Hong Kong to roll out electronic driving licenses by end 2024

Hong Kong will roll out electronic driving licenses by the end of 2024 at the soonest, allowing drivers to use their phones to display the license without carrying a physical one. 

Still, drivers can choose to carry their physical driving licenses if they wish, the Transport Department said at a press conference on Friday afternoon. 

The electronic license will come with a QR code for police to scan when enforcing the law, the department noted. 

The department expects a dedicated one-stop electronic license application platform will be launched mid-2024. 

By then, users will be able to check the information about their driving licenses, the date of expiry, and points deducted over driving offenses, among other available license services. 

The department also announced that the issuance of vehicle licenses will be digitalized starting mid-2024. The expiry date will no longer be displayed and owners need not collect a new physical copy after renewing the license annually. 

The procedures for renewing the vehicle license will be made simpler as well and the documents including the private car certificate of road-worthiness, the vehicle registration document, commonly known as a license book, and insurance papers will not be required. 

Authorities added that the ticketing system for the offices of the department will be expanded in the first quarter of this year. 

The four license offices will give out a total of 980 tickets a day to handle driving license services and applications for driving exams.