The Hong Kong government is set to welcome applications for 10,000 transport operator permits from August, the Transport and Logistics Bureau has announced.
Bureau said said in a statement Thursday that the Legislature had completed its consideration of additional legislation to regulate transportation services, including legislation setting the limit on the number of permits.
The government intends to issue the first permits in November.
Transport and Logistics Minister Mable Chan told the press on Thursday that, despite the initial permit limit of 10,000, the number was not “a hard and fast figure”.
Instead, the government can adjust the number depending on various factors, including platform operations, algorithms, delivery efficiency and drivers’ service models, Chan said.
Chan said the completion of the legislative work to regulate ride-hailing services marked “a new milestone” for the city’s point-to-point transportation, providing the public with compatible, safe, more efficient and diverse travel options.
New penalties
The government has changed the laws governing transport services since last year. Last October, the legislature passed the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Travel Service) Ordinance 2025.
Under the new mechanism, only licensed vehicles can provide ride services to customers, while unlicensed platforms and drivers will face heavier penalties.
The bureau said Thursday that, starting Aug. 3, drivers convicted of carrying passengers for hire or reward without a license will be disqualified from driving for 12 months to three years.
From August 22 next year, when all the legislation comes into force, operating a travel platform in Hong Kong will require a valid licence. Licensed platforms must fully implement due diligence to ensure that all vehicles and drivers providing travel services under their flag have valid permits.
Those operating an unlicensed ride-hailing platform from next August 22 could face a maximum fine of HK$1 million and up to 12 months in prison.
Uber, a ride-hailing giant, said in a submission to the legislature in May that it had more than 30,000 active drivers on its platform, arguing that the government’s proposed limits on licenses would not meet demand.
Uber estimated that, if the number of passes were capped at 15,000, four out of 10 ride requests would still go unfulfilled during peak hours, while wait times could double and fares could rise by 70 percent.
