The Transport Department (TD) has introduced stricter annual vehicle inspection rules, under which private cars found to have serious defects may be classified as “dangerous vehicles,” leading to license suspension and mandatory re-examination.
Under the revised arrangements, private cars identified with any of 13 major defects—such as failed parking brakes, fuel leaks, or a fractured chassis—during inspections at designated testing centers risk being deemed dangerous.
Once confirmed, the vehicle’s license will be suspended. Owners will be required to have the car towed for repairs before undergoing a mandatory re-inspection.
Traditionally, private vehicle owners pay an inspection fee of HK$585 and are given 14 days to arrange a re-inspection if their vehicles fail to meet the required standards. A re-test at the same designated center costs HK$180.
Under the new rules, however, owners of vehicles classified as dangerous must pay the full inspection fee of HK$585 again and undergo re-examination at the Transport Department’s Vehicle Examination Complex in Tsing Yi.
A TD spokesman said the new arrangement aims to better safeguard public safety by preventing dangerous vehicles from remaining on the road.
The department confirmed that it had briefed all designated testing centers on the revised procedures earlier this month.
According to TD statistics, 1,498 out of 394,105 private cars inspected at designated centers in 2024 were classified as dangerous, accounting for 0.38 percent of all inspections.
Ringo Lee Yiu-pui, honorary life president of the Hong Kong, China Automobile Association, said centralizing re-inspections at the TD’s examination complex was necessary to ensure consistent and rigorous checks.
While severely damaged vehicles are relatively uncommon, Lee advised car owners to repair any known defects before attending inspections and not to “take chances.”
He also noted the increased burden on motorists, citing the higher re-inspection fee and the inconvenience of towing vehicles. Lee suggested maintaining the HK$180 re-test fee could help ease driver dissatisfaction while still upholding safety standards.
