TD invites interested platform companies to apply for ride-hailing service licences
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Following the passage of the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Ride-hailing Services) Ordinance 2025 by the Legislative Council in October 2025, and the completion of the scrutiny of four pieces of related subsidiary legislation in mid-July 2026, most of the legal provisions under the ride-hailing services regulatory regime came into operation on August 3, 2026. The Government has been proactively carrying out a series of preparatory work to facilitate the launch of ride-hailing services, including inviting interested platform companies to apply for ride-hailing service licences.
A Government spokesman said, "Ride-hailing service is a brand new form of personalised point-to-point public transport services. Through the introduction of the ride-hailing services regulatory regime, the platforms, vehicles as well as drivers providing such services are required to obtain the relevant licences and permits, so as to offer the public more options of safe and compliant point-to-point transport service. To ensure that ride-hailing platforms have the operational capability to provide ride-hailing platform services, we will impose certain requirements in areas such as ride-hailing booking management technology, experience in operating ride-hailing platform services, proof of financial capability and capital investment."
Applicants for ride-hailing service licences must be companies registered in Hong Kong and must maintain a permanent establishment of executive personnel and an office in Hong Kong to facilitate the Government's regulation of the daily operations and service performance of ride-hailing platforms. To ensure that platforms have the capability to meet local ride-hailing demand, applicant companies must demonstrate their scale of operations, including lawful operation in a city with a population comparable to that of Hong Kong (i.e. 7.5 million or above), and having processed a daily average of 100 000 or more orders for ride-hailing passenger transport services in two cities where ride-hailing services are provided.
In addition, applicant companies must demonstrate their financial capability to support stable operation of their platforms in Hong Kong and the continued provision of proper and efficient services. The Government also requires applicant companies to provide audited financial reports for the past three years, with company paid-up capital of no less than HK$50 million, and to possess bank deposits of at least HK$30 million as well as a line of credit facilities of at least HK$30 million.
To safeguard passenger safety and maintain service quality, applicant companies must submit a service proposal setting out in detail their service plans, including corporate management; implementation of due diligence to ensure that vehicle owners and drivers comply with the owner-driver binding requirement; customer service; encouraging ride-hailing driving permit holders on their platforms to provide more ride-hailing trips; providing taxi ride-hailing services; and encouraging taxi drivers to register on their platforms to provide services.
The key entry requirements and licence conditions for ride-hailing service licences are set out in the Annex.
An assessment committee comprising representatives of the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Digital Policy Office and the TD will assess the applications and make recommendations to the Commissioner for Transport on whether to issue ride-hailing service licences to the applicant companies. If an applicant company's licence application is approved, the licence will be valid for a maximum period of five years, with an annual licence fee of HK$1.2 million.
The spokesman added, "To enable the Government to grasp and monitor the operation and compliance situation of each licensed platform, the TD is developing a ride-hailing vehicle data management system. The systems of platforms will in future be connected to the TD's data management system and provide operational data. The TD's ride-hailing data management system will be able to receive operational data in real time. Such data will help the Government to regulate ride-hailing services, master the actual operation of platforms, and conduct dynamic assessments of market development and changes in supply and demand for future policy reviews. In addition to monitoring the operation of platforms through mastering their operational information, the Government also attaches great importance to data security. According to statutory requirements, licensed platforms must, in the manner specified in the licence conditions, ensure that any data relating to services provided through the licensed platform is transmitted and stored securely. Without the consent of the data subjects concerned, platforms must not use such data for other purposes, or transmit such data to other persons or organisations."
Interested companies registered in Hong Kong may request for the invitation documents through the TD's website.
Applicants must complete and submit the form of application, service proposal and relevant supporting documents (one original and seven legible photocopies) in accordance with the terms and conditions of the invitation documents, along with a cashier's order of HK$16,250 as payment of the application fee, in a sealed envelope with "Application for Ride-hailing Service Licence 2026" clearly marked on the outside of the envelope. Applications must be delivered to the reception counter of the TD Headquarters on 10/F, South Tower, West Kowloon Government Offices, 11 Hoi Ting Road, Yau Ma Tei, before noon on October 30, 2026 (Friday). Late applications will not be accepted.
Ends/Friday, August 28, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:14
Issued at HKT 12:14
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