Hong Kong’s new Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme—informally dubbed the “GBA self-drive permit”—is facing its first real stress-test this week as families and small-business owners on the mainland rush to secure one of only 100 daily slots to enter the city’s urban area by private car. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan told Commercial Radio that every slot for the three-day holiday window (February 16-18) was snapped up within hours, and about 500 vehicles are expected to arrive over the coming days. (news.tvb.com)
Launched in 2025, the programme allows Guangdong-registered cars that meet insurance and safety requirements to drive in Hong Kong for up to 72 hours without needing a separate Hong Kong licence plate. More than 7,000 vehicles have enrolled so far, but demand typically spikes during long weekends when cross-boundary families visit relatives or mainland shoppers take advantage of Hong Kong’s tariff-free luxury market.
![Southbound Guangdong-to-Hong Kong “100-cars-a-day” quota almost fully booked for Lunar New Year]()
Whether you’re sorting out cross-border vehicle paperwork or arranging quick-entry visas for visiting colleagues, VisaHQ can simplify the admin. Their Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) lets drivers, tourists and business travellers submit visa applications and supporting documents online, shaving days off traditional processing times so you can focus on securing those limited self-drive slots.
For mobility managers the surge matters for two reasons. First, the quota system remains first-come-first-served, meaning corporate travellers who leave bookings too late could be forced to fly or take the train instead of driving door-to-door. Second, the Transport Department said it is analysing GPS data from the first year of the scheme to decide whether to lift the 100-car cap later in 2026—something freight forwarders and service technicians have lobbied for to shorten response times within the Greater Bay Area.
Practically, employers should remind assignees that Hong Kong’s mandatory third-party insurance rules, right-hand-drive traffic and electronic road-pricing pilots all apply the moment a mainland car crosses the border. Companies that lease vehicles in Shenzhen for project teams may find it cheaper to hire Hong Kong-plated cars during peak periods until the quota expands.
Launched in 2025, the programme allows Guangdong-registered cars that meet insurance and safety requirements to drive in Hong Kong for up to 72 hours without needing a separate Hong Kong licence plate. More than 7,000 vehicles have enrolled so far, but demand typically spikes during long weekends when cross-boundary families visit relatives or mainland shoppers take advantage of Hong Kong’s tariff-free luxury market.
Whether you’re sorting out cross-border vehicle paperwork or arranging quick-entry visas for visiting colleagues, VisaHQ can simplify the admin. Their Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) lets drivers, tourists and business travellers submit visa applications and supporting documents online, shaving days off traditional processing times so you can focus on securing those limited self-drive slots.
For mobility managers the surge matters for two reasons. First, the quota system remains first-come-first-served, meaning corporate travellers who leave bookings too late could be forced to fly or take the train instead of driving door-to-door. Second, the Transport Department said it is analysing GPS data from the first year of the scheme to decide whether to lift the 100-car cap later in 2026—something freight forwarders and service technicians have lobbied for to shorten response times within the Greater Bay Area.
Practically, employers should remind assignees that Hong Kong’s mandatory third-party insurance rules, right-hand-drive traffic and electronic road-pricing pilots all apply the moment a mainland car crosses the border. Companies that lease vehicles in Shenzhen for project teams may find it cheaper to hire Hong Kong-plated cars during peak periods until the quota expands.
