Hong Kong company registration
How to register a company in Hong Kong
With Emerhub, you can set up your Hong Kong company fully remotely: 100% foreign ownership, no minimum capital, and no trip to Hong Kong. We handle everything from the incorporation filing and corporate secretary to the bank account and first-year compliance.
Companies we've helped set up in Hong Kong
Before you start
What to decide before anything is filed
The choices made before the first form is filed determine how smoothly the rest goes. Make them deliberately.
Decision 01
Which entity type fits
Hong Kong recognizes several company structures. For most foreign investors the answer is a private limited company, and that is what this guide covers. The exceptions matter though: a branch office, a representative office, and a few minor structures each fit specific situations.
Decision 02
Will you claim offshore profits?
Hong Kong taxes territorially. Profits sourced outside Hong Kong can qualify for the offshore claim and escape profits tax entirely. What decides the claim is how the business operates in practice: where contracts are made, where the work happens. That shapes your bookkeeping, substance, and banking from day one. Plan it at setup. Rebuilding the evidence at filing time rarely convinces the IRD.
How the offshore claim works →Decision 03
Director and shareholder structure
One director and one shareholder is the minimum. They can be the same person, any nationality, with no Hong Kong residency required. Decide early whether shareholders will be individuals or corporate entities. Corporate shareholding adds apostilled parent documents and one to two weeks to the timeline.
How the structure gets documented →Decision 04
Banking strategy
This is the decision foreign investors most often underweight. Opening the account is harder than the incorporation itself, and the bank's decision turns on your business profile, source of funds, and transaction patterns. Plan banking before you incorporate. A wrong-bank start can add two to three months.
Banking deep-dive →Key requirements
Requirements to register a company in Hong Kong
What the Companies Ordinance requires of a private limited company. If you can tick these six, you can incorporate.
- At least one director, any nationality. A natural person aged 18 or over, with no Hong Kong residency required. Corporate directors are allowed only in addition.
- Between one and fifty shareholders. Individuals or corporate entities, of any nationality and residency. 100% foreign ownership is permitted across nearly all industries.
- A Hong Kong-resident company secretary. An individual residing in Hong Kong or a firm holding a TCSP license. In a single-director company, the director cannot hold the role.
- A physical registered office address in Hong Kong. The address of record for legal service and government mail; a P.O. box does not qualify. Most foreign investors use their provider's address.
- Share capital, with no minimum. HK$1 is legally enough. In practice, 10,000 shares at HK$1 each is the common allotment, partly for credibility with banks.
- A compliant company name. English names end in "Limited" and Chinese names in 有限公司, and the two languages cannot be mixed in a single name.
The process
Steps to register a company in Hong Kong
Below are the steps to set up a company in Hong Kong as a foreign investor, in the order they happen. For each one you will find what to prepare, what it costs, how long it takes, and the mistakes we see most often, so you can plan the whole project before you start it.
1
Choose your company name and entity type
For nine out of ten foreign investors, the right entity is a private limited company: a separate legal entity, 100% foreign ownership, and liability limited to the share capital. That is what this guide covers. Branches, representative offices, and the other structures fit narrower situations, and our types of companies guide explains when they make sense.
The name can be in English, Chinese, or both. English names end in "Limited", Chinese names in 有限公司, and the two languages cannot mix in one name. It must be unique on the Companies Registry's records. The Registry compares names ignoring "The" at the start and "Limited" at the end. Hong Kong has no reservation system. The name is secured the moment the incorporation is filed, so the search has to be right the first time. Restricted words like "bank", "trust", and "insurance" need extra approval that adds weeks.
We run the availability and trademark searches together, propose alternatives where conflicts exist, and keep two backup names ready so a rejection never costs a second cycle.
Common pitfallThe Companies Registry checks its own register, not the trademark register. A name can be approved and still infringe a registered trademark, and the trademark holder can then force a change after you've printed it on everything. Both registers get searched before we file.
2
Prepare the documents and Articles of Association
Two things get prepared in parallel: the identity documents the Registry and the banks will read, and the Articles of Association that define how your company runs. The quality of this step decides how smooth everything after it is.
Documents required
- Clear color passport copy for each director and individual shareholder
- Proof of residential address less than three months old (utility bill, bank statement, or government correspondence)
- For corporate shareholders: apostilled certificate of incorporation, registers of directors and members, and constitutional documents, in English
- Identification of every beneficial owner holding more than 25%, directly or indirectly, for the Significant Controllers Register
- A source of funds outline, informal at this stage and formal at the banking stage
The Articles of Association are the company's internal rulebook. They set how directors are appointed, how shares are issued, and how decisions are made. Banks, investors, and counterparties read them. We prepare the articles for you. Where co-investors or multiple share classes are involved, we draft them to match your shareholders' agreement, and bespoke drafting is listed in the add-ons below.
