ATTENTION
From 16 March 2026 onwards, for submission of application for direct issue of Hong Kong full driving licence, applicants must first make an appointment for "direct issue" counter services via the designated online appointment booking system, and then visit the appointed licensing offices at appointed date and time to submit application. No walk-in or on-site queue ticketing will be arranged for submission of direct issue applications.

For the direct issue of a Hong Kong full driving licence, you must satisfy the Commissioner with documentary evidence that:

• First make an appointment for "direct issue" counter service through the designated online appointment booking system;
• Then visit the appointed licensing offices at appointed date and time in person/ by an authorized person to submit over the counter the completed TD63A application form together with the required documents and fee. Person with appointment can submit application to (if the application is submitted by an authorized person, the authorized person is required to produce his/her own original identity document for record purpose):
  • Hong Kong Licensing Office: Process applications submitted with full driving licences issued by all recognized countries or places (including Mainland)
  • Kowloon Licensing Office, Kwun Tong Licensing Office and Sha Tin Licensing Office: Process applications submitted with full driving licences issued by Mainland
    
• ATTENTION: From 16 March 2026 onwards, for submission of application for direct issue of Hong Kong full driving licence, applicants must first make an appointment for "direct issue" counter services via the designated online appointment booking system, and then visit the appointed licensing offices at appointed date and time to submit application. No walk-in or on-site queue ticketing will be arranged for submission of direct issue applications.

• your Hong Kong Identity Card (if any)/passport/equivalent travel document;

• your passport or other equivalent travel document (if you meet the requirement in 3.1.1(d)(i) or (iii) above, you must also provide your passport or travel document; for meeting the requirement in 3.1.1(d)(i), in addition to the passport/ travel document page with your personal particulars, your submitted copies should also contain the pages showing records of entry and departure and VISA, if any);

• your overseas/PRC driving licence (please present your physical driving licence. Your submitted copies should contain both the front and back sides of the licence, if your licence has more than one page (e.g. Mainland driving licence), please submit copies of both the front and back sides of all pages of the licence);

• supporting documents to prove that you are eligible for this application as mentioned in 3.1.1 above and any other relevant documents as required by the Commissioner;

• where a document 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 licence in Hong Kong; or
  - Translation from the official licensing authority issuing the driving licence; 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. For enquiries, please contact 2804 2600.);

• Original Medical Examination Certificate (TD256) duly completed by a registered medical practitioner within 4 months from date of application to prove that you are medically fit to drive and control the class(es) of motor vehicle(s) to which your application relates (applicable to a person aged 70 or above);

• Original or copy of proof of present address (residential address^[10] and Hong Kong correspondence address^[11]) which is issued not more than 3 months from the date of application (original or copy is acceptable; simply showing a digital copy or photo of proof of address on-site is not accepted); and

• Required fee (you may make enquiries at the enquiry counters of licensing offices or through 1823 Call Centre, refer to the licence fees table (TD341) at the licensing offices, or visit Transport Department's website for the latest required fee).

• The "direct issue" mechanism is only applicable to private car, light goods vehicle, motor cycle and motor tricycle.
• Appointment booking must be made via the designated online appointment booking system (https://www.gov.hk/en/residents/transport/drivinglicense/diabs.htm) for counter service to submit direct issue applications. The online appointment system opens available booking slots in the coming 4 weeks for booking, and the slots will be updated at 5:00 pm every working day.
• No walk-in or on-site queue ticketing will be arranged. Application submitted by post/ via drop-in box is not accepted.
• If the application is submitted by an authorized person over the counter at licensing office, the authorized person is required to produce his/her own original identity document for record purpose.
• Please note that if further follow-up is required or the submitted documents are incomplete/insufficient for the application, the person is required to follow up in the same licensing office and the processing of the application may not be completed on the same day.
• If the application cannot be completed on the same day of submission, an acknowledgement of receipt will be issued to the applicant or the authorized person. The applicant or the authorized person may follow the instructions as stated on the acknowledgement of receipt to return to the same licensing office he/she submitted the application within the stated period to check the application result.
• Since the extension of the Probationary Driving Licence Scheme to private car and light goods vehicle on 9 February 2009, a person who has passed the relevant driving tests, is required to apply for a probationary driving licence, and upon satisfactory completion of the 12-month probationary driving period, is eligible for issue of a full driving licence for private car and/or light goods vehicle. According to the relevant ordinance, "direct issue" mechanism can only allow an eligible applicant with a full driving licence issued by any one of the countries/places listed under Schedule 4 of Cap. 374B (vide 3.1.1(a) above), to apply for a Hong Kong full driving licence of the respective vehicle class (private car, light goods vehicle, motor cycle and motor tricycle). The "direct issue" mechanism is not applicable to those not holding a full driving licence or equivalent.
• Applicants meeting all the requirements for direct issue of a full driving licence would be issued with a Hong Kong full driving licence without passing through the 12-month probationary driving period.
• If a driving licence holder has any driving entitlement(s) obtained through "direct issue" mechanism, regardless of whether it is a physical or electronic driving licence, the reference number of the driving licence issued/renewed would begin with a prefix "DI", and a "*" symbol will be marked next to the driving entitlement(s) obtained through "direct issue" mechanism (applicable to licences issued/renewed from 15 September 2025 onwards).
• If necessary, licence holder may submit written application to the Transport Department for issuing a letter certificating his driving entitlement(s) obtained through "direct issue" mechanism or completion of driving test(s).
• During the vetting process, this Department may, depending on the content of the application, request applicant/ relevant person to bring along with his/ her identity document and any other required documents to the Hong Kong Licensing Office of the Transport Department to make declaration/oath. For enquiries, please contact the Licensing Section of the Transport Department at 2804 2693 / 2804 2600.

