Common Q&A

Scrap Car Q&A

1. Car owners who want to keep their license plate can settle the vehicle first, then take the Car Scrapping Paper (Notification for Cancellation of Vehicle Registration), after that handle the license plate reserving procedure within fifteen days at the Transport Department. (Form TD184)
Necessary Document: Driving license
Notification for Cancellation of Vehicle Registration
License Plate Reserving Form (TD 129)
License Plate Reserving Fee $560

The reserving period is only 12 months. If the applicant does not transfer the license plate number to a different vehicle, the Transport Department will cancel the registration of the plate number and distribute it to others.

2. After the cancellation of the car registration, the car license fee will be refunded. Legally, the formula of the refund is the license fee per year X 0.24% X day of the validity period (The remaining validity period needs to be more than 60 days)

3. Since the car owner leaves Hong Kong without a home address, how to transact the vehicle registry cancellation and license fee refundation?

You can send a letter to the Transport Department to apply the remaining licence fee to the new address and write the cheque to the name of the agent. The application letter pattern is as follows:
———————————————————————–
To the Transport Department:
I XXX Hong Kong Identity Card NO 123456(7) is the registered owner of the vehicle AB1234
I hereby declare that I will cancel the existing license fee and refund the license fee to XXX. Please pay XXX to the cheque payer. I hereby declare that he wishes to pay attention. Authorized to come: ___________ Hong Kong identity card number: _______________ Agent retreat fee procedures.
Check payee: _____________
contact person phone number: ______________
Mailing address: _________________________________
Registered owner signed: __________ Date: _________
———————————————————————–

4. If the vehicle is idle for more than two years, the Transport Department only cancels the right to use the vehicle and does not waive the owner’s responsibility for the vehicle. If the vehicle is not properly handled, the owner must bear all the responsibilities. If there is any of the above, you should contact the company to handle the vehicle as soon as possible. Obtain the duly completed Vehicle Scrapping Certificate. Then go to the Transport Department to cancel the vehicle registration process.

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Q&A

If I would like to retain my vehicle registration mark , do I first go to Transport Department before I finish transition with Speed Scrap?

You can, but there is a better way. Here is a tip to save you time and money. Instead of visiting the T.D. office twice, you can complete The transaction with an officially recognized scraping company. Then with the scrapping certificate provided by the scrapping company. Then visit the T.D. office – ONCE, within 15 days. This way you can complete both the cancellation of a vehicle and the reservation of the license number in one visit.
Documents you need:
A. Original Vehicle Registration Document
B. Vehicle Licence
C. The original Scrapping Certificate or Receipt issued by the scrapping company
D. The Completed TD129 form – Form for retaining vehicle registration mark
E. Fee for the TD129 – HKD$560

How much for cancelling the registration of a vehicle?

It is FREE. But must be completed within 15 days after the vehicle has been scrapped.

I still have half year worth of unexpired vehicle licence fee, can I get refund?

the number of days in the unexpired period of the valid vehicle licence is 60 days or more, the vehicle owner can verbally notify the licencing office with the submitting of the TD184. The refund will be mailed to the vehicle associated address, processing time is around four to six weeks.

My car has been stored for over two years, as well the Transport Department has notified me that my vehicle registration has been cancel, what can I do?

Although the T.D. has notified you about the cancellation of your vehicle, yet, you are still responsible for such vehicle.
To spare yourself with the potential legal responsibility. Contact an officially recognized scraping company to process the unwanted vehicle properly. Then report to the T.D.

If the vehicle register documents have been misplaced or lost, and I would like to scrap my car, what can I do?

An officially recognized scraping company such as L.H.H. to process the unwanted vehicle. We will then provide you with an original Scrapping Certificate with the Vehicle Identification Number. For details, please contact us.

I am handling the cancelation and register fee refunding process on behalf of a friend/family, yet the original car owner has left Hong Kong with no current address in Hong Kong. In this case, how will be the process of refunding?

Just like selling a car, a drivable vehicle is worth much more. In our case, with the vehicle running, we can better understand the potential of a vehicle, e.g. Will the vehicle be explored overseas, or be used as scrap metal etc.
Without testing of the car, we can only guess what we can do. Therefore, the value is lower in those cases. If it is caused by an old battery, then it will be a different case. For more details, contact us by email ([email protected]), phone or WhatsApp at 5543 3226.

Why is there such a huge gap between the price quotation of a drivable and a non-drivable vehicle?

