Company name
You may choose an English name, a traditional Chinese name or both. Review the Hong Kong company naming rules before filing; the Registry will reject an exact match already on its index, and certain words may need further consideration.
For Hong Kong entrepreneurs and international founders
Hong Kong Company Registration & Limited Company Formation
Whether you are launching a Hong Kong-owned business, investing from overseas or adding a Hong Kong company to an existing group, a private company limited by shares is often the first structure to consider. You do not need a resident director. We can coordinate the incorporation, company secretary and registered office, then help you prepare for banking, tax and annual compliance.
For non-resident founders
Can a foreigner register a company in Hong Kong?
Yes. You can generally hold all the shares personally or through an overseas company, and a non-Hong Kong resident may serve as a director. The company will still need a qualifying company secretary, a registered office in Hong Kong and accurate records of its owners and significant controllers.
Foreign ownershipGenerally up to 100%
Resident directorNot required
Share structureHong Kong uses no-par shares
Official e-filing costHK$3,895 at the current rates
Registration creates the company; it does not complete every application. The Certificate of Incorporation lets the company move on to banking and other setup work, but a bank, payment provider, tax authority, Immigration or licensing body will make its own decision.
Choose the legal form first
Is a Hong Kong private limited company the right structure?
For local entrepreneurs, international founders and business groups that need to sign contracts, earn revenue or bring in investors through a Hong Kong entity, a private company limited by shares is usually the practical choice. If an existing overseas company is establishing a place of business in Hong Kong, registration as a non-Hong Kong company may be the correct route instead.
| Structure | Often suits | Main issue to examine |
|---|---|---|
| Private company limited by shares | Trading, services, e-commerce, investment and group subsidiaries | A separate Hong Kong company with annual corporate, audit and tax obligations |
| Registered non-Hong Kong company | An overseas company establishing a place of business in Hong Kong | The foreign company remains the legal entity and must register within the applicable period |
| Company limited by guarantee | Some non-profit or membership organisations | No share capital and a different registration and reporting structure |
| Representative or liaison arrangement | Limited non-contracting market activity | Activity must be reviewed carefully; the label does not remove registration or tax exposure |
What you need for the filing
Hong Kong company registration requirements
For a straightforward private company limited by shares, start with the six items below. If the company has several ownership layers or will carry on a regulated activity, allow for additional documents and approvals.
Shareholder and shares
Decide who will hold the initial shares and how much will be paid or agreed to be paid. Hong Kong uses no-par shares, so the old formula of 10,000 shares at HK$1 is not a legal requirement.
Director
You need at least one director who is a natural person. That director does not have to live in Hong Kong.
Company secretary
An individual secretary must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong, or a corporate secretary must have its registered office or place of business in Hong Kong. The sole director cannot also be the company secretary.
Registered office
The company must keep a registered office in Hong Kong for official communications and company records. Before using an address service, check how mail is handled and when records can be accessed.
Articles and filing forms
We prepare the Form NNC1 information and articles of association, together with Form IRBR1 for the simultaneous business registration application.
Prepare before filing
Documents and information usually requested
The documents required to register a company in Hong Kong go beyond the Registry forms. We also need to complete customer due diligence, so the exact document list depends on the owners, significant controllers, business activity and countries involved.
- Passport or accepted identity document for individual shareholders, directors and controllers
- Recent residential address evidence where required for due diligence
- Certificate, constitutional documents and ownership chart for a corporate shareholder
- Proposed English and, if wanted, traditional Chinese company names
- Business description, target markets, expected customers, suppliers and payment flows
- Initial shareholding, director, company secretary and registered-office details
- Source-of-funds or source-of-wealth evidence where the risk review requires it
- Licence or approval information for regulated or restricted activities
From your plan to the certificates
How to register a company in Hong Kong
The electronic filing can be fast, but we should settle the ownership, business activity and operating plan before submitting it. That avoids creating a company that is difficult to bank, licence or maintain.
Confirm the structure and business activity
We first check whether a local private company or registration of an overseas company fits your Hong Kong presence and contracting plan.
Complete ownership and identity checks
You provide the shareholder, director and controller documents needed for due diligence, together with a straightforward explanation of the business.
Check the proposed company name
We search the Registry index and check name availability, then consider whether the wording or activity may need further review.
Prepare Form NNC1 and the articles
You confirm the initial shares, first director, secretary and registered office, and we coordinate the filing information and articles.
Submit incorporation and business registration
We submit the electronic incorporation application and IRBR1 with the required Companies Registry and Business Registration fees.
Complete the post-incorporation records
After approval, we organise the Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration Certificate, statutory registers and Significant Controllers Register, then move on to any accounting, tax, licensing and banking work you need.