3
Appoint the corporate secretary and registered office
Every Hong Kong company must have a corporate secretary, named on the incorporation form itself. The secretary must be a Hong Kong-resident individual or a firm holding a TCSP license. In a single-director company, the sole director cannot hold the role. This is the one part of the structure that has to be local, which is why every foreign-owned company works with a provider. Emerhub acts as your corporate secretary through our TCSP-licensed Hong Kong entity and provides the registered office address.
What the corporate secretary does
- Files the annual return (Form NAR1) with the Companies Registry
- Maintains the statutory registers: members, directors, secretaries, and the SCR
- Prepares board resolutions, written resolutions, and meeting minutes
- Coordinates the Business Registration renewal and other recurring filings
- Acts as the formal channel for Registry correspondence
The registered office must be a physical Hong Kong address, and it sits on the public record. Most of our clients use our office as theirs, which keeps personal addresses off the register and means government mail lands with the people who act on it.
Common pitfallFounders sometimes appoint a Hong Kong-based friend as secretary. It works in principle. In practice the filing calendar, the forms, and the SCR rules get missed, and penalties run into thousands of HKD per missed deadline. A licensed firm is worth the cost.
4
File the incorporation with the Companies Registry
The incorporation application (Form NNC1) is the legal trigger that creates the entity. We prepare it and file it with the Articles and the Business Registration notice through the Companies Registry's e-Services Portal. We also advance the government fees: HK$1,545 for electronic incorporation plus HK$2,350 for the one-year Business Registration Certificate. The Registry processes electronic filings within about an hour. The filing itself is the fastest part of the whole setup.
One field on that form deserves more attention than the rest. The nature of the proposed business sets the IRD's first profile of your company and shapes how a bank reads your application later. Vague entries like "trading" or "consulting" sail through the Registry, then trigger bank rejections months later because the AML team cannot categorize the activity. We write it specific. "Import and distribution of consumer electronics in Asia" reads cleanly where "trading" does not.
5
Receive your certificates
Hong Kong runs a one-stop registration. The Certificate of Incorporation from the Companies Registry and the Business Registration Certificate from the Inland Revenue Department are issued together, electronically, usually within the hour for e-filings. The first confirms the company legally exists. The second authorises it to carry on business and must be displayed at the principal place of business. Together they are what you show banks, customers, and suppliers.
What you receive at handover
- Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration Certificate (electronic originals)
- Filed Articles of Association and the NNC1 on record
- First board resolution and share certificates for each shareholder
- Statutory registers and the Significant Controllers Register, populated
- A compliance calendar with every filing date for the first two years
Common pitfallThe BR Certificate renews annually, or every three years if you chose that term, and non-renewal is an offense. The HK$150 levy returned on 1 April 2026 after a two-year waiver, so renewal invoices are higher than older guides suggest. Your renewal calendar gets set on day one.
6
Open the corporate bank account
This is the hardest step in the whole process. Hong Kong banks have tightened due diligence repeatedly since 2018. A freshly incorporated foreign-owned company with no local operations yet is exactly your situation at setup, and banks treat it as elevated money-laundering risk by default. The decision turns on your business profile, source of funds, expected transactions, and whether the structure makes commercial sense to the AML team reviewing it.
You have three categories of options. Traditional banks (HSBC, Hang Seng, Standard Chartered, Bank of China, DBS) offer the strongest credibility and correspondent network, with the most stringent onboarding. Virtual banks onboard faster and serve SMEs well, with limits on large international transfers. Fintech providers such as Airwallex cover many use cases without being formal Hong Kong bank accounts.
What the bank asks for
- Incorporation documents: certificate, BR Certificate, articles
- Passports and proof of address for directors and significant controllers
- A business plan or one-page summary of the intended activity
- Source of funds evidence: bank statements, asset sale documents, or investor wire confirmations
- Sample contracts or customer and supplier agreements showing real activity
- Expected transaction profile: volume, frequency, geography, currency mix
Approval depends heavily on how the application is built. The same underlying facts get approved or rejected depending on how the narrative reads. We assess your profile against each bank's current onboarding appetite, recommend where your approval odds are highest, prepare the package, and coordinate the video interview when a bank requires one. Emerhub is also an official Airwallex gold partner. We can usually open a multi-currency business account fast while the traditional bank application runs its course. The full detail is in our corporate bank account guide.
