Get an international driving license before you travel

Where To Go After You Get Your International Driving Permit in Hong Kong

Before you start daydreaming about going to Hong Kong, be sure you initiated international driving license online processing in Hong Kong first. This is very important so that you maximize the international driving permit processing time in Hong Kong. Of course, it is also important to factor in your work in the international driver’s permit schedule of Hong Kong way in advance. No sense rushing it if you can get it done in time instead.

Many tourists choose to visit Hong Kong for one, and one thing only - shopping! If this sounds like you, you may want to go to the different street markets of Hong Kong either by day or by night. For daytime shopping, you may want to use your rental vehicle to go to the markets on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong. These are the main shopping hubs for tourists.

It would be nice to have a rental vehicle so that you can bring back your new finds to the car. That’s why you should know where to get an international driver’s license in Hong Kong. This means being familiar with the international driver’s permit website for Hong Kong. So if you’re planning to visit Hong Kong soon, arrange for your international driving permit in Hong Kong first. The shopping binges come later.

Temple Street Night Market

Everyone loves to find a bargain, or at least something unique that they could never find in the markets (or malls) back home. Some street markets are more famous than others. The Temple Street Night Market in Kowloon might have a better reputation than the others since most people have heard of it and want to visit it at least once. The good news is that you can also visit other side streets to explore what they have to offer.

This night market also has reputable dining spots, good for those who are craving some serious street food. It’s good for shoppers who have revved up an appetite wandering around from this stall to that stall before finally having an “Aha!” moment and hastily purchasing something valuable to bring home. You can also get pretty hungry lugging around shopping bags back to your rented car. So factor in an hour or two chowing down on street food as well.

Reclamation Street Market

Another well-known street market is the Reclamation Street Market, also in Kowloon. This is a day market actually, though not as famous among tourists as Temple Street. Here you can take a deep breath and just relax, watching pedestrians walking by.

It is best to come here shortly after dawn before the Hong Kong daytime heat has time to set in. People come to Reclamation Street purely to buy fresh ingredients for their meals, so locals seem to thrive here more than the tourists. If your lodgings have a hot plate and a fridge, you may opt to buy some foodstuffs that you can cook when you get back. Bring along a functional calculator with a big LCD screen to haggle unless you speak Cantonese Chinese.

Apply for an IDP Before Visiting Hong Kong

Some people do forget to secure their IDP before they head to Hong Kong for various reasons. If this is your situation, you may rest easy - applying for an international driver’s license in Hong Kong is easier than you think. Many people succeed in getting an international driver’s license in Hong Kong regularly.

First, you need to visit the International Driver’s Association (or IDA) website to fill out your international driving permit completed application form for Hong Kong. Make sure to specify whether you will be paying for a validity period of one year, two years, or three years, so you know how much you need to pay. You should also specify your international driver’s permit Hong Kong zip code so there won’t be any confusion. The IDA staff will then process and review your application form.

Afterward, they will mail your new IDP to your Hong Kong address with the correct international driver’s license Hong Kong zip code. You may expect the IDP to arrive within 30 days. Take note: your international driver’s license Hong Kong validity doesn’t apply in mainland China. So you can expect to use your new IDP only within Hong Kong for now.

Make Sure Your Rented Car Is Locked and Safe

If you're using a rented car, be sure your IDP, native driver’s license, and passport are safe and secure in your belongings. The last thing you want is for someone to break into the car and snatch your international driver’s permit Hong Kong license while you’re wandering on some side street. Lock up tight so that no one accidentally finds one of the car doors or windows open. That way, you’ll have more peace of mind.

If you are spaced out from an all-nighter over your laptop, you might do the unthinkable and misplace your international driver’s permit Hong Kong license somewhere. For example, you may have gone shopping and put the bag with the IDP on a stool beside the stall. You then forgot all about it. If you do misplace it, you can always try to contact the international driving license online representative in Hong Kong and have them immediately replace your IDP.

As long as you have the international driver's permit requirements for Hong Kong with your name and the IDP number, the International Driver’s Association or IDA will immediately process your replacement IDP and ship it to you. You do have to pay for the shipping, but at least you won’t be left stranded in a foreign country without it.

Avoid Speeding

The most critical driving infraction that the Hong Kong government penalizes severely is speeding. If you are caught speeding, especially on a low-speed side road or on a medium-speed main road, the Hong Kong police are quite strict about enforcing the law. This is particularly critical if you are only holding a probationary driving license, which only allows you to drive at 70 kph at maximum speed.

If you own an international driving permit in Hong Kong, you will be glad to know that this document is accepted even by Hong Kong police as a valid identity card. So, if you sadly made a mistake by speeding, you can hand over your IDP along with your native country’s driver’s license and passport so that the police know you are legally allowed to drive in Hong Kong. (This is also why you should prioritize international driving license renewal in Hong Kong.

Replacing International Driving Permit in Hong Kong

Some motorists make the mistake of losing their international driving permit in Hong Kong. This is very serious because the HK SAR government is very strict about this. If this happens to you, you need to know where to get an international driver’s license in Hong Kong. The good news is that the International Driver’s Association has made getting an international driver’s license in Hong Kong very easy for you when you need a replacement IDP.

The international drivers permit requirements in Hong Kong are very simple. Just contact the international drivers permit Hong Kong website and inform customer service that you lost your IDP. You have to give your legal name, the IDP number, and possibly your international driver’s permit contact number in Hong Kong. The International Driver’s Association customer service will set up the international driving permit online booking in Hong Kong for the replacement IDP. Make sure you pay the shipping cost too.

Don’t Forget to Renew Your IDP On Time

This is another serious matter involving your international driving permit for Hong Kong. This can happen to anyone who might be caught up in so much work they lose track of the schedule for international driving license Hong Kong renewal. Fortunately, the International Driver’s Association can help you secure a new international driving permit for Hong Kong. The great part is that your international driver’s permit in Hong Kong uses English but is usable even for another foreign country.

The international driver’s permit schedule in Hong Kong is valid for either one, two, or three years. Use your international driver’s license Hong Kong zip code when you have to re-apply with the International Driver’s Association again for a new IDP. Make sure that you take note of how long you want this new IDP to stay valid, meaning one, or two, or three years. That way, you won’t forget your international driving license Hong Kong renewal again.

There is an international driving permit processing time in Hong Kong for two hours for a new driving permit application form. Since you have to re-apply to get your new IDP, you should record your international driver’s permit number in Hong Kong. Make sure your international drivers permit Hong Kong requirements are complete when you apply, including the correct international drivers permit Hong Kong number. Provide your international drivers permit zip code in Hong Kong as well.