If the Vehicle Identification Number (V.I.N.) was confirmed been modified, if you bought it as a second-hand car. Very likely the vehicle has been legally modified. Sorry if that happens to you, and because of that, the T.D. licencing office will not grant your vehicle with a vehicle licence. This translates into such vehicle will NOT be allowed to be driven in Hong Kong. Same reason, no one will buy it, and selling such vehicle is illegal.
The best legal way out of that is to contact an officially recognized scraping company to process the vehicle before such vehicle costs you more legal responsibility.

I am a busy man/woman, considering to seek a third party to take care the scrap car process for me. Should I do so? If so, what are the risk?

We highly discourage anyone to rely on a third party to take care of this process.
Usually such party will charge you a fee for the service. More important, you will care on an extra layer of risk. Since you will need to hand all related documents to that person, you will be highly vulnerable to any mistake or mean action by that person. Including improperly processing the vehicle, the vehicle was back on the market without the owner knowing, and the vehicle was involved in an accident, which later cost the original owner over HKD$300,000.

My vehicle licence is due to expire in a few weeks. What do I need to do?

A vehicle licence may be renewed within 4 months prior to its expiry date. You have to complete the form together with supporting documents. A Certificate of Roadworthiness is required in case the vehicle is subject to an examination. If a renewal application is made after the expiry date of the licence, the renewed licence will run from the issue date of the new licence. The total fee payable in this case should be the licence fee plus an additional charge, which is 0.33 per cent of the licence fee for each day of the unlicensed period since the expiry date of the former licence.

I have lost my vehicle licence/registration document. How do I get a duplicate?

If your vehicle licence or registration document has been lost, destroyed or defaced, you should apply to any of the Transport Department Licensing Offices for a duplicate with the form TD151 and pay the appropriate fee. In the case of loss of vehicle licence, please bring along the original vehicle registration document, Hong Kong Identity Document/Certificate of Incorporation (a copy is acceptable) upon your submission of your application for a duplicate. In the case of loss of a vehicle registration document, you should report to a Police Station and produce a police report upon your submission of the application. If you submit your application through an agent, please bring along a letter of authorization, and your original Hong Kong Identity Document. If you are a limited company, please bring along a letter of authorization and the original Certificate of Incorporation (a copy certified by a certified public account/solicitor is acceptable).

My car has been lost/stolen. Can I apply for a refund of vehicle licence fee for the unexpired period of the vehicle licence?

If your vehicle has been lost or stolen, and the number of days in the unexpired period of the valid vehicle licence is 60 days or more, the vehicle owner or his/her agent can apply in writing at the Licensing Offices for a refund of vehicle licence fee. You have to produce the original police report card or memo, original vehicle registration document, and a letter from the vehicle owner requesting refund of the unexpired portion of the valid vehicle licence identity document of the registered vehicle owner (photocopy of the identity document is acceptable) upon your application, the cheque payment of refund would be made and mailed to you.

I have changed my address. How do I notify the Commissioner for Transport of the change?

A registered owner of a vehicle is required by law to notify the Transport Department on the form TD559 within 72 hours of any change in respect of the registration particulars, e.g. name, address or identity document of an owner, or the colour, engine number, or seating capacity of a vehicle, etc. You have to complete the form TD559 and submit it together with the current vehicle registration document and where appropriate, the vehicle licence, as well as the supporting documents certifying the change, to any one of the Licensing Offices for amendments. For any change of address, all vehicle/driving licence records under the same I.D. Card No./Limited Co. Certificate of Incorporation No. will also be changed.

When the vehicle licence has been expired over 2 years and the registration of vehicle was cancelled, how can I obtain a new vehicle licence again in order to reuse the vehicle?

The registered owner has to apply for re-registration of the vehicle in order to obtain a new vehicle licence. First of all, the registered owner should duly complete a prescribed application form (TD22) and bring his/her original identity document and original vehicle registration document to Counter No.1 of the Hong Kong Licensing Office for verification of the identity of the registered owner and the vehicle. A referral memorandum will then be given to the registered owner for arranging a vehicle inspection at a specified vehicle examination centre. Upon passing of vehicle inspection, the applicant may apply for re-registration and licensing of the vehicle at Counter No.1 of the Hong Kong Licensing Office together with a completed (TD22) duly endorsed by the vehicle examiner and other supporting documents prescribed in the application form.