- Windscreen
- At least 75% light
- Front side windows
- At least 70% light
- Rear windows
- No limit
- Toll tag
- Cancel before you go
A Hong Kong car is one of the easiest to bring into the UK. It’s already right-hand drive, it’s built for driving on the left, and the big conversions other countries need simply aren’t required.
What it often does have is a few local extras. Dark window film, a dashcam or two, a toll tag on the windscreen, maybe a personalised plate. None of them is a reason not to ship, but each one needs a moment’s thought, and a couple of them need dealing with before you leave Hong Kong. This guide goes through them one at a time.
Window tint
This is the one most likely to need work.
UK law sets a minimum for how much light the front glass must let through. For cars first used on or after 1 April 1985:
- the windscreen must let at least 75% of light through
- the front side windows must let at least 70% of light through
- the rear windscreen and rear passenger windows have no limit
For cars first used before 1 April 1985, the windscreen and front side windows must both let at least 70% through.
Dark film on the rear glass is fine, and so is factory privacy glass, which is almost always on the rear windows only. Film on the front side windows is the usual problem. Glass already has a slight tint of its own, so even a fairly light film can take the total below 70%.
The police and DVSA examiners carry light meters, and it’s illegal to sell a car with glass that doesn’t meet the rules. That’s why we’d always rather deal with it before the car is tested and registered. If your car has film on the windscreen or front side windows, mention it when you get your quote. It’s a straightforward job and much easier to plan in than to discover at the test.
Dashcams
Dashcams are legal in the UK and plenty of drivers here use them. You can keep yours, front and rear.
The only rule worth knowing is about placement. A camera mounted in the middle of the windscreen, in the driver’s line of sight, can count as an obstruction. Most hardwired units sit behind the rear-view mirror, which is fine. If yours is somewhere more prominent, it’s worth moving.
The HKeToll tag
Hong Kong’s tolled tunnels and roads now use HKeToll, with a tag on the windscreen linked to an account. This one needs dealing with before you go.
Settle anything owed, then cancel the tag by following the procedure on the HKeToll website. Cancelling the tag doesn’t wipe out tolls already run up, so clearing the balance first keeps things tidy. Once it’s cancelled, peel the tag off the windscreen.
If you still have an Autotoll account from before, some people kept one for car parks, close that as well.
The vehicle licence and permits
Before the car is collected, take any Hong Kong permit or parking stickers off the glass. Keep hold of the original vehicle licence if it’s still valid, because you’ll need it with your TD184 form when you cancel the Hong Kong registration.
Our guide to cancelling your Hong Kong registration with TD184 lists everything to take with you.
Personalised registration marks
If your car carries a personalised mark, decide what you want to do with it before you submit TD184.
Hong Kong lets you retain a registration mark when a car’s registration is cancelled, so you can put it on another vehicle later. You apply with form TD129, the application to transfer or retain a registration mark, alongside your TD184. For a personalised mark, the Transport Department also asks for the original Certificate of Allocation.
The mark is held for 12 months. If it isn’t put on another vehicle in that time, the Transport Department can cancel it and allocate it to someone else. Check the current fees with the Transport Department before you go to the Licensing Office.
The mark stays in Hong Kong either way. In the UK your car gets a new age-related registration from the DVLA. Our guide to number plates, tax and MOT explains how that works.
Cross-boundary plates and Northbound Travel
If your car has Guangdong cross-boundary plates or is registered for Northbound Travel for Hong Kong Vehicles, those arrangements need closing down with the relevant authorities before the car leaves. Tell us early, because it can affect when the car is free to ship.
Screens, menus and navigation
Most cars sold in Hong Kong can switch their screen and menus to English in the settings, and many already are. Built-in navigation set up for Hong Kong may not have UK maps, so Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is often the easier answer.
Cars originally built for the Japanese market and later sold in Hong Kong are worth a mention. Japanese radios can use a different FM band to the UK, so some stations may be out of reach. It’s a known issue with a simple fix, and we can talk you through it.
The jobs every Hong Kong car needs
Beyond the extras, the UK-specific work on a Hong Kong car is short. The speedometer needs to read in mph, and the car needs a rear fog light on the correct side. Our guide to why Hong Kong cars are already right-hand drive covers both.
If the car has other modifications, such as lowered suspension, a different exhaust, aftermarket wheels or a body kit, tell us up front. Cars under ten years old take an IVA test, and it’s far better to know about modifications before the test than during it. We run our own IVA lane, so we prepare the car and book the test ourselves. Our guide to the IVA test explains what is checked.
A quick checklist
| Extra | Before you leave Hong Kong | At our end |
|---|---|---|
| Front window film | Mention it with your quote | Removed before testing if needed |
| Rear tint and privacy glass | Nothing | Nothing |
| Dashcam | Nothing | Check it’s mounted out of the driver’s view |
| HKeToll tag | Settle tolls, cancel, remove | Nothing |
| Autotoll account | Close it | Nothing |
| Vehicle licence | Keep the original for TD184 | Nothing |
| Personalised mark | Decide whether to retain it | New UK registration from the DVLA |
| Cross-boundary or Northbound | Close down before shipping | Nothing |
| Speedo and fog light | Nothing | Converted in-house |
Next steps
Get a quote and tell us about any extras on the car, from window film to modifications. We’ll tell you what needs doing and build it into the price, so there are no surprises once the car lands. We’d be more than happy to help should you need it.
Questions
People also ask
Is window tint legal in the UK?
On the rear windows, yes, at any shade. For cars first used on or after 1 April 1985, the windscreen must let at least 75% of light through and the front side windows at least 70%. Film that takes the front glass below that has to come off.
Can I keep my dashcam?
Yes. Dashcams are legal in the UK. Just make sure it's mounted where it doesn't block your view of the road.
What should I do with my HKeToll tag?
Settle any tolls owed and cancel the tag before you leave, following the procedure on the HKeToll website. Then take the tag off the windscreen.
Can I keep my personalised Hong Kong registration mark?
Yes, for 12 months. Apply with form TD129 alongside your TD184. If the mark isn't put on another vehicle within 12 months, the Transport Department can reallocate it.
Will the car's screen and menus work in English?
Almost always. Most cars switch language in the settings menu. Built-in navigation set up for Hong Kong may not have UK maps, so Apple CarPlay or Android Auto is often the easier answer.
