Transport Department - Renewal Application

Eligibility of Renewal Application

The eligibility criteria for the renewal of "Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles" ("STGV") (Entry into Urban Area) are as follows:

Other than the general application eligibility of applicants, vehicles and designated drivers (please click here for more details), renewal applications are required to comply with ALL of the following criteria:
- Applicant remain unchanged;
- Vehicle remain unchanged (including the Mainland Vehicle Registration Mark, Chassis Number / V.I. Number, Engine Number and colour, etc.); and
- Designated drivers remain unchanged (including the number of designated driver(s) and the People's Republic of China Resident Identity Card Number of the designated driver(s));
The applicant must submit a renewal application to the Mainland authority within the 60-day period prior to the expiry of the existing International Circulation Permit ("ICP").

The Mainland authority will remind eligible applicants via SMS, email and/or the in-system notification in the STGV Information Management Service System to submit their renewal applications through the system (Simplified Chinese version only) before the specified deadline. If you have not received the relevant notification or have queries regarding the submission of the renewal application, please contact the Mainland authority directly.

Renewal Application Procedures

An eligible applicant must first submit his renewal application and supporting documents for the STGV to the Mainland authority via the STGV Information Management Service System (Simplified Chinese version only). The applicant must provide a valid email address at the time of submission in order to receive email notifications from the Guangdong and Hong Kong governments regarding the application procedures, progress, approval results, traffic arrangements, etc. To avoid missing notifications, applicants should check their mailboxes regularly (including spam, bulk and junk mailboxes).

After the Mainland authority completes the preliminary vetting, the renewal application information and supporting documents will be forwarded to the Transport Department ("TD") for processing. The TD will notify the applicant of his application status and the required procedures via the email address provided during the application.

Please note that applicants should not replace any of their supporting documents (including but not limited to the Hong Kong Full Driving Licence and travel documents) while the renewal application is being processed. Otherwise the application must undergo re-assessment or may be rejected.

The Hong Kong renewal application procedures of the STGV are similar to those of the new application procedures. It takes approximately 14 working days for TD to vet the submitted renewal application, though the actual processing time may be adjusted depending on the circumstances of individual applications and the volume of applications received. Applicants are advised to allow sufficient time to complete the formalities. The Hong Kong renewal application procedures of the STGV are as below:

Step 1: Vehicle Inspection

If an applicant submit a renewal application before the specified deadline to the Mainland authority via the STGV Information Management Service System (Simplified Chinese version only) within two years of successfully passing the vehicle inspection, vehicle inspection is not required for the renewal application, and the TD will not send an email to invite the applicant to arrange vehicle inspection. (For example, if a vehicle successfully passed the inspection on 1 January 2026, and a renewal application is submitted to the Mainland authority on or before 31 December 2027, vehicle inspection is not required. Vehicle inspection is required if the renewal application is submitted to the Mainland authority after 31 December 2027.)

Step 2: Vetting of Eligibility for Applications and Designated Drivers

Upon completion or being granted an exemption of vehicle inspection, the TD will vet the eligibility of the applicant and the designated driver(s), and notify the applicant of his Hong Kong application number and the subsequent steps in approval process via email.

Applicants may check their renewal application progress and complete the required procedures at any time through the TD's STGV (Entry into Urban Area) Application System (Chinese version only). When logging in, they must provide information such as the Hong Kong or Mainland application number shown in the notification email, the Mainland vehicle registration number, the identity document number and email address.

Step 3: Submission of Address Proof and Verification of "e-Contact Means"

After successfully passing the vetting of eligibility, the applicant must (i) submit a Hong Kong address proof for "Designated Driver 1" and (ii) assist "Designated Driver 1" in verifying his "e-Contact Means" in order to process the application for the ICP. "Designated Driver 1" refers to the Designated Driver 1 stated in the existing electronic Approval Letter.

Please note that the bureaux or departments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government may use the Hong Kong address of the "Designated Driver 1" (i.e., the ICP applicant) to contact the permit holder regarding the processing of applications, cross-boundary traffic and transport matters, and the enforcement of traffic laws.

Submission of Address Proof

After passing the preliminary vetting of the applicant and designated drivers' eligibility, the applicant will receive an email notification from the TD and must log in to the Application System within the deadline specified in the email to complete the following procedures:

The "Designated Driver 1" (i.e., the ICP applicant) must provide his Hong Kong address through the Application System and upload a copy of the Hong Kong address proof issued within the past three months. The address proof must be a letter or bill (e.g., bills from the Water Supplies Department, CLP Power/ HK Electric, Towngas, or telecommunications companies; or letters issued by government departments, public organisations, banks, or local educational institutions, etc.) and must clearly show the name of the "Designated Driver 1", the address, the name of the issuing organisation and the date of issue.
If the "Designated Driver 1" does not have a Hong Kong address, he may provide a Hong Kong address from another person residing in Hong Kong or an authorised company, along with the following:
- His Hong Kong address proof;
- A copy of the front of the authorised person's Hong Kong Identity Card, or a copy of the authorised company's Business Registration Certificate; and
- An authorization letter signed by the authorised person/ company granting the applicant permission to use the address (click here to download the sample, Simplified Chinese version only).

