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.
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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
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