Taxi Written Test to be further enhanced from November
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The Taxi Written Test focuses on assessing candidates' practical knowledge of the guidelines and regulations related to taxi operation, key locations and routes, as well as the Road Users' Code. To keep up with the times and after conducting a comprehensive review of the arrangements of the Test, the TD will enhance the Taxi Written Test (regardless of test for fresh candidates or repeaters) starting from November 3, 2025, as follows:
- Merging the existing Part A "Taxi Regulations" and Part B "Location and Route Questions" as the new Part A "Taxi Operation" to test taxi drivers' practical knowledge, including relevant legislation as well as basic location knowledge;
- The current Part C "Road Users' Code" will become the new Part B to continue to test their knowledge of the Code;
- Having considered that modern navigation technology can now assist taxi drivers in quickly locating destinations and planning the most efficient driving routes, the Taxi Written Test will substantially reduce and simplify the questions on prominent locations and route identification, and the question bank will also be updated, with a view to better aligning the Test with practical needs and ensuring that the candidates who pass the test possess the necessary professional knowledge and qualities of taxi drivers and have a basic understanding and grasp of the major road networks and frequently visited locations;
- The Taxi Written Test will also include new questions to assess candidates' knowledge of the series of new measures introduced for enhancing taxi service quality (e.g. taxi fleet regime, the Taxi-Driver-Offence Points system); and
- The total number of test questions will be adjusted from 90 to 75. The passing criteria for each part and the test duration will remain unchanged.
The TD improved the Taxi Written Test in February 2020 by updating the test content and adjusting the number of questions, giving a better focus on the assessment of core knowledge regarding taxi services, which successfully attracted more people to apply for the Test. The number of candidates sitting the Test has increased significantly by 40 per cent in the past few years, from less than 10 000 candidates in 2019 to around 14 000 candidates in 2024. In addition, the passing rate of the Taxi Written Test rose from 37 per cent in 2019 to 60 per cent in 2024, showing that the enhancement of the Taxi Written Test has brought a notably positive effect in attracting newcomers to join the taxi driver profession.
The TD has consulted the Committee on Taxi Service Quality comprising members from diverse professions and sectors, including the taxi trade, and will issue letters to the taxi trade on the scope of the new Written Test. The TD will distribute the updated Guide to Taxi Written Test and Taxi Operation Booklet to candidates, and they can also refer to the TD's website later.
Ends/Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Issued at HKT 18:24
Issued at HKT 18:24
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