Know what each charge covers
Hong Kong company registration cost
For an application submitted between 1 April 2026 and 31 March 2027, the electronic government registration fees total HK$3,895. Keep this statutory amount separate from professional services, the company secretary, registered office and recurring compliance.
| Item | Electronic filing | Hard-copy filing |
|---|---|---|
| Companies Registry incorporation application | HK$1,545 | HK$1,720 |
| One-year Business Registration Certificate fee and levy | HK$2,350 | HK$2,350 |
| Total statutory amount | HK$3,895 | HK$4,070 |
Indicative HSJGlobal service levels
These starting figures reflect three common levels of support. Once we have checked the owners and business activity, the written quote will confirm exactly what is included, how the statutory fees are handled and what renews after the first year. Use the same scope when you compare Hong Kong company formation quotes.
Filing coordination
From USD 499
- For a straightforward filing when you already have an eligible secretary and registered office
- The quote will state whether the HK$3,895 statutory amount is included or additional
- Banking, accounting, audit and tax work excluded unless quoted
First-year company support
From USD 899
- Formation coordination for a standard private company
- May include the company secretary, registered office and initial SCR setup
- Annual renewal and third-party costs are confirmed separately
Expanded setup support
From USD 1,499
- For corporate shareholders, layered ownership or extra document coordination
- Can include an initial tax-position discussion and bank application preparation
- The tax authority, bank or payment provider makes the final decision
Check the cost after year one. Ask about the annual secretary, registered office, Business Registration renewal, NAR1 filing, bookkeeping, audit, Profits Tax Return and mail handling. A low incorporation price may hide later charges and fail to show the full recurring cost.
Tell us who will own the company and what it will do. We will separate the first-year costs from the renewals.
Registry time and total setup time
How long does Hong Kong company incorporation take?
For a straightforward electronic application that passes validation and does not need further name review, the Companies Registry says electronic certificates will normally be issued within one hour.
For the complete Hong Kong company registration timeline: allow roughly 3–10 business days when document collection, due diligence, drafting, signatures and possible corrections are included. This is our working estimate; the Registry does not guarantee it.
What can extend the project?
- A proposed name that needs further Registry consideration
- Corporate shareholders or several ownership layers
- Documents that require certification or translation
- Inconsistent director, shareholder or controller information
- A regulated activity or separate business licence
- Bank and payment-provider onboarding, which is not part of incorporation
The Companies Registry says hard-copy certificates for a company limited by shares will normally be issued within four working days after an acceptable paper filing.
What we can handle for you
How HSJGlobal helps with Hong Kong company formation
You can ask us to handle the incorporation alone or continue with the work that follows. The written proposal will identify who performs each regulated function, what is included in the first year and which services renew. Use our guide to what a Hong Kong company formation service should include when checking the scope.
Company formation
We coordinate the name review, NNC1 information, articles, initial shareholding and electronic filing.
Secretary and registered office
Local statutory support, mail handling and routine company-change filings within the agreed scope.
Controller records
Initial Significant Controllers Register preparation and designated-representative coordination where required.
Accounting and audit
Bookkeeping, financial statements and independent Hong Kong audit work according to the company's activity.
Tax filing support
Profits Tax Return preparation and analysis of where the profits arose. The tax treatment depends on the company's facts and evidence.
Banking preparation
We prepare and coordinate the application. The bank or payment provider decides whether to approve the account.
Local appointments and company records
Company secretary, registered office and SCR
These are ongoing legal responsibilities, not one-time filing extras. Review the company secretary requirements for new companies before appointing a provider, then ask where the records will be kept, who receives government notices and how quickly you will hear about a deadline or official letter.
- Company secretary: an individual must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong; a corporate secretary must have its registered office or place of business in Hong Kong.
- Registered office: the company's official Hong Kong registered office address for notices and records. It is not simply a marketing or contact address.
- Significant Controllers Register: an unlisted local company must identify significant controllers and keep the register at its registered office or another place in Hong Kong.
- Designated representative: the company appoints an eligible person to assist law-enforcement officers in relation to the SCR.
- TCSP check: if a provider carries on trust or company service business in Hong Kong, check the contracting entity and licence in the official TCSP register.
Bank application after incorporation
Hong Kong corporate bank account support
If your business and ownership profile fits, we can help you apply remotely with selected Hong Kong banks and payment providers. The application and identity checks may be completed online. The institution will still carry out its own KYC and risk review before deciding whether to open the account.
| Question | Traditional bank | Virtual bank or payment provider |
|---|---|---|
| Business model | May suit established trading, payroll, lending or treasury needs | May suit digital collections, transfers and multi-currency operations |
| Onboarding | May request interviews, local connection or more extensive supporting records | May use digital onboarding but still applies independent KYC and country restrictions |
| Products | Review credit, trade finance, branch access and account services | Review safeguarding, transfer rails, card functions and settlement currencies |
| Decision | The institution independently decides approval, conditions, timing and whether a physical meeting is required. | |
Make the application easy to understand. Be ready to explain why the company is in Hong Kong, what it sells, where customers and suppliers are located, the expected transaction values, source of funds and who controls the company. Contracts, invoices, a website or a business plan can support the explanation.
