New Electric Vehicle Licence Fees Start November 1; Grace Period for Existing Owners Announced

New licence fee for electric private cars to take effect from November 1

The Transport Department (TD) today (October 29) reminded members of the public that the new licence fee for electric private cars (e-PCs) will take effect from November 1 (Saturday). The new fee structure will apply to newly registered e-PCs while renewal of vehicle licences (VLs) for existing ones will be granted a four-month grace period. Eligible disabled vehicle owners will be offered licence fee concessions.

A spokesman for the TD said, "Under the new licence fee structure, licence fees will be charged based on the rated power of e-PCs stated on their vehicle registration documents and VLs, and the fee levels will be suitably adjusted. On the one hand, the new licence fee maintains the attractiveness of electric vehicles (EVs) to continue encouraging drivers to switch to EVs to promote environmental protection, while on the other hand, it aligns with the technological advancements and practices in other regions. The licence fee structure and level for other vehicle classes remain unchanged."

The new five-tier licence fee structure based on rated power will comprise incremental adjustments in five phases over six years. The annual licence fee (ALF) for e-PCs from November 1, 2025, to February 28, 2027 is tabulated as follows:

Rated power of e-PCs (kilowatts) (kW)

ALF from November 1, 2025, to February 28, 2027 ($) (Note)

≤75

1,500

>75 to 125

2,000

>125 to 175

2,500

>175 to 225

3,000

>225

5,000

Note:

The ALF from March 1, 2027, onwards is set out in the Annex.

The Traffic Accident Victims Assistance Fund Levy is not yet included, i.e. $114 per vehicle for one year and $38 for four months at present.

The fee for a licence for four months is 35 per cent of that for an annual licence, plus an additional fee of $30.

Under the new licence fee structure, according to the current distribution of licensed e-PCs, the rated power of 99 per cent of them fall within the first, second and third tiers, while the proportions of e-PCs in the fourth and fifth tiers are only 1 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively.

Special arrangements for VL renewal during four-month grace period

Existing e-PC owners should note that, if their VL expires on or before February 28, 2026, and the renewal application is submitted from November 1, 2025, to February 28, 2026, the prevailing licence fee structure and levels will apply.

As for renewal of VLs expiring on or after March 1, 2026, or applications for first or re-issue of VLs submitted on or after November 1, 2025, the new licence fees will apply.

Provision of licence fee concession to eligible disabled e-PC owners

The Government will offer licence fee concession to eligible disabled e-PC owners pursuant to the policy objective of social integration. If the rated power of such e-PC does not exceed 75 kW, no licence fee will be charged. If it exceeds 75 kW, the ALF will be charged by deducting an amount equal to the prescribed ALF for an e-PC with a rated power of no more than 75 kW from the ALF of its rated power tier. This arrangement will apply to eligible disabled persons who renew VLs expiring on or after March 1, 2026, or submit applications for first or re-issue of VLs on or after November 1, 2025.

The TD has issued letters to the automotive trades and vehicle dealers concerned to remind them to take note of the implementation of the new licence fee structure. Notices have been displayed at the TD's Licensing Offices to introduce the above arrangements. The TD will also put up messages about the new fee structure through the "Electronic Driving Licence" mobile app and the e-Licensing Portal (elicensingportal.td.gov.hk/login).

Members of the public may refer to the TD's websiteor call the hotline at 2804 2600 for details.

Source: AI-found images

CFS finds trace amount of Enterococci in samples of individual batches of bottled mineral water

The Centre for Food Safety (CFS) of the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department announced today (May 28) that two samples of bottled mineral water were found to contain trace amount of Enterococci. The CFS is following up on the incident.

A spokesman for the CFS said, "Under its routine Food Surveillance Programme, the CFS collected bottled mineral water samples at retail level for microbiological testing, including tests for Escherichia coli, Coliform bacteria, Enterococci, Spore-forming sulphite-reducing anaerobes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The test results showed that two samples of the individual batches of bottled mineral water below contained Enterococci at a level of one Colony Forming Unit in 250 millilitres, while all other tested parameters (Escherichia coli, coliform bacteria, Spore-forming sulphite-reducing anaerobes and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were satisfactory (i.e. not detected).

According to the Microbiological Guidelines for Food, Enterococci shall not be tested presence in bottled natural mineral water. As a precautionary measure, the CFS has informed the retailers/distributors concerned to stop sales and remove from shelves the affected batches of the products below. The distributors concerned have also initiated voluntary recalls of the affected batches of the products concerned. Members of the public may call the respective hotlines below during office hours for enquiries about the recalls.

Product details are as follows:

Product name: Still Scottish Mountain Water

Brand: Marks & Spencer

Volume: 750ml

Best-before date: December 2026

Distributor: ALF Retail Hong Kong Limited

Hotline: 3656 2253

Product name: LOTTE ICIS Natural Mineral Water 8.0

Brand: Lotte

Volume: 2 litres

Best-before date: September 22, 2027

Distributor: Goldtop Century Ltd

Hotline: 2632 7373

Since January 2026, the CFS has collected 50 samples of bottled drinking water for testing. Apart from the two unsatisfactory samples mentioned above, all other samples passed the tests.

"Enterococci are a group of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals, generally posing a low risk to healthy individuals. However, certain strains may cause infections in immunocompromised individuals. Members of the public should stop consuming the affected batches of the natural mineral water. Anyone who feels unwell after consuming the products, such as experiencing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or fever etc, should seek medical treatment," a spokesman for the CFS said.

The CFS had alert the trade, and will continue to follow up on the incident and take appropriate action. An investigation is ongoing.

Source: AI-found images