How to renew a full driving licence?

Contents

• Eligibility for Application
• Application Procedures

Eligibility for Application

1. A full driving licence holder should renew his/her licence within 4 months before the expiry date of the current licence, or within 3 years after the licence has been expired.  Should a driving licence holder fail to renew his/her full driving licence within 3 years after the expiry date, he/she will need to take driving test again and to complete the probationary driving period before obtaining a full driving licence for private car, light goods vehicle, motor cycle or motor tricycle.  Furthermore, the licence holder will only be eligible for applying for commercial driving licence 1 year after obtaining his/her full driving licence of private car or light goods vehicle again.

2. If you have court fines to pay, you must settle the outstanding court fines before renewing your driving licence. Please click here, if you need to pay court fines, or have settled the court fines by cheque within the last 7 working days.  
    

Application Procedures
Means of Submission

• Online application:  an 'iAM Smart+' account with digital signing function or a valid personal digital certificate is required for online application.   Alternatively, licence holders can also use the 8-digit Renewal Password printed on the TD578 (Transport Department (TD) will mail this form to licence holders 2 to 3 months before expiry) or TD601 (TD will mail this reminder to licence holders whose licences about about to expire for 3 years shortly and yet to be renewed), together with the number of their identity document registered with TD, to authenticate their identity.  If you have not received the renewal password or have lost it, you may obtain a new password by submitting an application to TD. (Note: Online application is not available to applicants aged 70 or above, who are required to submit the original Medical Examination Certificate (TD256) duly completed by a registered medical practitioner within 4 months from date of application.) 
• By post to P.O. Box 68115, Kowloon East Post Office, Kowloon (You are advised to send by registered mail to avoid loss of documents); 
• Via drop-in boxes at any Licensing Office or designated post offices in 18 districts (no stamp is required) (drop-in box services at designated Post Offices will be discontinued with effect from 1 June 2025); or
• In person/ by agent over the counter at any Licensing Office. An appointment booking service is available through the Internet or by calling the 24-hour Interactive Voice Response System of the Appointment Booking Service at 3763 8080. Appointment can be made 10 weeks in advance. After making the appointment successfully, the applicants shall visit the Licensing Office concerned at the scheduled time. If no prior appointment has been made online or by phone, applicants are required to obtain a same-day queue ticket on-site before using the counter services.  Same-day queue tickets are distributed at 9am in the morning and 2pm in the afternoon on each working day.  If the application is submitted by an agent, the agent shall produce his/her own original identity document for record purposes.   

Verification of E-contact Means (ECM)

• If applicants submit application through online service, the ECM will be verified in the application process instantly.
• For submission of applications in paper form, applicants are required to verify a mobile phone number or email address as the ECM on the designated online platform within three months prior to application submission.
• Please click here for details.

Form

• Application for new issue, renewal and addition full driving licence & driving instructor's licence (TD557) (you may also fill in this form online and print a filled version for submission)
• Applicants aged 70 or above should also submit original Medical Examination Certificate (TD256). The form should be completed by a registered medical practitioner within the last 4 months before the submission of renewal application.
   

Supporting Documents

1. Document of identity: 
   HK Identity Card/Passport.  If an applicant for driving licence for commercial vehicle class(es) is a non-permanent Hong Kong resident, he/she must produce his/her HK Identity Card and supporting documents providing that he/she is not subject to any condition of stay other than a limit of stay as defined in section 2(1) of Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115) (e.g. endorsement/ landing skips on travel documents, visa/ enry permit issued by the Immigration Department, etc.); and
2. Address proof 
    

Fee
Fee of driving licence
 

Payment Method

• Online application:  Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, JCB or China UnionPay), FPS, a PPS account number and Internet password, or Mainland China’s Licensed Digital Wallets (Alipay, WeChat Pay, UnionPay QuickPass) for online payment. 
• Application submitted via counter: Cash, FPS, EPS, or Crossed cheque payable to “The Government of the HKSAR”. 
• Application by post / drop-in box: Crossed cheque.

Processing Time 
Depending on submission method:

• In person to Licensing Office: To be issued on the same day
• Others: If the application information, required documents and payment are complete and in order, the Transport Department will send the new full driving licence to applicants by registered mail within 10 working days.