Frequently Asked Questions

  • Q1. How can I benefit from the Change of Address Service if I make a home or office move?

    With this online service, you can change your address records with various government departments and non-governmental organisations in one go by entering your personal or company / organisation details just once. You can further select multiple services / applicable users or areas provided by various organisations (Please refer to Q2) for your application to take effect on.

  • Q2. Which government departments and non-governmental organisations accept Change of Address applications online?

    You may submit your Change of Address application online to the following government departments and non-governmental organisations on the specific services provided or applicable users / areas:

    Government Department Service / Applicable User or Area
    Create Hong Kong Special Effects Licensing Unit (licence / permit)
    Department of Health
    1. Family Health Service
    2. Cervical Screening Service
    Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
    1. Notification Of Changing Address By Registered Electrical Worker (For Registered Electrical Worker only)
    2. Competent Person for Locating Underground Electricity Cables
    3. Register of Contractors (Builders' Lifts and Tower Working Platforms) (CAP 470)
    4. Register of Examiners (Builders' Lifts and Tower Working Platforms) (CAP 470)
    5. Vehicle Mechanics (Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Mechanics)
    6. Notification of Changes of Addresses of LPG Cylinder Wagon Owners
    Fire Services Department
    1. Change of Address for Fire Safety Ambassadors
    2. Dangerous Goods Vehicle Licensees
    Hong Kong Observatory Friends of the Observatory
    Hongkong Post Local Standing Order (LSOS) Account Holders
    Housing Department Applicants of public rental housing (Waiting List)
    Immigration Department Notification of change of address to the Commissioner of Registration under Registration of Persons Regulations, Chapter 177A, Laws of Hong Kong
    Inland Revenue Department
    1. Individual Taxpayer
    2. Change of Address (Corporation & Other Unincorporated Body of Persons)
    3. Change of Address (Sole Proprietorship and Partnership)
    Intellectual Property Department "I Pledge" Campaign
    Labour Department
    1. Boilers and Pressure Vessels (for registered owners, owners of exempted equipment, appointed examiners and competent persons)
    2. Employees' Compensation (for Employers only)
    3. Employees' Compensation (for Employees only)
    Lands Department
    1. District Lands Office (Hong Kong East) and District Lands Office (Hong Kong West & South)
    2. District Lands Office (Kowloon East) and District Lands Office (Kowloon West)
    3. District Lands Office (Islands)
    4. District Lands Office (North)
    5. District Lands Office (Shatin)
    6. District Lands Office (Sai Kung)
    7. District Lands Office (Tai Po)
    8. District Lands Office (Tsuen Wan & Kwai Tsing)
    9. District Lands Office (Tuen Mun)
    10. District Lands Office (Yuen Long)
    11. Payment of Government Rent/Premium in the Urban Area
    Leisure and Cultural Services Department
    1. Hong Kong Public Libraries
    2. SmartPLAY
    Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration
    1. Film Distributors
    2. Film Section (Panel on Film Censorship)
    Office of the Communications Authority
    1. Telecommunications Licensee
    2. Broadcasting Licensee
    3. Television and Radio Consultative Scheme
    Official Receiver's Office Change of Address
    Rating and Valuation Department Change of Payer's Particulars
    Trade and Industry Department
    1. Transhipment Cargo Exemption Scheme - Application for Amendment of Registration Particulars (TID 133)
    2. Application for Amendment of Registration Particulars for Rough Diamond Trader Registration (TID 105)
    3. Hong Kong Service Supplier Certificate
    4. Application Form for Amendment of Textiles Trader Registration (TTR) Particulars (TID 205)
    Transport Department Driving Licence Holders and/or Registered Vehicle Owners
    Treasury Pensioners
    Water Supplies Department Change of Mailing Address (not involving termination of a water account)
    Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency
    1. Applicants and claimants under the Continuing Education Fund
    2. Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-Secondary Students
    3. Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students (Senior Secondary Fee Remission / School Textbook Assistance / Student Travel Subsidy)
    4. Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme
    5. Student Loan Repayment (Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes & Non-means Tested Loan Scheme)
    6. Applicants under the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes

    Non-Governmental Organisation Applicable User
    Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF Donors
    Médecins Sans Frontiéres - Hong Kong Donors
    Oxfam Hong Kong Donors
    The Community Chest of Hong Kong Donors
    The Salvation Army Donors
    World Vision Hong Kong Donors
  • Q3. What types of address can I change through this service?

