Special arrangement for renewal of vehicle and driving licences

     The special arrangement for renewal of expiring and expired vehicle and driving licences before Budget day has proved very effective in avoiding pre-budget day rush for renewal, and it will be adopted again this year.

     "The special arrangement has been effective in maintaining the number of applications for vehicle and driving licence renewal during the few days before the Budget speech at more or less the normal level.  There have been no abnormal queues and the arrangement was well received by the public," a Transport Department spokesman said today (February 20).

     Details of the arrangement for this year are as follows:

* All vehicle licences eligible for renewal on or before Budget Day (February 25), i.e. vehicles that are registered at the time of renewal and with licence expiry dates falling on or before June 24, 2009, can be renewed at the present rate, whether for four months or 12 months, at any time up to and including June 24, 2009.

* All full Hong Kong driving licences and driving instructor's licences eligible for renewal on or before Budget Day (February 25), i.e. those with expiry dates falling on or before June 24 and those which have expired for less than three years at the time of renewal up to June 24, can be renewed at the present rate at any time up to and including June 24.

* The arrangement applies only to the renewal of expiring and expired vehicle licences, full driving licences and driving instructor's licences.  It does not apply to any other licensing services.

* There is no need for eligible licence holders to rush to the Transport Department's licensing counters to have their licences renewed on speculation that those licence fees may be increased in the Budget.

     "The arrangement is made solely to deal with the potential problem of long queues.  The contents of the Budget are a separate question on which the department has no information," the spokesman said.

     At present, applications for renewal of vehicle and driving licences can be submitted through Internet, by post or through the drop boxes in the department's licensing offices and designated Post offices. People is encouraged to renew their licences through these channels.

Ends/Friday, February 20, 2009
Issued at HKT 12:05