You may click here to review the requirements regarding the Hong Kong address proof.

Please note that ICP applicants are required to upload a copy of proof of Hong Kong address issued within the last three months via the Application System for vetting when applying for renewal applications. As the proof of address and/or authorization letter submitted during the last application had expired, please prepare and check the relevant documents again to ensure compliance with the requirements for proof of address when submitting your renewal application.

Verification of "e-Contact Means"

When applying for or renewing a permit from the TD, the "Designated Driver 1" (i.e., the ICP applicant) must provide a frequently used Hong Kong mobile phone number or email address that can receive messages via SMS or email as the "e-Contact Means". After completing the submission of the proof of Hong Kong address for "Designated Driver 1", the applicant must assist "Designated Driver 1" in completing the verification of the "e-Contact Means" in the STGV Application System. For details regarding the "e-Contact Means", please click here.

Step 4: Submission of Vehicle Insurance Supporting Documents

Upon completion of the vetting of the address proof, the TD will notify the applicant by email to submit the details of the Hong Kong motor vehicle third party risks insurance and upload a copy of the insurance policy before a specified deadline. The applicant must follow the instructions in the email to take out a Hong Kong motor vehicle third party risks insurance which takes effect not earlier than the expiry date of the existing ICP and with an effective date within the next three months, and upload the full copy of the Hong Kong motor vehicle third party risks insurance policy, that is valid for the vehicle on the effective date of the ICP, to the STGV Application System.

Step 5: Issue of Electronic ICP and Approval Letter

If the application is approved, the TD will notify the applicant by email and issue the electronic ICP and Approval Letter in Portable Document Format ("PDF"). The applicant must log in to the STGV Application System to download the electronic version of ICP and Approval Letter. The Hong Kong vehicle registration mark assigned to the Guangdong vehicle would remain the same. Please click here for the legal requirements on the display of number plates.

Please note that the applicant issued with the ICP and Approval Letter must then follow the instructions of the Mainland authorities to complete the follow-up approval process for his application, and will be notified of the application result separately upon completion. If an applicant eventually fails to obtain approval from the Mainland authorities or if the approval is cancelled, the ICP and Approval Letter issued by the TD will become invalid.

When the Guangdong vehicle is in Hong Kong, a printed copy of the ICP valid at the time must be displayed in a conspicuous place on the left-hand side of the vehicle's windscreen. Otherwise, the vehicle must not be on or be used on any road in Hong Kong. If requested by a police officer or a traffic warden, the Approval Letter must be produced for inspection. If the existing ICP remains valid, you are required to continue displaying the existing ICP during its validity period and switch to displaying the new ICP upon the commencement of the new ICP. Please refrain from using expired or not yet effective ICP.

The printing specifications for the permit are as follows:

Use a new sheet of white A4 paper;
Use a laser printer or printer with high resolution; set the printer to print A4 size paper, scaling at 100% and print layout with one page per sheet; and
Use double-sided printing and print in black and white colour.

After printing, please check the printed copies of the ICP and Approval Letter to ensure that all information and QR codes on the copies are clearly legible.

Step 6: Top up HKeToll Account

Approved STGV participants may continue to use the previously opened HKeToll account by logging in to the HKeToll official website or mobile app to top up the account in order to pay tunnel tolls for Hong Kong's tolled tunnels. If an account holder forget your HKeToll account name or password, he can click "I Forgot" before logging in on the official website or mobile app to reset it, or contact the Toll Service Provider via email at enquiry@hketoll.gov.hk or by calling the hotline on (852) 3853 7333.

The first HKeToll "vehicle tag" for each vehicle is provided free of charge. If the "vehicle tag" is lost or damaged, the account holder can purchase a replacement from the Toll Service Provider or designated inspection centres.

Please note that reaching popular attractions such as Victoria Peak, Golden Bauhinia Square, and Ocean Park requires passing through Hong Kong tolled tunnels. Certain tunnels (e.g., the three Road Harbour Crossings and Tai Lam Tunnel) apply Time-varying Toll Plan with varying rates at different time slots. Failure to pay tolls on time will result in a surcharge of up to HK$525 per trip and may affect the eligibility for future southbound trips. Please click here to check the tolls rates for various tunnels in Hong Kong.

For details on using HKeToll to pay tolls, please refer to the promotional leaflet (Simplified Chinese version only).