Driving in Hong Kong with a UK licence, and getting around without a car

Good news first: Hong Kong drives on the left, and the UK is on its list of places whose licences can be swapped without a test. Better news: you may never need to, because Hong Kong's public transport is among the best in the world.

The short version

• Visitors can drive in Hong Kong on a valid UK licence or an International Driving Permit for up to 12 months after their last arrival [1][2].
• That rule is for visitors. If you've come to live here, the Transport Department expects you to get a Hong Kong licence [1].
• The UK is on the approved list for "direct issue", so a British full licence can be exchanged for a Hong Kong one without a test, if you meet the conditions [1][3].
• Since 16 March 2026, direct-issue applications are by online appointment only, with form TD63A and your original UK licence [1].
• The MTR network runs to about 271 km with 99 stations, and a typical trip costs around HK$10 (about 95p) [5][6].

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = HKD 10.5659).

Driving on your UK licence

Hong Kong's rules (Regulation 37 of the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Regulations, Cap. 374B) let a visitor drive for up to 12 months from their last entry, in the classes of vehicle their overseas licence or permit covers [1]. A "visitor" here means anyone who arrives other than to take up residence for more than 12 months [1].

The FCDO puts it plainly: "If you are visiting, you can drive in Hong Kong with a valid UK driving licence for up to 12 months" [2]. It adds that hire car companies often have stricter rules, such as more years of driving, a higher minimum age or an International Driving Permit, so check with the firm before you travel [2].

What this means in practice:

• On holiday or a short work trip: your UK photocard licence is enough. Take an IDP too if your hire company asks for one.
• Moving here on a work visa: you're taking up residence, so apply for a Hong Kong licence once you've settled. Don't rely on the 12-month rule.

The International Driving Permit

You don't need an IDP to drive in Hong Kong on a UK licence, but some hire firms want one. Sort it out in the UK before you leave. Hong Kong's own IDP, which the Transport Department issues to Hong Kong licence holders for driving abroad, costs HK$80 (about £7.60) [4].

Swapping your UK licence for a Hong Kong one

The UK, together with Alderney, Bermuda, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey, is on the Transport Department's list of approved places for direct issue of a Hong Kong full driving licence [3]. Direct issue means no test, and no 12-month probation either [1].

Who qualifies

You need all of these [1]:

• a full UK licence (not provisional; probationary licences aren't accepted)
• a licence that is valid, or expired for no more than three years
• a licence you got by passing the driving test in the UK
• a Hong Kong licence for the same class of vehicle (private car, light goods vehicle, motorcycle or motor tricycle)

And at least one of these:

1. the UK licence was issued while you lived in the UK for at least six months, or
2. you've held it for at least five years immediately before applying, or
3. you hold a British passport.

That third condition covers most readers in one go, as long as your licence came from the same place as your passport.

How to apply

1. Book an appointment online through the Transport Department's direct-issue booking system. Since 16 March 2026 there are no walk-ins or queue tickets, and postal or drop-box applications aren't accepted [1].
2. Fill in form TD63A and sign it by hand. A digital or printed signature isn't accepted [1].
3. Gather your documents [1]: - your Hong Kong identity card or passport - your physical UK photocard licence, with photocopies of both sides - proof of your Hong Kong residential address, issued within the last three months - form TD256, a medical certificate, if you're 70 or over
4. Go to the licensing office at your appointment time. Overseas licences other than mainland Chinese ones are handled at the Hong Kong Licensing Office [1].
5. Pay the fee. The Transport Department's fee table (TD341, revised February 2026) lists HK$900 (about £85) for a full licence for applicants aged 60 or under, with a lower rate for older applicants [4].

Licences issued this way since 15 September 2025 carry a reference number starting with "DI" [1].

What about your UK licence?

Keep it safe. If you move back to Blighty later, a valid UK licence saves a lot of faff. DVLA rules on addresses and renewals while you live abroad are in our guide to driving abroad on a UK licence.

Should you drive at all?

Most Brits in Hong Kong don't own a car, and not just because of the price. Parking is scarce and expensive, the roads in Central and Kowloon are congested, and tunnel tolls add up. Families in Sai Kung, the south side of the Island or the New Territories are the main exceptions. If you do buy a car, budget for first registration tax, an annual vehicle licence, insurance and a parking space, which can cost as much as a small flat elsewhere.

Getting around without a car

The MTR

The MTR is the backbone. Nine local lines, the Airport Express (35.2 km from the airport into town, with in-town check-in at some stations), the Hong Kong section of the high-speed railway to mainland China and the Light Rail in the north-west New Territories add up to about 271 km [5]. The network carried about 4.78 million passengers a day in 2025 [5]. From West Kowloon, high-speed trains ran direct to 96 mainland destinations at the end of 2025 [5].

Octopus

The Octopus card is Hong Kong's Oyster, only more useful: it pays for the MTR, buses, trams, ferries, most minibuses and plenty of shops and supermarkets There are standard and personalised cards, a Tourist Octopus for visitors, and bank co-branded cards that top themselves up automatically. Many people now use Octopus on their phone instead of a card.

Trams, buses, minibuses and ferries

Minibuses seat no more than 19 [9]. Call out your stop clearly; on red minibuses, that's how you get off.

Taxis

Taxis are colour-coded by where they can go. Red urban taxis start at HK$29 (about £2.75) for the first 2 km, green New Territories taxis at HK$25.50, and blue Lantau taxis at HK$24 [7]. Luggage is HK$6 a piece, and you pay tunnel tolls on top, including the return toll on some harbour crossings [7]. Drivers don't have to change HK$500 or HK$1,000 notes, so carry smaller cash or check whether the cab takes Octopus or cards [7]. Have your destination written in Chinese if it's off the beaten track.

When the weather turns

Under typhoon signal No. 8 most public transport winds down, and ferries are among the first services to stop. Our guide to typhoon signals and black rainstorms explains what to expect.

For tips on the best commute from Discovery Bay or whether a car is worth it in Sai Kung, ask in our community group for Brits in Hong Kong.

Sources

1. Transport Department: Holders of driving licences issued outside Hong Kong to drive in the city
2. GOV.UK (FCDO): Hong Kong travel advice, safety and security (still current at 8 November 2026, updated 1 April 2026)
3. Transport Department: List of approved countries or places for direct issue of Hong Kong full driving licence
4. Transport Department: Fees of vehicle and driving licensing services (TD341, Rev. 2/2026)
5. Transport Department: Railways
6. Numbeo: Cost of living in Hong Kong (crowd-sourced, last updated 6 November 2026)
7. Transport Department: Taxi fares of Hong Kong (fares from 14 July 2024)
8. Transport Department: Tram
9. Transport Department: Minibuses
10. Transport Department: Ferries

Keep reading

• Typhoon signals and black rainstorms in Hong Kong
• Cost of living in Hong Kong vs London and the UK average
• Moving to Hong Kong as a Brit: visa and residence routes
• Driving abroad on a UK licence