Mainland China is recognised by Hong Kong, but possession of a mainland licence does not automatically qualify. All common criteria and one additional condition require evidence; an agent's promise or borrowed residence evidence cannot fill an eligibility gap.
What to have ready
Before you start
Applicants must be at least eighteen, hold a recognised full licence, seek an equivalent class and prove it followed the relevant tests in the issuing place. They must also establish at least six months' residence including the licence's original first issue, rather than a later renewal or reissue date, at least five years' holding immediately before application, or an issuing-country/place passport or equivalent travel document. TD excludes the mainland travel and Hong Kong/Macao residence permits from that last travel-document branch; a residence permit or property document alone does not prove six months' residence.
What to do, step by step
- Check completion of the relevant probationary status, validity or expiry within three years, and class equivalence. Direct issue covers only private cars, light goods vehicles, motorcycles and motor tricycles; it does not automatically authorise Hong Kong commercial driving.
- Compare first and current issue dates and any replacement or added category. Obtain official driving particulars where TD requires them to establish test origin and full status for each entitlement, rather than relying solely on a first-issue date printed on the current card.
- Choose the additional branch supported by real evidence: residence needs travel and employment or school records covering at least six months with the original first-issue date within that period; five-year holding needs entitlement-specific proof. Ask TD about ambiguous travel documents instead of treating Hong Kong identity as mainland passport eligibility.
- Verify electronic contact details, book the designated direct-issue counter, and bring originals, hard copies and an originally signed TD63A. Follow any acknowledgement through the same licensing office; an appointment is not approval.
Costs, timing, and things to check
From 16 March 2026 appointments are mandatory, without walk-in or on-site tickets. Hong Kong Licensing Office handles recognised issuers generally; Kowloon, Kwun Tong and Sha Tin currently handle mainland full-licence direct-issue applications.
An exchanged mainland licence should not be represented as obtained through relevant mainland tests. Five-year holding or a passport does not waive the common test-origin and full-status criteria. Present the actual history to TD when clarification is needed.
A practical example
A Hong Kong resident who tested in Shenzhen a year ago cannot use a residence permit alone as proof of six months' residence. They need an actual residence period of at least six months including original first issue, or another applicable branch, plus the relevant full and test-obtained entitlement evidence.
Recognition is the starting point; apply only with evidence for all common criteria and an additional branch.
Official information and enquiries
These are the reference and service entry points for this guide. Check current fees, eligibility, and schedules with the authority. The preparation date is not each source's official update date.