Now that you have passed your driving test, what’s next?

Even after passing your driving test, you still will not automatically get your P license. Instead, you will need to apply for it yourself.

The procedure for applying for a P license is pretty simple. All you have to do is bring the following documents, pay a fee, and submit the application in person/by mail/by an agent within three years from the date you pass the driving test. If you fail to apply within three years, you will have to take the driving test all over again.

Documents required to apply for a P license

• Original/copy of your Hong Kong Identity Card (HKID Card)
• The original driving test form (commonly called the “yellow form”, only applies to new P license applications)
• Probationary Driving License Application Form TD590
• The original or copy of an address proof issued within the past three months (can be a utility bill, a telephone bill, a bank insurance policy, etc., for a list of address proofs acceptable to the government, click here)
• The application fee for a new P license is HKD $90, and the application fee for a P license renewal is HKD $45
• Transport Department Medical Examination Certificate TD256 (the English form begins on P.5) issued by a registered doctor (only applicable to persons aged 70 or above, the certificate must have been issued within 4 months before the date of submission of application)

Submitting the documents for a P license application

• Send the documents by mail to the Transport Department (TD) Kwun Tong Licensing Office, P.O. Box 68115, Kowloon East Post Office. Please note the following:
• Registered mail is recommended.
• Do not send cash by mail. Instead, pay the fee with a crossed cheque/bank order payable to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
• Remember to write your name, the first 4 characters (including letters and numerals) of your identity document number, and your daytime contact number on the back of the cheque/bank order for identification purposes.
• Submit the documents in person or by an agent (the agent must bring his original identity document for the record) to one of the Licensing Offices of the TD (3/F of United Centre in Admiralty, 2/F of Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 5/F of East Kowloon Government Offices in Lei Yue Mun, or 2/F of Sha Tin Government Offices)

The procedure for applying for a full license is just as simple. All you have to do is bring the following documents, pay a fee, and submit the application in person/by mail/by an agent within three years from the date you complete your probationary driving period. If you fail to apply within three years, you will have to pass the driving test again and complete another probationary driving period before you can apply for a full license again.

Documents required to apply for a full license

• Original/copy of your HKID Card
• Full Driving License Application Form TD557
• The original or copy of an address proof issued within the past three months (can be a utility bill, a telephone bill, a bank insurance policy, etc., for a list of address proofs acceptable to the government, click here)
• The application fee for a new full license is HKD $900 for applicants below 60 years of age, and the license is valid for 10 years
• TD Medical Examination Certificate TD256 (the English form begins on P.5) issued by a registered doctor (only applicable to persons aged 70 or above, the certificate must have been issued within 4 months before the date of submission of application)

How to apply for a full license

• Send the documents by mail to the TD Kwun Tong Licensing Office, P.O. Box 68115, Kowloon East Post Office. Again, please note the following:
• Registered mail is recommended.
• Do not send cash by mail. Instead, pay the fee with a crossed cheque/bank order payable to the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
• Remember to write your name, the first 4 characters (including letters and numerals) of your identity document number, and your daytime contact number on the back of the cheque/bank order for identification purposes.
• Submit the documents in person or by an agent (the agent must bring his original identity document for the record) to one of the Licensing Offices of the TD (3/F of United Centre in Admiralty, 2/F of Cheung Sha Wan Government Offices, 5/F of East Kowloon Government Offices in Lei Yue Mun, or 2/F of Sha Tin Government Offices)
• Use the drop-in box at any TD Licensing Office (no postage stamp is required, but do not place cash inside. Pay by a cheque/bank order instead.)

When will I get my full license?

• If the application is submitted in person at a TD Licensing Office, your license will be issued on the same day;
• If the application is submitted via another method, your full license will be sent to you by registered mail within 10 working days from the date of receipt of your application by the TD.

1. You must display the P plate when driving

When driving, P license drivers must display the "P" plate on the front and rear of the vehicle; if it is a private car or light goods vehicle, a "P" plate can be attached to the left side of the windshield. This is mainly to remind other drivers to be more accommodating to the new driver.

Generally speaking, the "P" plate must be made of reflective materials, and meet the following color and size requirements. It is usually available at gas stations, car accessories shops, major driving schools, bookstores, etc.

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2. P license drivers are not allowed to take passengers when operating a motorcycle or motor tricycle

Since new drivers of these types of vehicles are particularly prone to accidents, and carrying passengers will affect the handling of these types of vehicles, P license drivers are not allowed to take passengers when operating a vehicle of this category.

3. The speed limit for P license drivers is 70 kilometers per hour

To prevent accidents from occurring, even on roads with a speed limit of over 70 km/hr, P license drivers are still not allowed to drive at over 70 km/hr.

4. P license drivers are not allowed to drive on the right lane on highways

On highways with three or more lanes, P license drivers are not allowed to drive in the rightmost lane (commonly called the express lane), and are encouraged to stay in the leftmost “slow lane” to reduce the risk of accidents.

Yes, but because most private car rental companies require drivers to have three to five years of driving experience at a minimum, they usually will not rent to P license drivers.

Having said that, more and more car rental companies have begun lowering their requirements and are willing to rent cars to P license drivers. You can try your luck with these companies. They will usually require you to pay a deposit upfront. If you haven’t had your full driving license for 2 years or are below 25 years of age, you will need to pay more in your deposit. Please also be aware that car insurance is usually more expensive for P license drivers, and the deductible will also be higher.

P license drivers who violate the rules of the road will usually either have their probationary driving period extended or see their P license revoked.

If you have 3 or 5 points deducted, or are found to violate any of the four major restrictions on driving listed above (e.g. failing to display the P plates, driving at over 70 km/hr, driving in the fast lane on a highway, or carrying passengers while driving a motorcycle), you will have committed a "minor" violation, and your probationary driving period will be extended for 6 months.

However, if you commit a violation that causes 10 points to be deducted, or commit two or more "minor" violations, you will be deemed to have committed a "serious" violation. Your P license will be revoked immediately once you are convicted by a court.

Common driving offenses that cause 3 points to be deducted

• Exceeding the speed limit by more than 15 km/hr but not more than 30 km/hr
• Crossing double white lines/continuous double lines
• Failing to yield to pedestrians on zebra crossing
• Failing to report an accident or give particulars after an accident

Common driving offenses that cause 5 points to be deducted

• Careless driving
• Exceeding the speed limit by more than 30 km/hr but not more than 45 km/hr
• Failing to comply with traffic signals (such as running a red light)
• Failing to stop after an accident

Common driving offenses that cause 10 points to be deducted

• Dangerous driving/causing death by dangerous driving/causing grievous bodily harm by dangerous driving
• Drink driving/drug driving
• Failing to provide a specimen of breath for screening breath test/a specimen of blood or urine for laboratory test without reasonable excuse
• Driving in a motor race or speed trial on a road

Meanwhile, some violations will not cause points to be deducted, such as illegal parking or exceeding the speed limit by 10 km/hr, etc. Click here for the details of other driving offenses and how many points will be deducted if you commit them.

No, only drivers with a full license are eligible to apply for an IDP. P license holders therefore have to wait until they get their full license before they can apply for an IDP.

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There are no auto insurance plans specifically designed for P license drivers in Hong Kong, so the process of securing auto insurance is no different for P license drivers than for full-license drivers. That said, because P license drivers are more likely to be involved in accidents, insurers typically charge higher premiums from them, whether the policy is a third-party policy or a comprehensive policy.

So should P license drivers secure third-party or comprehensive auto insurance? How much would insurance cost them? What can P license drivers do to lower their premiums? For the answers to all these questions and much more, please read how P license drivers should look for the right car insurance plan.