Hong Kong moves test-free driver’s licence ticketing online after long queues
Demand for so-called direct-issue licences has surged since motorists from neighbouring Guangdong province have been allowed to drive across the border and on Hong Kong roads.
Hong Kong’s Transportation Department announced on January 7, 2026, that it would no longer issue walk-in tickets in order to stop people from queuing overnight to apply for a test-free driver’s license. Demand has surged since December 2025, when motorists from neighbouring Guangdong province started being allowed to drive across the border and on Hong Kong roads, but only with a valid Hong Kong driver’s licence. The number of in-person applicants waiting to get limited tickets for a “no test” licence outside the Transport Department grew in recent weeks, with long queues seen up to 12 hours before the office opening.