Learning to drive and getting your license in 2025
With the Continuing Education Fund (CEF) now covering driving courses offered by driving schools, more people are considering getting their driver's license. After all, Hong Kong's road tests are famously stringent, with only about a 20% pass rate for both automatic and manual transmissions. The Transport Department's (TD) driving test guidelines recommend a minimum of 30 hours of driving training for beginners. Assuming each lesson is 45 minutes long, that means at least 40 sessions are needed to meet the requirements, and the tuition for 40 sessions can be quite significant. So, should you opt for a private instructor or a driving school? Some believe that the driving school's test routes are easier to pass, but is that really true? Today, we at Kwiksure will compare private instructors and driving schools for you.
All money sums in this article are in Hong Kong Dollars (HKD) unless otherwise stated.
- What vehicle and transmission type to learn?
- Private car/van learning and license process
- Driving school or private Instructor: which is better?
- Private car/van learning and license process
- Driving school or private Instructor: which is better?
What vehicle and transmission type to learn?
Before starting your driving lessons, you first need to decide whether you want to learn to drive a private car or a van. Undoubtedly, private cars are easier for beginners. But if you have a light goods vehicle license, you can still drive a private car, but you cannot drive a light goods vehicle with a private car license. Moreover, if you plan to make a living from driving, a light goods vehicle will be a more mainstream choice.
As for the transmission, automatic transmission (AT) is certainly easier than manual transmission (MT). MTs require good hand-and-leg coordination, making them more challenging. After obtaining your MT license, you can drive AT vehicles as well, but you cannot operate an MT vehicle if you have an AT license.
Currently, the most common combinations are MT light goods vehicles and AT private cars. It’s easier to find driving school courses and private instructors for those combinations, and the fees are lower.
| License type | 1 | 1A | 2 | 2A |
| Private car (manual) | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Private car (automatic) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Light goods vehicle (manual) | No | No | Yes | No |
| Light goods vehicle (automatic) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Difficulty | ＊＊＊＊ | ＊＊ | ＊＊＊＊＊ | ＊＊＊ |
Private car/van learning and license process
- Complete the application forms, including the driving test application (TD82) and the learner's license application (TD555).
- Bring the completed forms and proof of address within the past three months to the Hong Kong Licensing Office or Kowloon Licensing Office to complete the procedures and pay the driving test and learner's license application fees ($510+$548).
- Get a written test scheduling letter and take the test on the specified date. The written test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, and at least 16 correct answers are required to pass.
- After passing the written test, schedule the road test immediately.
- Decide between a driving school or a private instructor, following the TD's recommendation of a minimum of 30 hours of on-road practice.
- Take the road test on the date specified in the scheduling letter. The test consists of:
- Part B: Mainly evaluates driving on a slope, stopping the car, parking, and U-turns on narrow roads.
- Part C: Road test based on a route designated by the TD.
- After passing the road test, get your probationary driving license (P-license).
Driving school or private Instructor: which is better?
| Driving school | Private instructor | |
| Budget | Higher (can apply for CEF reimbursement) | Lower (but cannot apply for CEF reimbursement) |
| Learning style | Systematic training | Varies depending on the instructor |
| Personality | Prefer structured learning, step-by-step approach | Enjoy spontaneity, want to try different instructors |
| Fee mode | Package-based | Pay as you learn (usually requires payment for 5-10 sessions upfront) |
Private car/van learning and license process
- Complete the application forms, including the driving test application (TD82) and the learner's license application (TD555).
- Bring the completed forms and proof of address within the past three months to the Hong Kong Licensing Office or Kowloon Licensing Office to complete the procedures and pay the driving test and learner's license application fees ($510+$548).
- Get a written test scheduling letter and take the test on the specified date. The written test consists of 20 multiple-choice questions, and at least 16 correct answers are required to pass.
- After passing the written test, schedule the road test immediately.
- Decide between a driving school or a private instructor, following the TD's recommendation of a minimum of 30 hours of on-road practice.
- Take the road test on the date specified in the scheduling letter. The test consists of:
- Part B: Mainly evaluates driving on a slope, stopping the car, parking, and U-turns on narrow roads.
- Part C: Road test based on a route designated by the TD.
- After passing the road test, get your probationary driving license (P-license).
Driving school or private Instructor: which is better?
| Driving school | Private instructor | |
| Budget | Higher (can apply for CEF reimbursement) | Lower (but cannot apply for CEF reimbursement) |
| Learning style | Systematic training | Varies depending on the instructor |
| Personality | Prefer structured learning, step-by-step approach | Enjoy spontaneity, want to try different instructors |
| Fee mode | Package-based | Pay as you learn (usually requires payment for 5-10 sessions upfront) |
