Background Information

While mechanical defect of vehicle has not been a major contributory factor of road accidents, proper maintenance of vehicles is certainly an effective means to prevent accidents and is conducive to the enhancement of road safety. In addition, sub-standard maintenance services would create nuisance to vehicle owners and bring about air pollution, which would have negative impacts on the health of the public. For these reasons, the government considers it necessary to enhance the standard of the vehicle maintenance trade.

In order to gauge the views of the trade on different aspects of the proposed registration scheme, we conducted a survey in late 2004. Prior to the survey, we compiled a comprehensive database of around 2,600 vehicle maintenance workshops in operation in Hong Kong according to the lists provided by the Census & Statistics Department and the Vocational Training Council. A consultation paper setting out the key proposals for the registration scheme was then provided to members of the trade before commencement of the survey. Based on random sampling, 750 vehicle maintenance workshops were covered in the survey. The samples comprised a good mix of workshops of different sizes. A total of 649 workshop operators and 1,314 vehicle mechanics were interviewed. For details of the survey results, please click here [PDF format (1.2MB)].

The findings of the survey show that the majority of workshop operators and vehicle mechanics prefer to adopt an incremental approach by first launching a voluntary scheme. The government reported the findings of the survey and the proposed way forward to the Legislative Council (LegCo) Panel on Transport in May 2005 and gained their support to establishing a Vehicle Maintenance Technical Advisory Committee with the trade and setting up a Vehicle Maintenance Registration Unit under EMSD to launch the scheme. For details of the associated LegCo paper, please click here [PDF format (93KB)].

Vehicle Maintenance Technical Advisory Committee

To ensure that the detailed arrangements of the registration scheme can meet the needs of the trade, the Vehicle Maintenance Technical Advisory Committee (VMTAC) was established in May 2006 with members from trade associations, professional institutions, training institutes, transport operators employing large number of vehicle mechanics, vehicle suppliers' associations, vehicle owners' association, relevant government departments, and an independent person nominated by the Home and Youth Affairs Bureau. Members of the VMTAC are appointed by the Secretary for Transport and Logistics. The VMTAC is chaired by the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services. For the terms of reference and the current membership list of the VMTAC, please click here (July 2024) [PDF format (37KB)] Update.

The Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Mechanics was launched in 2007, whereas the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance Workshops was launched in 2015 in succession of the Vehicle Maintenance Workshops Charter. To facilitate effective discussion and finalization of various details of the registration scheme, Sub-Committees have been formed with members from the VMTAC and the trade. Each Sub-Committee is chaired by a Convenor who is elected among the members of the respective Sub-Committee and is from the trade. The Sub-Committees report progress and make recommendations to the VMTAC for endorsement of various implementation details of the registration schemes.

Vehicle Maintenance Registration Unit

The Vehicle Maintenance Registration Unit (VMRU) has been set up under EMSD. The VMRU provides administrative support to the VMTAC is responsible for the promotional activities, the day-to-day management and operational functions for the voluntary registration scheme for vehicle mechanics, and the voluntary registration scheme for vehicle maintenance workshops.

EMSD will issue circulars on matters of concern and regularly distribute RVM newsletters to registered vehicle mechanics. For details of the issued circulars and newsletters, please click here.

Electric Vehicle Maintenance Service Scope

In response to global climate change, electrification of transportation system has become a global trend. Currently, transportation makes up of about 20% of carbon emissions in Hong Kong. Thus, The Hong Kong government has announced the Hong Kong Roadmap on Popularisation of Electric Vehicles (EV Roadmap) and Hong Kong's Climate Action Plan 2050 in 2021, setting a goal to discontinue the new registration of conventional internal combustion engine private cars including plug-in and non-plug-in type hybrid vehicles by 2035 or earlier. The EV Roadmap will guide Hong Kong's future direction to attain zero vehicular emissions before 2050 and forges ahead the vision of “Zero Carbon Emissions”, “Clean Air” and “Smart City”. With the implementation of relevant policies, Electric Vehicle (EV) has already been gaining share in the market steadily and will eventually replace internal combustion engine private cars.

In view of the increasing trend on the demand for EV maintenance, the Vehicle Maintenance Technical Advisory Committee (VMTAC) has incorporated the scope of EV maintenance into the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department and the VMTAC have jointly facilitated different training institutes or organizations in conducting EV maintenance training programs [PDF format (42KB)] and also developed the Practice Guidelines for Electric Vehicle Maintenance (Traditional Chinese version) [PDF format (2.33MB)], ensuring the safety of EV maintenance work. For more details of the EV Maintenance Service Scope, please click here.

Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance Promotional Video Competition

To enhance public understanding of the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Mechanics and the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance Workshops as well as promote the quality services of registered vehicle maintenance workshops and mechanics, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department jointly organized the Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Maintenance Promotional Video Competition with the Vehicle Maintenance Technical Advisory Committee.

The competition ended on 29 October 2021. After assessment by the adjudication panel, the list of winner is announced as follows:

 

Results of the Promotional Video Competition
Open Category
Champion:	WONG Ting-fung, LAI Yuen-ting The Champion Entry in Open Category [MP4 format (34.36MB)] Cantonese voice-over ... Download Script [PDF format (47KB)]
1st Runner-up:	CHEUNG Cho-shan
2nd Runner-up:	CHUI Wai-cho Virgil, CHAN Wai-man, WONG Yun-chiu Raymond
Merit Awards:	LAM Suk-yee LEE Wun-ting, WONG Ho-yan, LEUNG Chun-yi, KWOK Yick-han, TUNG Pak-ho CHOI Hing-fung
School Category
Champion:	LAM Tsz-yuet, Au Yeung Chin-wai, Yung Yu-ching, CHENG Hoi-ting (SKH St. Michael's Primary School) The Champion Entry in School Category [MP4 format (33.06MB)] Cantonese voice-over ... Download Script [PDF format (45KB)]
1st Runner-up:	CHAN Ka-yiu, Fung Tsz-ying, Lee Zeon Hei, Man Ching-lam (Queen Elizabeth School Old Students' Association Secondary School)
2nd Runner-up:	CHEUNG Tsz-ki, CHAN Hei-loi (CCC Fong Yun Wah Secondary School)
Merit Awards:	HUI Kwan-ting, TONG Man-ching, Au Yat-long, Yuen Wai-ching, Yip Tsz-ying (TWGHs Mrs Wu York Yu Memorial College) CHEUNG Hau-kan, LI Chun-hei, NG Sui-hang (Caritas St. Joseph Secondary School) LIU Jinbang, HUANG Qihao (Hong Kong Teachers' Association Lee Heng Kwei Secondary School)
Most Supportive School Award
Winner:	Hong Kong Teachers' Association Lee Heng Kwei Secondary School

 

Enquiries

For enquiries about the Scheme, please contact the Vehicle Maintenance Registration Unit or dial the Citizen's Easy Link 1823.

Vehicle Maintenance Registration Unit