Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangdong Z license plate application
The Guangdong Z license plate is a business license plate for Hong Kong vehicles entering Guangdong (to facilitate travel between Shenzhen and Hong Kong). Newer applications since 2025 require meeting the qualification requirements for enterprises or specific individuals, and both the vehicle and driver must comply with regulations before proceeding with the application process. If you plan to apply, you can prepare according to the following:
Application requirements for Guangdong Z license plates (latest policy as of 2025):
Not everyone can apply for a Guangdong Z license plate; individuals must meet certain conditions to apply. The main applicants are businesses and organizations. The specific conditions are as follows:
For enterprises: For regular foreign-invested enterprises applying for ports in Shenzhen such as Shenzhen Bay and Liantang, the first quota can be applied for if the tax payment in the previous year reaches 150,000 yuan, the second quota can be applied for if it reaches 500,000 yuan, and the third quota can be applied for if it reaches 1 million yuan; for the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge port, the requirement is that the cumulative tax payment in the past 3 years is 100,000 yuan to apply for the first vehicle.
High-tech enterprises/specific investment projects: If an enterprise is recognized as a high-tech enterprise and has actual investment/business in Guangdong, it can also apply for one Guangdong Z license plate quota through this channel.
There are also "non-investment" channels (which are relatively rare): for example, people from Hong Kong, Macao and foreign countries may also be eligible if they have certain specific statuses (such as high-end talents, Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress/members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, etc.), but these conditions are quite special.
Individuals: Hong Kong residents who invest in and establish enterprises in Guangdong and serve as legal representatives, and who paid taxes of RMB 150,000 or more in Guangdong in the previous year, are eligible to apply; Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress and members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference at all levels, and compatriots from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan who have donated more than RMB 3 million to public welfare undertakings in Guangdong, are also eligible to apply with corresponding proof.
Vehicles and drivers: Vehicles must be right-hand drive vehicles registered in Hong Kong, with a length of ≤6 meters and a capacity of ≤8 people. Pure electric vehicles must provide a battery capacity test report that meets the standards. Drivers must be permanent residents of Hong Kong, holding a Home Return Permit and driving licenses from both Hong Kong and mainland China. A maximum of 3 drivers can be registered per vehicle. Non-permanent resident drivers must be shareholders or directors of a company and must also provide relevant proof such as proof of social security contributions for at least six months.
The following is an explanation of the table:
Application Category | Specific application types | Core Qualifications/Tax Requirements | Vehicle Requirements | Driver requirements |
Enterprise | Conventional foreign-invested enterprises (Shenzhen Bay, Liantang and other Shenzhen ports) | 1. Foreign-invested enterprise qualification; 2. Tax payment in Guangdong Province in the previous year: - 150,000 RMB → Indicator 1; - 500,000 RMB → Indicator 2; - 1,000,000 RMB → Indicator 3 | Right-hand drive vehicles registered in Hong Kong must be ≤6 meters in length and have a capacity of ≤8 people; pure electric vehicles must provide a battery capacity test report confirming compliance. | 1. Hong Kong permanent residents holding a Home Return Permit and dual driving licenses; 2. A maximum of 3 drivers can be registered per vehicle; 3. Non-permanent resident drivers must be shareholders/directors of a company and provide proof of social security contributions for at least six months. |
Enterprise | Conventional foreign-invested enterprises (Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge Port) | 1. Foreign-invested enterprise qualification; 2. Cumulative tax payment in Guangdong Province in the past 3 years ≥ RMB 100,000 → First vehicle quota | Same as above | Same as above |
Enterprise | High-tech enterprises / specific investment projects | 1. Holding a valid National High-tech Enterprise Certificate; 2. Having actual investment/business in Guangdong; 3. Eligible to apply for 1 quota. | Same as above | Same as above |
Special Individuals / Non-Investment | Individuals with specific identities (high-level talents, Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress/members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, etc.) | Possess corresponding special identity verification documents (such as talent certification, proof of appointment as a representative of the National People's Congress/member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, etc.). | Same as above | 1. Hong Kong permanent resident (or equivalent); 2. Holder of a Home Return Permit + dual-license driver's license; 3. Provide supplementary qualification certificates according to your identity type. |
Individual | Hong Kong residents investing in and establishing businesses | 1. Hong Kong resident status; 2. Investing in and establishing a company in Guangdong and serving as its legal representative; 3. Paying taxes in Guangdong ≥ RMB 150,000 in the previous year. | Same as above | The applicant must meet the following requirements: Hong Kong permanent resident + Home Return Permit + dual driving license; two additional qualified drivers may be registered (according to the above driver rules). |
Individual | Charitable donations / Special status categories | 1. Hong Kong deputies to the National People's Congress/members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (with proof of appointment); 2. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan compatriots who have donated more than RMB 3 million to public welfare undertakings in Guangdong (with donation agreement/proof). | Same as above | Same as above |
Notes:
1. In the table, " same as above " indicates that the vehicle / driver requirements are consistent with those for " regular foreign-invested enterprises ( Shenzhen Bay, Liantang, and other Shenzhen ports )," avoiding duplication and redundancy .
2. All vehicles applying for registration must pass inspection by the China Certification & Inspection Group to ensure they are original factory parts and free from illegal modifications ;
3. Application channels for non-investment-related " specific identity persons " are relatively rare; specific eligibility requirements are subject to the latest policies of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department Traffic Management Bureau .
4. All tax amounts refer to the actual tax paid within Guangdong Province ( excluding late payment fees and penalties ) , and a formal tax payment certificate issued by the tax authorities is required.
Guangdong Z application process
Online application submission: Log in to the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department Traffic Management Bureau's government service website, fill in the relevant information of the enterprise, vehicle and driver, upload electronic materials and submit for review, and wait for the review result to be notified by SMS.
On-site document verification: After the review is approved, bring the paper documents to the certificate processing hall of the Traffic Management Bureau of Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department. After the staff verifies the documents, they can take photos of the vehicle and select a number, and then receive the acceptance receipt.
Vehicle Inspection: After receiving the vehicle inspection SMS, schedule an inspection with the China Certification & Inspection Group. The vehicle must be in its original factory condition and comply with relevant regulations such as window tinting. Avoid modifications that may affect the inspection.
Obtain the approval document and complete the subsequent procedures: After passing the vehicle inspection, obtain the approval document, then apply for the restricted area permit and vehicle customs registration, and complete the driver's fingerprint recording at the same time; then make an appointment with customs to install an electronic tag on the vehicle, and finally go to the designated vehicle management office to pick up and install the Guangdong Z license plate.
Application time: According to information from 2025, this process, from application to obtaining the license, will take approximately 15-20 business days.