    The table below shows the types of address (i.e. HK, Outside HK or P.O. Box) you can change for individual government department or non-governmental organisation:

    Government Department
    Create Hong Kong
    Special Effects Licensing Unit (licence / permit)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Department of Health
    Family Health Service
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK
    Cervical Screening Service
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK
    Electrical and Mechanical Services Department
    Notification Of Changing Address By Registered Electrical Worker (For Registered Electrical Worker only)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / P.O. Box
    Competent Person for Locating Underground Electricity Cables
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / P.O. Box
    Register of Contractors (Builders' Lifts and Tower Working Platforms) (CAP 470)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Register of Examiners (Builders' Lifts and Tower Working Platforms) (CAP 470)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Vehicle Mechanics (Voluntary Registration Scheme for Vehicle Mechanics)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Notification of Changes of Addresses of LPG Cylinder Wagon Owners
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK
    Fire Services Department
    Change of Address for Fire Safety Ambassadors
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK
    Dangerous Goods Vehicle Licensees
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: --
    Hong Kong Observatory
    Friends of the Observatory
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Hongkong Post
    Local Standing Order (LSOS) Account Holders
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Housing Department
    Applicants of public rental housing (Waiting List)
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK
    Immigration Department
    Notification of change of address to the Commissioner of Registration under Registration of Persons Regulations, Chapter 177A, Laws of Hong Kong
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: --
    Inland Revenue Department
    Individual Taxpayer
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Change of Address (Corporation & Other Unincorporated Body of Persons)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Change of Address (Sole Proprietorship and Partnership)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Intellectual Property Department
    "I Pledge" Campaign
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Labour Department
    Boilers and Pressure Vessels (for registered owners, owners of exempted equipment, appointed examiners and competent persons)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Employees' Compensation (for Employers only)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Employees' Compensation (for Employees only)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Lands Department
    District Lands Office (Hong Kong East) and District Lands Office (Hong Kong West & South)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Kowloon East) and District Lands Office (Kowloon West)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Islands)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (North)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Shatin)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Sai Kung)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Tai Po)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Tsuen Wan & Kwai Tsing)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Tuen Mun)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    District Lands Office (Yuen Long)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Payment of Government Rent/Premium in the Urban Area
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Leisure and Cultural Services Department
    Hong Kong Public Libraries
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK
    SmartPLAY
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: --
    Office for Film, Newspaper and Article Administration
    Film Distributors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Film Section (Panel on Film Censorship)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Office of the Communications Authority
    Telecommunications Licensee
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Broadcasting Licensee
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Television and Radio Consultative Scheme
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Official Receiver's Office
    Change of Address
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK
    Rating and Valuation Department
    Change of Payer's Particulars
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Trade and Industry Department
    Transhipment Cargo Exemption Scheme - Application for Amendment of Registration Particulars (TID 133)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: --
    Application for Amendment of Registration Particulars for Rough Diamond Trader Registration (TID 105)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: HK
    Hong Kong Service Supplier Certificate
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: --
    Application Form for Amendment of Textiles Trader Registration (TTR) Particulars (TID 205)
    1. Residential address: --
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: --
    Transport Department
    Driving Licence Holders and/or Registered Vehicle Owners
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: HK
    3. Postal address: HK / P.O. Box
    Treasury
    Pensioners
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Water Supplies Department
    Change of Mailing Address (not involving termination of a water account)
    1. Residential address: HK
    2. Business address: --
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency
    Applicants and claimants under the Continuing Education Fund
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Financial Assistance Scheme for Post-Secondary Students
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Financial Assistance for Primary and Secondary Students (Senior Secondary Fee Remission / School Textbook Assistance / Student Travel Subsidy)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Kindergarten and Child Care Centre Fee Remission Scheme
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Student Loan Repayment (Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes & Non-means Tested Loan Scheme)
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Applicants under the Tertiary Student Finance Scheme - Publicly-funded Programmes
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box

    Non-Governmental Organisation
    Hong Kong Committee for UNICEF
    Donors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Médecins Sans Frontiéres - Hong Kong
    Donors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    Oxfam Hong Kong
    Donors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    The Community Chest of Hong Kong
    Donors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    The Salvation Army
    Donors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
    World Vision Hong Kong
    Donors
    1. Residential address: HK / Outside HK
    2. Business address: HK / Outside HK
    3. Postal address: HK / Outside HK / P.O. Box
  • Q4. What are the system requirements for using Change of Address Service?

    Please refer to the following link for details:
    System Requirements for GovHK Online Services

  • Q5. What information is required for my Change of Address application?

    For individuals, you have to provide your HKID card or passport number. For companies/organisations, you need to provide your Business Registration Number.

    Your contact information and other information specified by individual department(s) or organisation(s) must also be provided to facilitate your application.

    Some services of government departments require the applicant to provide scanned copies of identity document and proof of address. The acceptable image file formats for the scanned copies are listed below:

    Trade and Industry Department
    - Certificate of Incorporation / Certificate of Registration;
    - Proof of Address Image File;
    1. Type: JPEG/JPG or PDF
    2. Size: JPEG/JPG: 5MB or below; PDF: 2MB or below
    3. File extension: Only accept .jpeg, .jpg or .pdf
    Transport Department
    - Hong Kong Identity Card (Front);
    - Passport (Data Page);
    - Certificate of Incorporation / Certificate of Registration;
    - Proof of Address Image File;
    1. Type: JPEG/JPG or PDF
    2. Size: JPEG/JPG: 5MB or below; PDF: 1MB or below
    3. File extension: Only accept .jpeg, .jpg or .pdf
    Working Family and Student Financial Assistance Agency
    - Proof of Address Image File;
    1. Type: JPEG/JPG or PDF
    2. Size: JPEG/JPG: 5MB or below; PDF: 1MB or below
    3. File extension: Only accept .jpeg, .jpg or .pdf
  • Q6. Which government departments require specific authentication to verify the identity of the applicant?

