From 9 May, any Hong Kong permanent resident or locally registered company will be able to apply for a multiple-entry quota allowing a non-commercial private car to drive across the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge (HZMB) and circulate in Macau without prior appointments. The Transport Department announced on 1 May that 1,400 Hong Kong quotas are on offer—900 newly created and 500 recycled from permits about to expire—with 400 of them carved out as an entirely new open ‘public’ category that removes previous employment or investment-in-Macau requirements. Applications will be accepted online between 9 and 20 May, after which successful bids will be selected by electronic ballot.
![Hong Kong opens new ‘public’ quota for private cars on Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge]()
For firms daunted by the expected surge in paperwork, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) can step in to pre-screen documents, arrange the mandatory cross-boundary insurance and even lodge quota applications on clients’ behalf, saving hours of administrative time.
The first newly authorised vehicles could start crossing as early as 13 July, and permits will run until July 2029. Holders may make unlimited round trips but must carry valid mainland and Macau insurance and observe each jurisdiction’s road rules. For corporate mobility managers the change is significant. Until now, only individuals who worked in Macau or companies with Macau operations could secure the much-coveted quotas, limiting self-drive options for Hong Kong-based executives. The wider eligibility should make day-trip business visits faster and cut reliance on ferry or coach services—particularly valuable when carrying product samples or sensitive documents. Logistics experts, however, warn that parking in Macau remains scarce and expensive, and that traffic police there enforce mainland-style digital penalties. Firms planning to use the new scheme should budget for cross-boundary insurance premiums of roughly HK$4,000 per vehicle per year and should add Macau scan-code toll tags to corporate fuel cards. The quota expansion also dovetails with Beijing’s push to integrate the Greater Bay Area. Analysts expect reciprocal measures—such as a larger Macau-resident quota for driving into Hong Kong—to follow within 12 months.
For firms daunted by the expected surge in paperwork, VisaHQ’s Hong Kong team (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) can step in to pre-screen documents, arrange the mandatory cross-boundary insurance and even lodge quota applications on clients’ behalf, saving hours of administrative time.
The first newly authorised vehicles could start crossing as early as 13 July, and permits will run until July 2029. Holders may make unlimited round trips but must carry valid mainland and Macau insurance and observe each jurisdiction’s road rules. For corporate mobility managers the change is significant. Until now, only individuals who worked in Macau or companies with Macau operations could secure the much-coveted quotas, limiting self-drive options for Hong Kong-based executives. The wider eligibility should make day-trip business visits faster and cut reliance on ferry or coach services—particularly valuable when carrying product samples or sensitive documents. Logistics experts, however, warn that parking in Macau remains scarce and expensive, and that traffic police there enforce mainland-style digital penalties. Firms planning to use the new scheme should budget for cross-boundary insurance premiums of roughly HK$4,000 per vehicle per year and should add Macau scan-code toll tags to corporate fuel cards. The quota expansion also dovetails with Beijing’s push to integrate the Greater Bay Area. Analysts expect reciprocal measures—such as a larger Macau-resident quota for driving into Hong Kong—to follow within 12 months.
