Government terminates exemption for classic vehicles and petrol vehicles imported for personal use from noise and air emission regulations

     The Environmental Protection Department (EPD) announced the termination of exemption for classic vehicles and petrol vehicles imported for personal use from the Noise Control (Motor Vehicles) Regulation and the Air Pollution Control (Vehicle Design Standards) (Emission) Regulations at the vehicle's first registration, with effect from 0.00am tomorrow (June 1) (Hong Kong time).
      
     An EPD spokesman said that in recent years there has been an upward trend in the number of classic vehicles and petrol vehicles imported for personal use exempted from noise and air emission regulations among the first-registered vehicles in Hong Kong, while the public are also increasingly concerned about the noise and exhaust emissions of motor vehicles. In order to ensure all first-registered vehicles meet the relevant noise and air emission standards so as to improve the noise environment and air quality, and make Hong Kong a more liveable city, the EPD decided to terminate the relevant discretionary exemption for the aforementioned vehicles.
      
     In the future, members of the public can continue to import classic vehicles or petrol vehicles for personal use in accordance with relevant regulations by submitting relevant documents to the EPD to prove that the vehicle has been tested and complies with the Noise Control (Motor Vehicles) Regulation and the Air Pollution Control (Vehicle Design Standards) (Emission) Regulations before the vehicle's first registration in Hong Kong, and then an application can be made for the first registration of the vehicle in accordance with the normal registration procedures for motor vehicles and motorcycles.
      
     Classic vehicles are those manufactured at least 20 years before the date of application for relevant exemption. For a vehicle imported for personal use, an applicant must have owned the vehicle outside Hong Kong for more than six months and the applicant must normally reside in that country or region prior to the application for relevant exemption. The aforementioned vehicles include petrol private cars, motorcycles and motor tricycles.
      
     The spokesman noted that anyone who has signed a contract to purchase or order a classic vehicle and made full or partial payment for it, or has arranged the shipment of a vehicle imported for personal use to Hong Kong, before 0.00am on June 1 (Hong Kong time) may apply for the exemption from testing and certification of compliance with relevant emission requirements for the vehicle by submitting the required supporting documents to the EPD before 5pm on June 14 (Hong Kong time). Applicants should note that exemptions are at the discretion of the Director of Environmental Protection, who may impose additional requirements to safeguard the public interest.
      
     Details of application for exemption are available on the EPD website at www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/noise/guide_ref/toefcveapifnaaer.html.​