    Departments listed below require a proof of identity in order to process an application:

    Immigration Department
    1. Digital certificate; or
    2. "iAM Smart+" authentication
    Inland Revenue Department
    1. Digital certificate; or
    2. "iAM Smart" or "iAM Smart+" authentication (for eTAX only); or
    3. TIN and eTAX password (for eTAX only)
    Transport Department
    1. Digital certificate; or
    2. "iAM Smart" or "iAM Smart+" authentication; or
    3. Uploading a copy of identity document (please refer to Q5.)

    For detailed requirements of digital certificate, please refer to the following links:
    Personal certificate
    Organisational certificate

    More Information on digital certificate:
    Hongkong Post e-Cert (Personal)
    Hongkong Post e-Cert (Personal) for Smart ID Card
    How to Apply / Renew e-Cert
    Frequently asked questions about e-Cert for Smart ID Card

    More Information on "iAM Smart".

    You may notify the above departments of your address change by other means. For details, please refer to the respective websites:

    Immigration Department (Paper Form)
    Inland Revenue Department (Notification of Change of Postal Address)
    Transport Department (Driving Licensing: Q5)
  • Q7. Do I need to provide information about my old address when making a Change of Address application?

    Some services of government departments or non-governmental organisations require the applicant to provide information about their old address to process an application:

    Government Department Service / Applicable User or Area
    Hongkong Post Local Standing Order (LSOS) Account Holders
    Housing Department Applicants of public rental housing (Waiting List)
    Labour Department
    1. Boilers and Pressure Vessels (for registered owners, owners of exempted equipment, appointed examiners and competent persons)
    2. Employees' Compensation (for Employers only)
    3. Employees' Compensation (for Employees only)
    Lands Department
    1. District Lands Office (Hong Kong East) and District Lands Office (Hong Kong West & South)
    2. District Lands Office (Kowloon East) and District Lands Office (Kowloon West)
    3. District Lands Office (Islands)
    4. District Lands Office (North)
    5. District Lands Office (Shatin)
    6. District Lands Office (Sai Kung)
    7. District Lands Office (Tai Po)
    8. District Lands Office (Tsuen Wan & Kwai Tsing)
    9. District Lands Office (Tuen Mun)
    10. District Lands Office (Yuen Long)
    11. Payment of Government Rent/Premium in the Urban Area
    Treasury Pensioners

    Non-Governmental Organisation Applicable User
    World Vision Hong Kong Donors
  • Q8. Can I save the information I have entered and retrieve it for submission later?

    Yes, you may click "Save & Quit" to save the partially completed application as a draft. The saved draft will be retained for 1 month and thereafter will be deleted from the system.

    If you use "iAM Smart", your draft will be saved under the custody of your "iAM Smart" identity and it will replace any previous saved draft.

    Otherwise, you are required to provide a password for your draft for later retrieval.

  • Q9. How can I retrieve a saved draft?

    You can retrieve your saved draft within 1 month by the "Edit Draft" function.

    If your draft is saved with your "iAM Smart" account, you need to complete the "iAM Smart" authentication to retrieve your draft.

    If your draft is saved with a password, you need to provide the required personal or company particulars and the correct password.

  • Q10. How will I know if my Change of Address application is submitted successfully?

    After confirming all the inputted information in Step 6, you will be led to an acknowledgement page containing a submission reference number together with the information submitted, which can be saved for record purpose.

    If you have used "iAM Smart" and checked "I agree to use my "iAM Smart" account to receive application acknowledgement." in Step 4, you will receive a mobile notification for your application through the "iAM Smart" mobile app.

    Otherwise, if you have provided your email address and checked "I agree to use my email address to receive application acknowledgement." in Step 4, you will receive an email notification for your application.

  • Q11. Can I retrieve the acknowledgement after submitting my application?

    Yes. You can retrieve your application acknowledgement within 3 months by the "Retrieve Acknowledgement" function.

    If you have "iAM Smart" account, you can retrieve your application acknowledgement by completing the "iAM Smart" authentication.

    Alternatively, you can provide the required application particulars together with the submission reference number to retrieve your application acknowledgement.

  • Q12. How long will it take to process my Change of Address application?

    In general, respective government departments and non-governmental organisations will process your application within 14 days.

    If you would like to check the progress of your application, you may contact the help desk of the corresponding department or organisation for assistance, quoting your submission reference number.

  • Q13. If I have submitted my application to a wrong department or organisation, what should I do?

    You can contact the GovHK Help Desk at (852) 183 5500 or the help desk of the corresponding department or organisation for assistance, quoting your submission reference number.

  • Q14. If I have submitted some wrong information, what should I do?

    You should submit another application with the correct information again, or you can contact the GovHK Help Desk at (852) 183 5500 or the help desk of the corresponding department or organisation for assistance, quoting your submission reference number.