Facing scenes of overnight queues and ticket scalping outside its Admiralty licensing office, the Transport Department announced on 7 January that all tickets for ‘direct-issue’ driving-licence applications will be distributed online from 12 January. ([scmp.com](https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/transport/article/3339025/hong-kong-transport-chief-calls-urgent-fix-driving-licence-application-backlog)) The direct-issue scheme lets holders of valid licences from 33 jurisdictions—popular with expatriates and returning locals—swap their permits for a Hong Kong licence without a test.
Only 300 slots per working day will be released on a first-come-first-served basis at 07:00 via the department’s web portal. Walk-in ticketing, previously limited to 120 numbers, will be scrapped entirely. Officials said the change ensures “fair and orderly” distribution after reports of touts selling same-day tickets for up to HK$2,000.
Applicants will have to upload copies of their overseas licences when reserving a slot, cutting counter processing time by an estimated 40 %. The department will also pilot an e-payment option for the HK$900 fee to further shorten on-site visits.
![Hong Kong moves test-free driving-licence ticketing fully online to end overnight queues]()
For expatriates juggling multiple relocation formalities, digital concierge services such as VisaHQ can help streamline the paperwork. Through its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/), the company reviews required licence and immigration documents, flags common errors and can even coordinate appointment bookings, saving newcomers several back-and-forths with government portals.
Global-mobility teams should alert incoming assignees that lead times to secure an exchange slot may still stretch to two weeks until pent-up demand clears. Employers with large expatriate intakes can request group bookings through the department’s corporate desk, but proof of employment will be required.
Longer term, the Transport Bureau is studying whether quotas should be expanded or decentralised to new licensing centres in Kowloon East and the New Territories as part of its Smart Mobility Blueprint.
Only 300 slots per working day will be released on a first-come-first-served basis at 07:00 via the department’s web portal. Walk-in ticketing, previously limited to 120 numbers, will be scrapped entirely. Officials said the change ensures “fair and orderly” distribution after reports of touts selling same-day tickets for up to HK$2,000.
Applicants will have to upload copies of their overseas licences when reserving a slot, cutting counter processing time by an estimated 40 %. The department will also pilot an e-payment option for the HK$900 fee to further shorten on-site visits.
For expatriates juggling multiple relocation formalities, digital concierge services such as VisaHQ can help streamline the paperwork. Through its Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/), the company reviews required licence and immigration documents, flags common errors and can even coordinate appointment bookings, saving newcomers several back-and-forths with government portals.
Global-mobility teams should alert incoming assignees that lead times to secure an exchange slot may still stretch to two weeks until pent-up demand clears. Employers with large expatriate intakes can request group bookings through the department’s corporate desk, but proof of employment will be required.
Longer term, the Transport Bureau is studying whether quotas should be expanded or decentralised to new licensing centres in Kowloon East and the New Territories as part of its Smart Mobility Blueprint.