Tax depends on what the company actually does
Hong Kong profits tax and offshore income
Hong Kong generally taxes profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong from a trade, profession or business carried on there. Having overseas customers, directors or bank accounts does not automatically give the company a 0% offshore tax result.
First HK$2 million
Under the two-tiered regime, a qualifying corporation may pay 8.25% on its first HK$2 million of assessable profits.
Profits above HK$2 million
Assessable corporate profits above the first HK$2 million are generally taxed at 16.5%. A group with connected entities normally nominates only one entity for the two-tiered rates.
Foreign-source position
The source of profits depends on what produced the profit and where the relevant operations took place. Contracts, decision-making, services, purchasing and sales evidence matter.
Foreign-sourced income rules also matter. The FSIE regime can treat specified foreign-sourced interest, dividends, disposal gains and IP income received in Hong Kong by an MNE entity as taxable unless the relevant exception is met. We review the actual income stream and evidence rather than assume a blanket offshore exemption.
Plan for the years after registration
Hong Kong annual compliance requirements
The filing calendar starts after incorporation, and the annual cost of maintaining a Hong Kong company should be budgeted from the beginning. Even if the company has little activity or has not opened a bank account, it should keep its records current and complete the corporate, accounting, audit and tax work that applies.
| Obligation | General timing | Important point |
|---|---|---|
| Business Registration Certificate | Renew according to its one-year or three-year validity | The amount varies with the certificate commencement date. |
| Annual Return, Form NAR1 | Within 42 days after each incorporation anniversary | No annual return is required for the year of incorporation. The on-time private-company fee is HK$105. |
| Financial statements and audit | For each financial year | Audit is required for companies, including those using reporting exemptions, except dormant companies under the statutory exception. |
| Profits Tax Return | By the due date on the return or valid extension | Corporations with gross income generally submit supporting financial statements and tax computation. |
| Accounting and tax records | Keep continuously | IRD states business records must generally be retained for at least seven years. |
| Company and controller changes | Within the deadline for the relevant change | Do not wait until NAR1 to report a changed director, secretary, registered office or other prescribed detail. |
Where we check the current rules
- Companies Registry: registering a new company
- Companies Registry: incorporation and annual-return fees
- IRD: Business Registration fee and levy table
- Companies Registry: directors and company secretary
- Companies Registry: Significant Controllers Register
- IRD: two-tiered profits tax rates
- IRD: foreign-sourced income exemption regime
We checked this page against the official guidance above on 12 August 2026. Fees, tax rules and filing procedures can change, so we will reconfirm the current position before filing.
Questions founders usually ask us
Hong Kong company registration FAQs
Can a foreigner own 100% of a Hong Kong company?
Yes. Hong Kong generally permits full foreign ownership of a private company limited by shares. A non-Hong Kong resident may be appointed as a director, but the company must still have a Hong Kong registered office and a company secretary who meets the local requirements.
What does a Hong Kong private limited company need?
You usually need at least one shareholder, at least one director who is a natural person, a qualifying company secretary, a registered office in Hong Kong, articles of association and stated initial shareholdings. The sole director cannot also act as the company secretary.
How much are the official fees to register a Hong Kong company?
For an electronic application, the Companies Registry incorporation fee for a company limited by shares is HK$1,545. For submissions from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, the one-year Business Registration Certificate fee and levy total HK$2,350. That makes the electronic government total HK$3,895 before professional services and third-party costs.
How long does Hong Kong company registration take?
The Companies Registry says the electronic certificates for a straightforward private company limited by shares will normally be issued within one hour after a valid filing. Before that filing, allow time for identity checks, document preparation and signatures. Banking and licences are separate processes.
Can I register a Hong Kong company online from overseas?
Yes. We can generally coordinate the incorporation and signing while you are overseas, subject to identity checks and any certification requirements, and submit the application electronically. Banking, licences and immigration are separate processes.
Does company registration guarantee a Hong Kong bank account?
No. We can help eligible applicants apply remotely with selected banks and payment providers, but the institution makes its own approval decision. It will review the business model, owners, source of funds, expected transactions and geographic risk.
Will a Hong Kong company automatically pay 0% tax on offshore income?
No. Hong Kong applies a territorial source principle, but the source of profits is determined from the facts and operations that produced them. A company must file correctly and support its position. The foreign-sourced income exemption rules may also affect specified foreign income received in Hong Kong by an MNE entity.
What annual compliance does a Hong Kong company have?
A typical active private company renews its Business Registration Certificate, keeps statutory and accounting records, prepares annual financial statements and an audit, files a Profits Tax Return when issued and delivers Form NAR1 within 42 days after each incorporation anniversary, except that no annual return is required for the year of incorporation.
Tell us what the company needs to do
Start with the owners, planned activity, customer and supplier countries, expected payments and whether you already have a Hong Kong secretary or address. We will explain the likely setup, recurring work and any questions to resolve before filing.
We usually reply within three hours. Any proposal is subject to due diligence and written engagement terms.
