Convert from Hong Kong Driving Licence? (Not IDP)

Has anyone successfully converted or exchanged a Hong Kong driving licence (license) to a Taiwanese one?
(I’m not referring to International Driving Permit, but a full driving licence.)

Hong Kong allows direct issue of a HK driving licence to a Taiwan licence holder without taking a test, so I assume it should work the other way under the principle of reciprocity…?

Will be interested to hear if anyone has done this, how easy is the procedure, and if there are any pitfalls to be aware of.

Thanks!

Source

Thanks, though this document is about converting from a Taiwanese licence TO a HK licence.

I am interested in the other way around:
I’ve got a HK licence and I want to convert it to a Taiwanese licence.

Nope, it’s for converting a HK license to a local TW license.

I did it at DMV Shilin , but i give up this process because I had to send my original license back home to get some authentication and also my original license expires at the end of this year, so at the end i went to a driving school and did the driving test there

sources:
https://tpcmv.thb.gov.tw/english/FAQEng/LicenseManagement.htm
https://www.thb.gov.tw/sites/ch/modules/download/download_list?node=831dcd37-7259-47c3-9211-ffbf8dee35bc&c=89275811-dcff-4d14-877e-981db78a5b18

Sorry I think you might be misreading this…

If you look at the rest of the entry about HK, it’s clearly talking about using the “Taiwan Domestic Driving License” to apply for an HK licence, and it describes sending the application and copy of Taiwan DL to the Hong Kong Transportation office.

I did (not IDP)

As far as I remember you just bring the HK license to the DMV together with like your ARC etc and they will covert it

I had motorcycle license on my HK license as well, so the license I got in TW was car + scooter up to 125cc

Addition, bring your HKID as well just in case. Not sure you need it, but I remember the license itself is a bit limited on information and cannot be read without the hkid

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Thank you! That sounds quite straightforward.

Did they keep the HK license when they gave you the Taiwan one, or give it back to you?

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It’s not a swap.

Taiwan authorities have no justification to keep your Hong Kong license.

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Instructions here:

Directorate General of Highways, MOTC-Exchanging for Domestic Driving License (thb.gov.tw)

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I am going to do it next Monday. I saw somewhere that to convert HK license to Australian one you needed “Application for a Certificate of Driving Licence Particulars” TD320. So I applied for that before I came to Taiwan just in case they required the same thing. Will let you know how it goes next week.

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It was odd.

When I changed it I went to the DMV, and provided the HK drivers license etc

When we made the switch they brought out this “official” scissor and destroyed the HK license and supporting documents

Was a bit like, your in TW now feel to it he whole thing

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When did you exchange your HK license?

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Couple years ago, they took out the official scissor and one guy was holding my old drivers license and one guy was cutting it like a ribbon cutting ceremony

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Your HK license is the property of the HK government, Taiwan has no justification to do that.

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That sounds extreme and unnecessary!

I think it’s a fairly straightforward procedure to get a replacement for a damaged licence when you are next in HK, so I suppose it’s a relatively minor inconvenience.

It will be interesting to hear if @hithere has the same experience next week.

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Sounds like it was quite the official process.

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So I went today. Apparently, your Hong Kong driver’s license needs to be notarized by the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Hong Kong and not the Hong Kong Transport Department. Its laughable considering they aren’t even the issuer. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs won’t do shit here in Taiwan either. So I called the Taipei Motor Vehicle Office and they said I can try contacting the TECO HK office and see if they are willing to notorize over the web. He mentioned someone in our situation did this before. So right now I am crossing my fingers.

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Man what a bureaucratic nightmare. Here’s what TECOS said, even though MOFA refuses to authenticate.

Thank you for your email.Our office can authenticate Hong Kong domestic documents to be used in the Republic of China .

Sorry to inform you that the Document Authentication Application is not through web site.

If you are in ROC and cannot come to Hong Kong for submission ,you can go to a Taiwanese Notary Public and Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bureau of of Consular Affairs) to authenticate a Power of Attorney.

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Sigh…what a palaver.

It doesn’t seem clear what exactly is the procedure they are asking you to do…(or were there more instructions?).
Did they say what are you supposed to do with the power of attorney after you got it signed?

Normally a PoA gives someone else the power to represent you. So I was wondering if they mean that you use the PoA to let someone in HK take your driving licence (and I guess HK ID card) to the HK TECO on your behalf…?

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