Brief Description of Ride-hailing Services

Ride-hailing Vehicles

The Role of Ride-hailing Vehicles

Ride-hailing Vehicles provide personalised point-to-point public transport services. With advancements in technology and changing travel patterns, booking and providing point-to-point services through online channels have become an international trend. To provide convenience to members of the public in travelling, the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region introduces a regulatory regime for ride-hailing services providing the public with more options of diverse, safe and compliant point-to-point services.

Platforms, vehicles, and drivers providing ride-hailing services must obtain appropriate licences or permits in order to safeguard public's safety and rights. Compliant ride-hailing services must fulfill the following three conditions, including:

  1. the private car that provides the service must hold a valid ride-hailing vehicle permit;
  2. the driver driving or using the concerned private car in providing services is a holder of ride-hailing vehicle driving permit; and
  3. the service is booked through a platform that holds a valid ride-hailing service licence.

Ride-hailing Platforms

Any electronic or telecommunications platform providing ride-hailing platform service must hold a valid ride-hailing service licence.

Applicant for ride-hailing service licence must be a company registered in Hong Kong. When deciding whether to grant or refuse an application for a ride-hailing service licence, the Commissioner for Transport may consider the following matters, including the applicant's experience in operating a ride-hailing platform, financial capacity, intended investments in Hong Kong for operating a platform, qualifications of the company's directors as well as the proposed standard of the ride-hailing services to be provided. Ride-hailing service licence holders must conduct due diligence to ensure that all vehicles and drivers providing ride-hailing passenger transport services through their platforms hold valid permits. Licensed platforms are also responsible for ensuring that drivers providing ride-hailing passenger transport services are the registered owners of the vehicles they drive or use (i.e. in compliance with the owner-driver requirement).

Fees

Application Arrangement

In accordance with section 55G(1) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Chapter 374), the TD has started inviting interested platform companies to apply for ride-hailing service licences since 28 August 2026.

Request for Invitation Documents

Interested platform companies can download the application form to request for the invitation documents. The duly completed application form stamped with company chop together with a copy of a valid Business Registration Certificate shall be returned to the TD by email to STO-SD3-VLD@td.gov.hk. Upon confirming the receipt of relevant information by the TD, the companies requesting for the invitation documents will be contacted for collecting the invitation documents via the email address provided in the application form.

Eligibility for Application for Ride-hailing Service Licence

To ensure ride-hailing platforms have sufficient operational capacity to provide ride-hailing platform service, we will impose requirements for applying for ride-hailing service licences covering aspects such as management in ride-hailing bookings, experience in operating ride-hailing platform service, proof of financial capability and capital investment:-

  1. Applicants for ride-hailing service licences must be companies registered in Hong Kong and maintain permanent administrative staff and offices in the city to facilitate government's oversight of the platforms' daily operations and service performance.
  1. To ensure platforms have the capacity to meet local ride-hailing demand, applicants must demonstrate their scale of operations, including a track record of operation in compliance with law in a city with population comparable to that of Hong Kong (i.e., 7.5 million or more) and an average daily volume of at least 100,000 ride-hailing orders in two cities.
  1. Applicants must demonstrate the financial capability to support the stable operation of their platforms in Hong Kong and the continuous provision of proper and efficient services. Applicants are required to submit audited financial reports for the past three years. Applicants must have a paid-up capital of no less than HK$50 million, as well as bank deposits of at least HK$30 million and a credit facility of HK$30 million.
  1. To ensure passenger safety and maintain service quality, applicants must submit a service proposal detailing their operational plans. These plans must cover aspects such as corporate management; the implementation of due diligence and ensure that vehicle owners and drivers comply with the "owner-driver binding requirement"; customer service; measures to encourage affiliated ride-hailing drivers to provide more ride-hailing trips; and the provision of taxi-hailing services, including efforts to encourage taxi drivers to register on their platforms.

Submission of Application

Applicants must, in accordance with the terms of the invitation documents, complete the form of application, service proposal and relevant supporting documents (one (1) original and seven (7) legible photocopies), along with a cashier's order of an amount of HK$16,250 as payment of the application fee, in a sealed envelope with "Application for Ride-hailing Service Licence 2026" clearly marked on the outside of the envelope (but there must not be any marking that would enable the applicant to be identified).

Applications must be delivered to the reception counter of the Transport Department Headquarters on 10th Floor, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, Kowloon.

Closing Date and Time for Submission

12:00 noon on 30 October 2026 (Friday) (Hong Kong time).

If tropical cyclone signal No. 8 or above is hoisted, or a black rainstorm warning signal or "extreme conditions after super typhoons" announced by the Government is/are in force at any time between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon on 30 October 2026 (Friday) (Hong Kong time), the application closing time will be postponed to 12:00 noon (Hong Kong time) on the first working day after the tropical cyclone signal No. 8 is lowered, or the black rainstorm warning signal or the "extreme conditions after super typhoons" announced by the Government has/have ceased to be in force. Late applications will not be accepted.

Ride-hailing Vehicles

All private cars providing ride-hailing passenger transport service must hold a valid ride-hailing vehicle permit.

