There are two types of trade licences for use on different kinds of vehicles. Trade licences and trade plates are issued to bona fide manufacturer or repairer of or dealer in vehicles, subject to payment of an annual licence fee and their full compliance with the licensing conditions.

The Road Traffic (Registration and Licensing of Vehicles) (Amendment) (No.2) Regulations takes effect on 9 July 2012. Under the Amendment Regulation, a new type of trade licence for the re-export trade of left-hand drive vehicles has been introduced. The control mechanism has also been improved to prevent the abuse of the use of trade licence. 

The permitted usages of the two types of trade licences are as follows,

Trade licence for use on non-left hand drive vehicle ("Red plate") Trade licence for use on left-hand-drive vehicles for re-export purpose only ("Blue plate")
  • Can only be used on non-left-hand-drive vehicles which can be registered and licensed in Hong Kong. The plates have red letters on white background.
  • Permitted usages:
    (i) an unregistered non-left-hand drive vehicle in the course of delivery to a motor dealer or exhibitor;
    (ii) a non-left-hand drive vehicle for the purpose of presale demonstration to a potential customer;
    (iii) a non-left-hand drive vehicle for the purpose of mechanical test; or
    (iv) a non-left-hand drive vehicle for the purpose of examining, repairing or presale retrofitting the vehicle.
  • Can only be used on left-hand-drive vehicles intended for re-export . The plates have blue letters on white background.
  • Permitted usages:
    (i) an unregistered left-hand drive vehicle in the course of delivery to a motor dealer or exhibitor;
    (ii) a left-hand drive vehicle for the purpose of examining, repairing or presale retrofitting the vehicle; or
    (iii) an unregistered left-hand drive vehicle to a port or boundary control point for the purpose of re-export to a place outside Hong Kong.