Hong Kong receives eight ride-hailing licence applications, review underway
Hong Kong's Transport Department has received eight applications for ride-hailing service licences. A review committee will assess each bid on fleet management, financial capacity and compliance with driver-vehicle binding rules. The government aims to announce qualified platforms by year's end.
The Transport Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced on 30 October 2026 that it has received eight applications for ride-hailing service licences, describing the response as positive.
A review committee comprising representatives from the Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Digital Policy Office and the Transport Department will conduct a detailed evaluation of each application. The assessment will cover ride-hailing fleet management, booking platform services, service launch plans, service commitments, customer service, experience in operating ride-hailing platforms, financial capacity and capital investment, as well as the implementation of due diligence to ensure that vehicle owners and drivers comply with the “person-vehicle binding” requirement. The committee will also examine specific plans to encourage drivers under the platform to provide more ride-hailing trips.
The review committee will submit recommendations to the Commissioner for Transport, with a view to announcing a list of qualified platforms within this year.
A Transport Department spokesman said: “The government is committed to enhancing personalised point-to-point transport services as a whole, providing passengers with more safe, lawful and diversified travel options. At the same time, it aims to create a healthy competitive environment to promote the long-term healthy development of the industry. The government will carefully assess each application to ensure that licensed platforms possess the necessary operational and financial capacity to continuously provide safe, reliable and efficient ride-hailing services.”
The department also said it will announce details regarding applications for ride-hailing vehicle driving permits and vehicle permits at a later stage, in support of the operation of licensed platforms.
