There are many roads to car ownership. You can buy a car from an auto market or dealer, or delegate the process to a car broker or your com­pany. You could also import a new or used car from overseas, but know that most older models will fail China's emissions test, and that the proc­ess is expensive and involves a fair bit of red tape. Finally, you could buy a friend of a friend's car. Many foreigners, especially diplomats, buy used cars from fellow laowai because it's easier to transfer ownership between expatriates (the black plates, or red-and-black plates in the case of diplomats, need not be changed).

You don't need to be a Beijing resident to buy a car. Nor do you need to show a driving license, which may help explain Beijing's current traffic situation. To register the car, you must have a passport or ID card, temporary residence certificate, vehicle purchase invoice, and other documents. The dealer or market will supply their documents to transfer ownership. If buying from a private seller, you will need an ID card or passport and the seller will need the bill of sale, Certificate of Title and Certificate of Registra­tion. (All these forms must be accompanied by one photocopy.) All outstanding parking tickets must be paid before the ownership title can be transferred.