Application for ride-hailing vehicle permit must fulfill the following conditions for TD's approval:—

  1. the applicant is a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit holder;
  2. the applicant is the registered owner of the private car concerned;
  3. a vehicle licence is in force in respect of the private car;
  4. the private car was manufactured less than 12 years before the date of the application;
  5. if the private car was manufactured not less than 6 years before the date of the application—a certificate of roadworthiness (as defined by section 88A of the Road Traffic Ordinance) (Cap. 374) has been issued in respect of the private car within 1 year before the date of the application;
  6. there is in force in relation to the use of the private car for providing ride-hailing passenger transport service a policy of insurance or security in respect of third party risks that complies with the Motor Vehicles Insurance (Third Party Risks) Ordinance (Cap. 272);
  7. if a hire car permit is in force in respect of the private car—the applicant has given written consent that the hire car permit is to be cancelled on the issue of the ride-hailing vehicle permit;
  8. if the applicant has held a ride-hailing vehicle permit within 3 years before the date of the application—the permit was not cancelled under section 55V(2)(a) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) during that period; and
  9. the applicant has paid any fee prescribed in the Road Traffic (Ride-hailing Service) Regulation (Cap. 374AB) for the application for, and the issue of, the ride-hailing vehicle permit.

Vehicle Certificate

A ride-hailing vehicle that is in the course of providing ride-hailing passenger transport service must display a ride-hailing vehicle certificate ("vehicle certificate"). Details regarding application for the ride-hailing vehicle certificate as well as the position and manner for displaying the relevant certificate, will be announced later.

Fees

Fees relating to Ride-hailing Vehicle Permits
Permit valid Note for a period of 4 months or less $540
Permit valid for a period over 4 months but not exceeding 12 months

$1,560
Permit valid for a period exceeding 12 months $2,100

Fees relating to Variation of Ride-hailing Vehicle Permit
Application for variation of subject private car of ride-hailing vehicle permit $1,500

Fees relating to Ride-hailing Vehicle Certificate
Application for Ride-hailing Vehicle Certificate $245
Application for Duplicate Ride-hailing Vehicle Certificate $125

Note: The validity period of a vehicle permit is subject to the expiry date of the vehicle licence of the vehicle concerned.

Application Arrangement

TD expects to invite applications for ride-hailing vehicle permit in the fourth quarter of 2026. Details will be announced later.

Drivers of Ride-hailing Vehicles

All drivers driving ride-hailing vehicles for providing ride-hailing passenger transport services must hold a valid ride-hailing vehicle driving permit.

Application for ride-hailing vehicle driving permit must fulfill the following conditions for TD's approval—

  1. the applicant is aged 21 or above;
  2. the applicant is the holder of a valid full driving licence to drive a private car or light goods vehicle and has held the licence for at least 1 year before the date of the application;
  3. the applicant has, within 3 years before the date of the application, passed the Taxi and Ride-hailing Vehicle Combined Written Test;
  4. the applicant has, within 1 year before the date of the application, completed a pre-service course in respect of ride-hailing vehicles;
  5. the applicant has not, within 5 years before the date of the application, been convicted of an offence under section 36, 36A, 39, 39A, 39B, 39C, 39J, 39K, 39L, 39O(1) or 39S of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374);
  6. the applicant—
    1. is the holder of a permanent identity card; or
    2. is the holder of an identity card (other than a permanent identity card) and is not subject to any condition of stay other than a limit of stay as defined by section 2(1) of the Immigration Ordinance (Cap. 115);
  7. if the applicant was disqualified from driving a private car or taxi under the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374), the Road Traffic (Driving-offence Points) Ordinance (Cap. 375) or the Taxi-Driver-Offence Points Ordinance (Cap. 647)—the period of disqualification has expired on or before the date of the application;
  8. the applicant meets the physical fitness requirements specified in regulation 10(3) of the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations (Cap. 374B);
  9. if the applicant has held a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit within 3 years before the date of the application—the permit was not cancelled under section 55Z(2)(a) of the Road Traffic Ordinance (Cap. 374) during that period; and
  10. the applicant has paid any fee prescribed in the Road Traffic (Ride-hailing Service) Regulation (Cap. 374AB) for the application for, and the issue of, the ride-hailing vehicle driving permit.

The above conditions no. 3 regarding the written test and no. 4 regarding the completion of a pre-service course for ride-hailing vehicles are not applicable to an applicant who holds a valid full driving licence to drive a taxi.

Fees

Note: A period less than one year shall be counted as one year. The validity period of a driving permit is subject to the expiry date of the applicant's full driving licence to drive a private car or light goods vehicle, and at most five years.

Application Arrangement

TD expects to invite applications for ride-hailing vehicle driving permit in the fourth quarter of 2026. Details will be announced later.

Individuals already holding a valid taxi full driving licence may apply for a ride-hailing vehicle driving permit direct and is not required to take the Taxi and Ride-hailing Vehicle Combined Written Test and Pre-Service Course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers.

Taxi and Ride-hailing Vehicle Combined Written Test and Pre-Service Course for ride-hailing vehicle drivers

Relevant Documents