Hong Kong taxi drivers will be required to accept electronic payments starting in April next year and complete the installation of journey recorders by early 2027, transport authorities have said, in an effort to improve service quality.

In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, the Transport and Logistics Bureau revealed that a significant portion of taxi drivers were expected to meet the e-payment requirements by early 2026. Authorities will coordinate with e-payment platforms to help drivers learn how to use such systems.

“It is proposed that the mandatory requirement for the provision of e-payment means by all taxi drivers be implemented on 1 April 2026,” it said.

Under the plan, all taxi drivers will be required to provide at least two e-payment methods: one that uses QR codes and another that does not rely on them.

“Given the variety of e-payment means available in the market, as well as the fast-evolving technology, we will not mandate a specific type of e-payment means to allow flexibility for taxi drivers to choose based on their operational needs and costs,” the bureau said.

Meanwhile, the Transport Department will begin receiving applications and authorising suppliers to provide journey recording systems from the fourth quarter of this year. As a result, installation work is expected to kick off next year.