29th October 2026 – (Hong Kong) Uber said today it has formally lodged an application with the Transport Department for a ride-hailing service licence, as the government opens the door to licensed platforms and prepares to issue the first batch by the end of November.
The company said it had completed and submitted the relevant forms and documents in line with the invitation papers issued by the department. Hong Kong is building a statutory regime under which platforms, vehicles and drivers must hold the proper licences or permits before offering booked point-to-point rides.
Estyn Chung, Uber’s General Manager for Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, welcomed what he called a clear and formal regulatory system. Uber would keep talking to the government and co-operate fully through the licensing process, he said, hoping under the new framework to keep offering convenient and reliable travel in the city.
Uber also said it had enlarged its dedicated support team to help drivers through the transition. Training and written-test preparation are being offered so partners can meet the new rules. The company is working with four local driving schools to give drivers discounts on the taxi written examination and pre-service courses that form part of the new pathway into licensed work.
For years Uber and other apps operated in a legal grey zone that repeatedly put drivers, passengers and taxi operators at odds. Lawmakers last year passed the Road Traffic (Amendment) (Ride-hailing Services) Ordinance, and most of the related rules took effect in August, paving the way for today’s formal applications. Officials have said licensed platforms are meant to give the public safer, compliant choices alongside taxis.
The Transport Department invited platform companies to apply from late August, with a noon deadline tomorrow for sealed bids. Successful licences may run for up to five years. An assessment panel including the Transport and Logistics Bureau and the Digital Policy Office will advise the Commissioner for Transport on who gets through.
