I have a driving licence issued by Mainland China/other countries, can I apply for direct issue of Hong Kong full driving licence without taking a driving test?

The “direct issue mechanism” is only applicable to issue of full driving licence for private car, light goods vehicle, motor cycle and motor tricycle.  A person who has a full driving licence issued by any one of the countries/ places as listed in Schedule 4 of the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374B) (hereunder “recognised countries/ places”) (e.g. Mainland China) and fulfill the relevant requirements may apply for direct issue of a Hong Kong full driving licence of the respective vehicle class(es) without having to take the driving test or completing the 12-month probationary driving period in Hong Kong.

Contents

• Eligibility for Application 
• Application Procedures
  • Form
  • Supporting Documents
  • Means of Submission 
  • Validity & Fee 
  • Payment Method 
  • Checking Application Result 

Eligibility for Application

For the direct issue of a Hong Kong full driving licence, you must provide documentary evidence that you meet the following requirements  –

1. Aged 18 or above
2. Hold a full driving licence (not an International Driving Permit or learner’s/ probationary driving licence) issued by one of the recognised countries or places. Please refer to the following list for the recognised countries/ places:
   • List of countries / places (displayed in alphabetical order)
3. The driving licence must be a full driving licence (Note: Probationary driving licence or international driving permit are not acceptable); and the licence must be:
   1. valid or has not expired for more than 3 years (from the date of application); and
   2. obtained through passing the relevant driving test(s) in the issuing country or place.
4. Satisfy any one of the criteria listed below:
   1. the licence was originally issued on any date during a period of residence of not less than 6 months in the country or place of issue; or
   2. the licence has been issued for not less than 5 years immediately prior to the application; or 
   3. the applicant holds a passport or equivalent travel document issued in the country or place in which the licence was issued.

Application Procedures

Form

• Application for Direct Issue of Full HK Driving Licence - TD 63A (PDF) 

  • (Applicable to applications submitted on or after 18 November 2024) applicants are required to verify a mobile phone number or email address as the e-contact means (ECM) on the designated online platform within three months prior to application submission. Please click here for details.

  • Digital/printed signature is not accepted; if the information provided in application form is amended, applicant shall sign next to the amended part for verification.

• Applicants aged 70 or above should also submit Medical Examination Certificate (for applicants aged 70 or above) - TD256 (PDF)

Supporting Documents

Please produce the originals and copies of the following documents (Original or copy is accepted for address proof) when you submit your application:

1. Hong Kong Identity Card (if any)/ Passport/ Other equivalent travel document
2. Passport or other equivalent travel document (if you meet the requirements in 4(a) or (c) of Eligibility for Application above)
3. Overseas/ PRC driving licence
4. Documentary proof that the applicant satisfies one of the following requirements –
   • To prove that the licence was originally issued on any date during a period of residence of not less than 6 months in the country or place of issue ^{Note 1}, supporting documents include:
     • The relevant passport showing records of entry and departure or an official statement of travel records by the country or place of issue;
     • Official documents/ Visa that can show your condition of stay in the country or place of issue (if any), such as study/ work/ dependent visa, etc, and
     • School transcript ^{Note 2} or employer's testimonial ^{Note 3}with employment period specified, etc., which cover not less than the said 6-month period with the licence's issue date included; or
   • To prove that the licence has been issued for not less than 5 years immediately prior to the application:
     • In cases where your full driving licence does not show the first issue date/ contains more than one driving entitlement, please present original and copy of official documents of driving licence particulars issued by the relevant transport authorities/ all sides of your previous driving licence(s) to show that you have obtained full driving licence of the relevant driving entitlement(s) for not less than 5 years.
   • To prove that the applicant holds a passport or equivalent travel document issued in the country or place in which the licence was issued:
     • For applications with a full driving licence issued in Mainland China, Mainland Travel Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents/ Mainland Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents are not considered to be equivalent travel documents. 

5. Where a document for the purpose of direct issue application is not in Chinese or English, it must be accompanied by an officially certified translation.  The following translation is acceptable:

   • Translation from the consulate of the country issuing the driving license in Hong Kong; or

   • Translation from the official licensing authority issuing the driving license; or

   • Translation by registered Hong Kong court interpreters who are not working in the Judiciary; or

   • Translation by a translator (not the applicant himself) of a registered local translation agency/private translator and the translator has to bring along with his/her identity document and relevant documents and declare the accuracy of the translation at Hong Kong Licensing Office of the Transport Department.

6. Address proof (Residential and Hong Kong correspondence address) (Original/Copy).
7. Applicable to applicants aged 70 or above: Original Medical Examination Certificate (TD 256) completed by a registered medical practitioner within 4 months from the date of application to prove that applicant is medically fit to drive and control the class(es) of motor vehicle(s).

Notwithstanding that the documents and information required have been furnished, the applicants may still be required to submit further supporting documents and information when necessary.

Note 1: For applications with a full driving licence issued in Mainland China, applicants cannot merely submit Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents or property ownership certificate/ documents as supporting documents.

Note 2: Please present original and copy of school transcript or letter officially issued by your school/ institution containing the following information:

(a) Your name and student number (if student number is available, please also present your student card);

(b) Name and address of the school/ institution;

(c) The period covered (which should at least be not less than the 6-month period with the licence's issue date included);

(d) Issue date of the letter; and

(e) Name, post title, signature and contact information of the person issuing the letter, stamped with chop of the school/ institution.

Please note that applicants cannot merely submit an offer letter/ student card as supporting document.

Note 3: Please present original and copy of employer's testimonial issued by your employer containing the following information:

(a) Your name and identity document number (please also present the relevant identity document);

(b) Name and address of the company;

(c) The period covered (which should cover not less than the 6-month period with the licence's issue date included);

(d) Issue date of the letter; and

(e) Name, post title, signature and contact information of the person issuing the letter, stamped with chop of the company.

Please note that applicants cannot merely submit an employment contract or offer letter as supporting document.

Means of Submission

Submit the application form together with required documents and fee in person / by an authorised person over the counter at Hong Kong Licensing Office. Appointment booking service is available on phone (Tel: 3763 8080)  and the Internet. The appointment can be made 10 weeks in advance. After making the appointment successfully, the applicant shall visit the Hong Kong Licensing Office at the scheduled time. If the application is submitted by an authorised person, the authorised person is required to produce his/her own original identity document for record purposes.

Remark: The Transport Department has implemented the queue ticketing system for driving licensing related services .  For driving licensing services processing over the counter, 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 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. on each working day.

Validity & Fee

For validity period & fee of driving licence, please click here.

Payment Method

Fees are to be paid after an application is approved. Payment methods include -

1. Cash;
2. FPS;
3. EPS; or
4. Crossed cheque payable to either “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” or “The Government of the HKSAR”. Please write down your name, first four characters/digits of your identity document number and daytime contact telephone number on the back of the cheque/cashier order).

Checking Application Result

• 5 working days are normally required for processing the application. Depending on the circumstances of each case, the processing time may vary.
• Upon receipt of the application, the Transport Department will issue an acknowledgement of receipt to the applicant or the authorised person.  The applicant or the authorised person may bring along with the required documents as stated on the acknowledgement of receipt and visit the Hong Kong (Queensway) Licensing Office in person within the period stated to check the application result.  If handled by an authorised person, the authorised person should bring an authorisation letter signed by the applicant and a copy of the applicant’s identity document.