text
Start of a speed limit.
English • Traffic sign 禁39 • Speed limit: 40 km/h. Motor vehicles must not exceed 40 km/h; reduce speed further in adverse conditions.
中文 • 禁39 • 限制速度:40 km/h。 机动车行驶速度不得超过40 km/h;遇不利条件应进一步减速。
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Openstd.samr.gov.cn • 国家标准全文公开 • GB 5768.2-2022(含第1号修改单)
🔗 Upload.wikimedia.org • 标准原文镜像 • PDF第47页
SVG source: Beijing Traffic Management Bureau • Public domain • Original revision 2021-12-29. Wikimedia original unmodified.
End of the speed limit.
English • Traffic sign 禁40 • End of 40 km/h speed limit. The sign sets no new maximum; other applicable limits remain.
中文 • 禁40 • 解除限制速度:40 km/h。 40 km/h限速路段结束;此标志不规定新的最高速度,仍应遵守其他适用限速。
Sources
🔗 Commons.wikimedia.org
🔗 Openstd.samr.gov.cn • 国家标准全文公开 • GB 5768.2-2022(含第1号修改单)
🔗 Upload.wikimedia.org • 标准原文镜像 • PDF第48页
SVG source: Beijing Traffic Management Bureau • Public domain • Original revision 2021-12-29. Wikimedia original unmodified.
Can a lower signed Chinese expressway limit be ignored because cars have a 120 km/h ceiling?
No. The 120 km/h figure is the national ceiling for a small passenger car, not permission to disregard a lower restriction. Follow the applicable posted or marked limit and slow further for weather, visibility and traffic.
🔗 xzfg.moj.gov.cn • Mainland China — Law Article 42; Regulations 45–46 and 78
🔗 jtgl.beijing.gov.cn • Beijing Traffic Police — full Road Traffic Safety Law, 2021 amended text
🔗 samr.gov.cn • SAMR — full implementing Regulations, 2017 amended text

Traffic rules
China