Vehicle Examination
The Vehicle Safety and Standards Division and Bus Technology Division of the Transport Department (TD) seek to ensure the safety of vehicles through controlling the design requirements and encouraging proper maintenance. Prior to registration, all vehicles are required to go through type approval and / or examination to ensure that they meet the requirements as stipulated in the Road Traffic Ordinance. All commercial vehicles, including goods vehicles, buses, light buses, taxis and trailers, are required to undergo a pre-registration examination, and annual roadworthiness examinations thereafter. Moreover, all private cars aged over 6 years are required to pass examination every year. The TD also monitors the state of maintenance and repairs of in-service franchised buses through spot checks to ensure their safety and roadworthiness.
The New Kowloon Bay, Kowloon Bay, To Kwa Wan and Sheung Kwai Chung Vehicle Examination Centres (VEC) have been relocated to the Transport Department Vehicle Examination Complex (TDVEC) in Tsing Yi in phases in 2021, 2022 and 2024. TDVEC provides examination services for motorcycles, motor tricycles, private cars, buses, light buses, taxis, goods vehicles, trailers and special purpose vehicles. While the ground floor of the TDVEC is operated by a contractor, other sections of the TDVEC and all other VECs are operated by the TD. There are also 39 privately-owned designated Car Testing Centres in operation in the territory, providing annual examination services for private cars and light goods vehicles not exceeding 1.9 tonnes.
In 2024, about 604,000 vehicle examinations were carried out at the above centres.