The Transport Department today announced that a new vehicle registration and licensing regime will take effect on December 22 to strengthen regulations on prolonged unlicensed vehicles.

Under the new regime, unlicensed vehicles will remain registered under the name of owners, who will continue to be held responsible for their vehicles.

A new offence will also be introduced to heighten deterrence against improper abandoning of vehicles to address the problem at the source.

From December 22, the department will issue a notice to registered owners of vehicles unlicensed for two years or more.

Vehicle owners must, within three months of the date of notice, renew the licence, or cancel the registration of such vehicles with the department after scrapping them or permanently shipping them out of Hong Kong.

Failing to take action upon expiry of the three-month notice period will constitute an offence, the department said.

The maximum penalty for the first conviction will be a fine of $10,000 and imprisonment for three months. For each subsequent conviction, the maximum penalty will be a $25,000 fine and six months' imprisonment.

Individual vehicle owners who have a genuine difficulty in taking the required actions within the three-month notice period or have reasonable grounds for not licensing their vehicles may apply for an exemption. The eligibility criteria and guidelines for exemption will be announced later.

In general, exemptions may be granted for vehicles pending spare parts for maintenance and examination before licence renewal; vehicles manufactured for 30 years or more, properly stored as a private collection and not used on roads; or vehicles properly stored by a car dealer and consigned for sale.

The department reminded vehicle owners that, even when a vehicle remains unlicensed or is granted an exemption, it will remain registered under their name and they have to continue to bear all legal liabilities associated with it.

Since December last year, the department has started issuing SMS messages or emails to registered owners whose vehicle licences will expire in one month, have just expired or have expired for two years via the e-contact means they provided in their licensing applications, to remind them that they must renew their vehicle licence or properly handle their vehicles in time.

Vehicle owners may also make use of the e-Licensing Portal to check the vehicle licence expiry date, handle licensing matters and take proper action on their unlicensed vehicles.

For enquiries, call 2804 2600.