For the issue of a temporary driving licence, you must satisfy the Commissioner with documentary evidence that:

For the extension of the validity period of temporary driving licence, please note that:

• Complete application form (TD181) (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); and

• Submit the application form together with required documents and fee in person/ by an authorized person over the counter at Hong Kong Licensing Office (You can make an appointment for counter service through designated online appointment booking system to save waiting time. If no prior appointment has been made online or by phone, you are required to obtain a same-day queue ticket on-site before using the counter service (Please click here for details)).

• your Hong Kong Identity Card;

• your passport or other equivalent travel document;

• your overseas driving licence;

• supporting documents to prove that you are eligible for this as application as mentioned in 3.2.1 above and any other relevant documents as required by the Commissioner;

• where a document 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 licence in Hong Kong; or
  - Translation from the official licensing authority issuing the driving licence; 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. For enquiries, please contact 2804 2600.);

• Medical Examination Certificate (TD256) duly completed by a registered medical practitioner within 4 months from date of application to prove that you are medically fit to drive and control the class(es) of motor vehicle(s) to which your application relates (applicable to a person aged 70 or above);

• Original or copy of proof of present address (residential address and Hong Kong correspondence address) which is issued not more than 3 months from the date of application; and

• Required fee (you may make enquiries at the enquiry counters of licensing offices or through 1823 Call Centre, refer to the licence fees table (TD341) at the licensing offices, or visit Transport Department's website for the latest required fee).

• Please note that temporary driving licence is not applicable to persons who are ordinarily residents in Hong Kong.
• The temporary driving licence is applicable to private car and light goods vehicle only.
• The temporary driving licence will be valid until the expiry of your overseas driving licence or the expiry of 12 months from the date of your arrival in Hong Kong to take up residence, whichever occurs first.
• If you pass in the driving tests, you can apply for a full driving licence direct. If you fail in any part of the driving tests, your temporary driving licence will be cancelled immediately and you cannot apply for another temporary driving licence.
• During the vetting process, this Department may, depending on the content of the application, request applicant/ relevant person to bring along with his/ her identity document and any other required documents to the Hong Kong Licensing Office of the Transport Department to make declaration/oath. For enquiries, please contact the Licensing Section of the Transport Department at 2804 2693 / 2804 2600.

[1] Regulation 37 of the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374B) provides that a visitor who holds a valid international driving permit or a domestic driving licence issued in a place outside Hong Kong may drive in Hong Kong, during the period of 12 months following the date of his last entry into Hong Kong, a motor vehicle of any class which he is authorized by that permit or licence to drive notwithstanding that he is not a holder of a driving licence issued under these regulations, but so long as he has attained the age specified in regulation 7 for the issue of such driving licence in respect of the class of motor vehicle. According to regulation 2 of Cap. 374B and making reference to regulation 2 of the Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) Regulations (Cap. 374E), "visitor" means any person who arrives in Hong Kong other than to take up residence for a period exceeding 12 months.

[2] In some jurisdictions, driving licences do not clearly distinguish between "probationary" and "full" status for specific driving entitlement(s). If your driving licence does not explicitly show that you have completed the probationary driving period and hold a full driving licence for the relevant driving entitlement(s), please provide original and copy of official documents of driving licence particulars issued by the relevant transport authorities/ all sides of your previous driving licence(s) which can show that the relevant driving entitlement(s) have completed the probationary driving period. For applications with a full driving licence issued by Mainland, if you have had your licence renewed/ reissued less than 1 year ago and your licence does not contain information regarding probationary driving period or your licence contains more than one driving entitlement, you are required to provide the abovementioned supporting documents to show that the relevant driving entitlements(s) have completed the probationary driving period.

[3] For applications with a full driving licence issued by Mainland, if the first issue date of your driving licence is the same as the issue date of your current driving licence, but your current driving licence does not contain information regarding probationary driving period or your licence contains more than one driving entitlement, you are required to provide original and copy of official documents of driving licence particulars issued by the relevant transport authorities which can show that the relevant driving entitlement(s) have been obtained by passing of the relevant driving test(s) in Mainland.

[4] For applications with a full driving licence issued by Mainland, applicants cannot merely submit Residence Permit for Hong Kong and Macao Residents or property ownership certificate/ documents as supporting documents.

[5] For instance, study/ work/ dependent visa, etc.

[6] 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.

[7] 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.

[8] 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.