New Vehicle Registration and Licensing Regime




New Vehicle Registration
and Licensing Regime (Poster)



New Vehicle Registration
and Licensing Regime (Pamphlet)


The Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulation 2024 will take effect on 22 December 2025. The new regulation aims to strengthen regulation of prolonged unlicensed vehicles. According to the new regime, unlicensed vehicles will remain registered under the name of the owner who will continue to be held responsible for their vehicles. A new offence will also be introduced to heighten deterrence against improper abandoning of vehicles for addressing the problem at the source.

Starting from 22 December 2025, the Transport Department (TD) will issue a notice to registered owners of vehicles unlicensed for two years or more. Vehicle owners must, within three months of the date of notice:

(1) Renew the licence of their vehicles which have been unlicensed for two years; or

(2) Cancel the registration of the vehicles with the TD after scrapping the vehicle or permanently shipping it out of Hong Kong and submit a "Notification for Cancellation of Vehicle Registration" (TD184) together with a scrap certificate/shipping document to any Licensing Office.

Failing to take action upon expiry of the three-month notice period will constitute an offence. The maximum penalty for first conviction will be a fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for three months. For each subsequent conviction, the maximum penalty will be a $25,000 fine and six months' imprisonment. Unless the fine is paid, the TD may subject to the court's order:

(1) refuse to issue or renew the driving licence of a convicted vehicle owner;

(2) take no action on any notice for transfer of ownership of the subject vehicle and any other vehicles under the convicted owner's name; and

(3) refuse to issue a vehicle licence to the subject vehicle and any other vehicles under the convicted owner's name.

Exemption Arrangement

From 22 December 2025 onwards, individual vehicle owners who have a genuine difficulty in taking the required actions within the three-month notice period or have reasonable grounds for not licensing their vehicles may apply for an exemption from the TD. Please click here for relevant guideline for applying for an exemption. (Please click here for the guideline for applying an exemption for Public Vehicles / Franchised Buses.)

In general, exemptions may be granted under scenarios below:

(1) Vehicles pending delivery of ordered spare parts for maintenance and examination before licence renewal
For vehicles that could not be arranged for maintenance and examination for licence renewal before the expiry of the three-month notice period due to awaiting delivery of ordered spare parts, the vehicle owner must renew the vehicle licence as soon as practicable after completing the maintenance and passage of the vehicle examination. In this case, the vehicle owner may apply for an exemption with the TD.

Required Documents
(a) duly completed form TD651;
(b) original or photocopy of H.K. Identity Card (in the case of a private owner) (original or photocopy of passport for non-identity card holders);
(c) original or photocopy of Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Registration of Non-Hong Kong Company/Certificate of Change of Name/ Certificate of Registration of Alteration of Name of Registered Non-Hong Kong Company together with an authorization letter issued and signed by a person nominated and authorized by the company (in the case of a company);
(d) original or photocopy of proof of present address (residential address/company address and correspondence address) which is issued not more than 3 months from now. The full list of acceptable proof of address is available at the TD's website;
(e) photocopy of Business Registration Certificate of the vehicle repair centre concerned; and
(f) original or photocopy of documentary proof / written declaration issued by the vehicle repair centre concerned on the ordering of parts for the vehicle and the estimated delivery time (which is issued not more than 3 months from now) (Sample)

General Exemption Period that may be Granted
Up to one year

[Note: The vehicle owner must renew the vehicle licence as soon as practicable after completing the maintenance and passage of the vehicle examination. If the vehicle owner is still waiting for the delivery of the ordered spare parts by the expiry of the exemption period, he/she must submit another exemption application to TD and granted with a new exemption within three months before expiry of the exemption period. Otherwise, the vehicle owner may be subject to prosecution after the expiry of the exemption period so granted.]

(2) Vehicles manufactured 30 or more years ago, properly stored as a private collection and will not be used on roads
For vehicles that are manufactured for 30 years or more, properly stored as a private collection at private land/ private parking space (with a remaining storage period not less than one year) / leased parking space (with a remaining leased period not less than one year) and will not be used on roads, vehicle owner may apply for an exemption with the TD.

Required Documents
(a) duly completed form TD651;
(b) original or photocopy of H.K. Identity Card (in the case of a private owner) (original or photocopy of passport for non-identity card holders);
(c) original or photocopy of Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Registration of Non-Hong Kong Company/Certificate of Change of Name/ Certificate of Registration of Alteration of Name of Registered Non-Hong Kong Company together with an authorization letter issued and signed by a person nominated and authorized by the company (in the case of a company);
(d) original or photocopy of proof of present address (residential address/company address and correspondence address) which is issued not more than 3 months from now. The full list of acceptable proof of address is available at the TD's website; and
(e1) (for vehicles stored at private land/ parking space and remaining storage period not less than one year) Original or photocopy of the title certificate of the storage location [and the original or photocopy of documentary proof / written declaration of storing the vehicle concerned signed by the storage location's owner (which is issued not more than 3 months from now), if the applicant is not the owner of the storage location] (Sample); or
(e2) (For vehicles stored at leased parking space and remaining leased period not less than one year) Original or photocopy of signed lease document.

General Exemption Period that may be Granted

[Note: If there is any change of the stored location of the vehicle, the vehicle owner must inform the TD in writing of such changes as soon as practicable together with relevant supporting document(s), otherwise the exemption may be cancelled. The vehicle owner must submit another application to TD for a new exemption within three months before expiry of the exemption period. Otherwise, the vehicle owner may be subject to prosecution after the expiry of the exemption period.]

