The Hong Kong Transport Department has opened licence applications for ride-hailing platforms under a newly introduced regulatory framework designed to oversee the industry’s operations. Announced on August 28, the conditions set stringent eligibility criteria, requiring companies to demonstrate a substantial track record in providing lawful ride-hailing services in cities with populations exceeding 7.5 million and processing more than 100,000 daily bookings in at least two locations.
Key prerequisites include using advanced technologies such as facial recognition to verify that vehicles are operated by their registered owners holding valid permits. The department underscored that licensing aims to ensure safer and more compliant point-to-point transport options for the public.
Applicants must be Hong Kong-registered companies maintaining permanent executive staff and offices in the city. The licence stipulates that the most senior executive possess a university degree, substantive experience in transport management, and primary residency in Hong Kong. Financially, applicants are required to present audited statements for the past three years, with a minimum capital of HK$50 million, including at least HK$30 million in bank deposits and an equivalent amount in credit line facilities.
Once licensed, operators are obligated to submit trip data to the government at designated intervals in specific formats, with all information stored locally. The regulations also prohibit cross-border ride-hailing services and mandate compliance with Hong Kong’s national security legislation.
The application window will close on October 30 and submissions will be reviewed by an assessment committee comprising officials from the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Digital Policy Office, and the Transport Department. Granted licences will be valid for up to five years, with an annual fee of HK$1.2 million.
Currently, multinational platforms such as Uber, which already operates in Hong Kong, along with mainland Chinese companies Didi and Amap, have indicated plans to apply for the new licences. Amap is operated by Alibaba Group Holding.
Ben Chan Han-pan, chairman of the Legislative Council’s transport panel, signaled support for the licensing standards, emphasizing the importance of balancing thresholds. He cautioned that criteria set too low might lead to market fragmentation, while excessively high requirements could discourage market entry. Chan noted the financial requirements as reasonable relative to the annual licensing fee and stressed the importance of maintaining a manageable number of platforms to avoid diluting the pool of approximately 10,000 licensed vehicles.
Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan indicated that the first licences are expected to be issued from late November, with a nine-month grace period before full regulatory enforcement begins on August 22, 2027. The government has also introduced a combined written test for taxi and ride-hailing vehicle drivers, scheduled for the fourth quarter, intended to facilitate the issuance of vehicle and driving permits.
Since August 3, new legal provisions limiting ride-hailing permits to 10,000 vehicles have been effective, with the quota subject to future review. Recently, Transport Secretary Mable Chan reported that over 7,500 candidates registered for the new written test, describing the response as "very good and positive." She also mentioned that additional ride-hailing operators from mainland China and Southeast Asia have expressed interest in entering the Hong Kong market.
In early September, the transport panel plans a delegation to Beijing to study regulatory practices and operational models for ride-hailing platforms in mainland China.