What you should know about self-driving to Guangdong Province

This scheme allows eligible Hong Kong private cars to enter the Guangdong Province via

the Shenzhen Bay Port once within the 5-day Quota Validity Period; and stay in the Guangdong Province for no more than 7 days (counted from the day of departure from Hong Kong) and must return to Hong Kong within these 7 days via the Shenzhen Bay Port.

Applicants shall be owners of a right-hand drive private car registered and licensed in Hong Kong. If the registered owner of the vehicle is a company, the company must be incorporated in Hong Kong and must authorize in writing one of its directors or staff members to act as the applicant. The applicant should be a Hong Kong resident holding a valid “Home Visit Permit”, and must be in the private car concerned when entering the Guangdong Province and returning to Hong Kong.

At this stage, applicants have not yet been assigned any quota and they will have to submit detailed information and other supporting documents to the Cross Boundary Unit of the TD (refer to Table 1) for applying for the quota within a 5-day application period from the date of quota reservation.

Since the roads leading to the Shenzhen Bay Port are designated as closed roads, car owners will have to apply for a Closed Road Permit (CRP) to use the road.

The application for ad hoc quota and CRP will be processed together. And if the Cross Boundary Unit of the TD does not receive the application by the application deadline, the reserved quota will be canceled automatically, and the vehicle owner concerned will only be able to reserve another quota two weeks after the application deadline.

Table 1: Supporting documents to the Cross Boundary Unit

3. Complete formalities required by the Mainland Government authorities

After getting the CRP, applicants will have to secure Mainland compulsory traffic accident liability insurance for motor vehicles for a period of at least 11 days, and bring along the relevant supporting documents to the designated entry permit service centres of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited (CTS) to complete the formalities and make payments:

• checking validity of Mainland compulsory traffic accident liability insurance

• signing the application form for relevant permits printed by CTS for confirmation

• receiving the "Approval Notice" and "Temporary-entry vehicle license plate and license" issued by the GDPSD

• receiving the "Inspection and quarantine declaration card for temporary arrival/departure of car"

Furthermore, as required by the Mainland customs, applicants should apply for “ATA Carnet” at the Hong Kong General Chamber (HKGCC), where applicants need to pay the application fee and submit Proof of Guarantee. Meanwhile, they can also choose to request HKGCC to arrange for Import Pre-notification on their behalf with an additional fee. Applicants are advised to observe the requirements and fees of the Proof of Guarantee before submitting an application.

There is a big gap in the compensation limit between the Mainland compulsory traffic accident liability insurance and the Hong Kong motor vehicle third party risks insurance. The former only covers liability arising from property damage and bodily injury/death of third parties with a cap of around RMB 100,000, and does not cover any claims lodged by the third parties (victims) in Hong Kong for accidents taking place in the Mainland. On the other hand, the latter only covers car accidents occurred in Hong Kong.

Ensuring you are getting adequate coverage is crucial for your journey, and it is imperative that you compare different insurance plans before making any final purchasing decision. With over 19 years of experience, Kwiksure is an established insurance brokerage that is specialized in motor insurance and home insurance. Contact us today for impartial insurance advice, an obligation-free quote, and a plan comparison!