(3) Vehicles properly stored by an established car dealer and is consigned for sale
For vehicles that are consigned for sale but remained unsold before the expiry of the three-month notice period, and properly stored by an established car dealer without being used on roads and abandoned, the vehicle owner or the established car dealer may apply for an exemption with the TD.

Required Documents
(a) duly completed form TD651;
(b) original or photocopy of H.K. Identity Card (in the case of a private owner) (original or photocopy of passport for non-identity card holders);
(c) original or photocopy of Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Registration of Non-Hong Kong Company/Certificate of Change of Name/ Certificate of Registration of Alteration of Name of Registered Non-Hong Kong Company together with an authorization letter issued and signed by a person nominated and authorized by the company (in the case of a company);
(d) original or photocopy of proof of present address (residential address/company address and correspondence address) which is issued not more than 3 months from now. The full list of acceptable proof of address is available at the TD's website;
(e) photocopy of Business Registration Certificate of car dealer concerned; and
(f) original or photocopy of documentary proof / written declaration issued by the car dealer (which is issued not more than 3 months from now) stating that the vehicle concerned is consigned for sale (Sample)

General Exemption Period that may be Granted
Up to two years

[Note: If the vehicle is sold and transferred to a new owner, the new owner must either relicense the vehicle as soon as practicable, or apply for an exemption afresh. Even if the vehicle is properly stored, if there is any change of the stored location of the vehicle, the vehicle owner or the established car dealer must inform the TD in writing of such changes as soon as practicable together with relevant supporting document(s), otherwise the exemption may be cancelled. Vehicle owner or the established car dealer must submit another application to TD for a new exemption within three months before expiry of the exemption period. Otherwise, the vehicle owner may be subject to prosecution after the expiry of the exemption period.]

Vehicles unable to be licensed due to other reasons
Vehicle owners may provide other reasonable grounds for the TD's consideration of granting an exemption based on individual case.

Required Documents
(a) duly completed form TD651;
(b) original or photocopy of H.K. Identity Card (in the case of a private owner) (original or photocopy of passport for non-identity card holders);
(c) original or photocopy of Certificate of Incorporation/Certificate of Registration of Non-Hong Kong Company/Certificate of Change of Name/ Certificate of Registration of Alteration of Name of Registered Non-Hong Kong Company together with an authorization letter issued and signed by a person nominated and authorized by the company (in the case of a company);
(d) original or photocopy of proof of present address (residential address/company address and correspondence address) which is issued not more than 3 months from now. The full list of acceptable proof of address is available at the TD's website;
(e) original or photocopy of documentary proof / written declaration (which is issued not more than 3 months from now) supporting that it is not reasonably practicable to have the vehicle licensed due to other reasons; and
(f) original of the written declaration made by the registered vehicle owner for applications made under reasons for being unable to have the vehicle concerned licensed other than reasons specified in TD651 (which is issued not more than 3 months from now) (Sample) 

Points to Note
(A) An exemption will only be granted if the TD is satisfied that it is not reasonably practicable for the vehicle owner to renew the licence of their vehicle.
(B) The TD will take time to consider the application, and may require the applicant to provide relevant supporting documents before deciding whether an exemption will be granted.
(C) If the application is approved, the exemption period granted will commence on the date when the Transport Department completes processing the application.
(D) Even when a vehicle remains unlicensed or is granted with an exemption, it will remain to be registered under the vehicle owners' name and they have to continue to bear all legal liabilities associated with it.

e-Licensing Portal

Owners may register and use the e-Licensing Portal of the TD to enquire the licence expiry date of their vehicles, and to renew the licence anytime, anywhere online.

Notes for cancelling vehicle registration

Within 15 days of a proper disposal of his unwanted vehicle,  the vehicle owner should submit or send by post the required documents to Licensing Office of the Transport Department for the notification for cancellation of vehicle registration. If the vehicle owner does not notify for the cancellation of vehicle registration, he will be held liable for all the liabilities incurred with the vehicle concerned.

If you wish to dispose of your unwanted vehicle, you may make use of the services provided by vehicle scrapping companies.  You are, however, reminded to:

(1) request for a scrapping certificate issued by the vehicle scrapping company. You should check if the Business Registration Certificate Number of the scrapping company has been marked on the certificate (Sample attached) ;
(2) submit or send by post the following documents to a Licensing Office of the Transport Department within 15 days after the scrapping of your vehicle for the notification for cancellation of vehicle registration:
  a.  the original Vehicle Registration Document;
  b.  the original Vehicle Licence of the vehicle (if the Licence is still valid);
  c. the original scrapping certificate issued by the vehicle scrapping company;
  d.  (i) the identification document of the registered owner (e.g. the H.K. Identity Card or a passport for non-H.K. Identity Card Holders, in the case of an individual owner or the Certificate of Incorporation in the case of a limited company owner); or
    (ii)  a copy of the identification document of the registered owner and the identification document of an agent if the notification for cancellation of vehicle registration is handled by an agent authorized by the registered owners;
  e.  the relevant original Certificate of Allocation of Personalized Registration Mark (if the present assigned vehicle registration mark is personalized registration mark); and 
  f. a duly completed "Notification for Cancellation of Vehicle Registration" (TD 184).

For village vehicle, the owner of a village vehicle in respect of which a village vehicle permit has been issued shall within 7 days thereafter inform this Department and shall at the same time return the permit if the village vehicle is abandoned.

Reminders for renewing vehicle licence

Since December 2024, the TD has started issuing SMS or email to registered owners whose vehicle licence will expire in one month, have just expired or have expired for two years via the e-contact means they provided in their licensing applications, to remind them that they must renew their vehicle in time.

For enquiries on matters relating to de-registration of vehicles, please call the 1823.