License applicants to provide verified e-contact means to TD starting from Nov 18

Starting from November 18, the Transport Department (TD) will require all drivers applying for or renewing their licenses to provide a verified mobile number or email address. This new mandate facilitates the digital issuance of fixed penalty notices by the police, anticipated to start in early 2025.

The digital system will allow the police to send fixed penalty notices via text messages or emails, with fines payable through traditional methods or digital options like FPS, credit cards, and mobile e-wallets.

Applicants for new or renewed driving and vehicle licenses must verify a Hong Kong mobile phone number or email address as their electronic contact method (ECM) from November 18. This ECM is crucial for receiving electronic communications from the Hong Kong Police Force and the TD, aligning with the Traffic e-Enforcement System's gradual implementation.

The TD recommends online license applications for instant ECM verification using a one-time password (OTP) during the application process. For paper applications, ECM verification via OTP on the TD's designated online platform is required at least three months before submission, available from November 4, at 10 am.

Unverified ECMs or discrepancies in ECM information will lead to application rejections. Changes to the ECM must be reported to the TD within 72 hours through GovHK online services or by submitting Form TD559.

While transitioning to digital tickets, the police will initially continue issuing paper tickets. The TD, part of the SMS Sender Registration Scheme, ensures SMS authenticity, identifiable by the prefix "#TDeContact." The public is reminded that the TD will not send SMS or emails containing hyperlinks.

The TD expects to collect information from about 2.6 million people, with approximately 300,000 expected to renew their licenses soon. The department will mail detailed instructions in batches to those with expiring licenses. Over the next year, around 800,000 letters will be dispatched.

The police highlight that the maximum renewal period for a driving license is 10 years and 12 to 16 months for a vehicle license. With illegal parking tickets comprising over 80 percent of annual tickets, most are expected to be digitized soon, reducing the time to issue a penalty notice by 15 minutes.