Common pitfallThe most common rejection reason is "commercial substance": the bank suspects there is no real business behind the structure. If you have no customers yet, no contracts in negotiation, and no clear activity narrative, expect rejections. Build operational substance before approaching banks.
7
Activate the company's compliance
The day the Certificate of Incorporation arrives, the company's obligations start ticking. The Companies Ordinance and the Inland Revenue Ordinance treat day one as the start of compliance, with no grace period. This step turns a registered company into a compliant one. It is where we hand over the full calendar.
What needs to be set up
- Statutory registers and the SCR populated and kept current, with changes to directors, the secretary, or the registered office filed within 15 days (Forms ND2B / NR1)
- Commencement notification: Form IRBR200 to the IRD within one month of starting operations. Until you file it, the business nature on the BR Certificate reads "CORP", which leaves the scope unactivated for banking and licensing. Failing to notify is an offense, and most founders have never heard of the form.
- Annual return calendar: Form NAR1 is due within 42 days of each incorporation anniversary
- Auditor appointment: every Hong Kong company files audited accounts, with no small-company exemption
- Profits Tax Return preparation: the IRD typically issues the first PTR around 18 months after incorporation
- BR Certificate renewal calendar set, with the reinstated levy priced in
- If you hire: employer registration with the IRD (IR56E per hire, IR56B annually) and MPF enrollment, including a founder drawing salary
If your activity is regulated
- Incorporation creates the legal shell. Some activities need a second approval before trading. Financial services run through the SFC or need a Money Service Operator license. Restaurants and food production need FEHD licenses. Employment agencies are licensed by the Labor Department. General import and export is duty-free, with a separate registration at the Customs and Excise Department. Restricted commodities like chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and strategic goods need their own permits before crossing the border.
Our Hong Kong accounting service then runs the recurring cycle: bookkeeping, the audit, and the Profits Tax Return, handled by the same team that set the company up.
Map your Hong Kong setup in one call
A free, no-obligation consultation with our Hong Kong team. You'll come away knowing the structure that fits, the bank most likely to approve your profile, and a realistic timeline for your case.
Required documents
Documents required to register a company in Hong Kong
Everything the incorporation needs, split into what you gather and what gets prepared and filed for you. Run through it before kickoff.
Documents you provide
- Director passport copyColor scan, photo page
- Director proof of addressUtility bill or bank statement, under 3 months old
- Shareholder passport copySame standard, for each individual shareholder
- Shareholder proof of addressSame standard as for directors
- Corporate shareholder: certificate of incorporationApostilled, English translation if needed
- Corporate parent's registers of directors and membersApostilled, in English
- Constitutional documents of the corporate parentArticles or equivalent, apostilled
- Beneficial ownership identificationAnyone over 25%, directly or indirectly
- Source of funds outlineInformal at incorporation, formal at banking
- Business activity descriptionSpecific and bank-friendly
Prepared and filed for you
- Form NNC1Incorporation application to the Companies Registry
- Articles of AssociationModel Articles or bespoke per your structure
- Form IRBR1Notice to the Business Registration Office
- Consent forms and resolutionsDirector and shareholder consents, first board resolution
- Share certificatesOne per shareholder, signed by directors
- Statutory registersMembers, directors, secretaries, populated
- Significant Controllers RegisterPopulated with confirmed beneficial owners
- Bank application packageWhere banking support is part of the engagement
- Compliance calendarAnnual return, BR renewal, audit, and PTR dates
Packages & costs
Hong Kong company registration packages
Pick the scope that fits where you are. Government fees (HK$3,895 for electronic filing with a one-year Business Registration Certificate) apply to every package and are passed through at cost, without markup.
Incorporation
From $1,490
Plus HK$3,895 government fees, at cost. For companies with their own corporate secretary.
- Name and trademark search
- Form NNC1 and articles prepared and filed
- Consent forms, resolutions, share certificates
- Statutory registers and SCR populated
- Full incorporation pack at handover
Most chosen
Full setup
From $2,890
Plus HK$3,895 government fees, at cost. Everything a new Hong Kong company needs in year one.
- Everything in Incorporation
- Corporate secretary, 12 months
- Registered office address
- Bank application guidance, with Airwallex gold-partner onboarding
- First annual return (NAR1) filed
- Compliance calendar for years one and two
Setup + accounting
From $2,890 + $250/mo
The full setup plus the financial cycle, run by the same team.
- Everything in Full setup
- Monthly bookkeeping under HKFRS
- Audit coordination for the first cycle
- Profits Tax Return support
Optional add-ons
Bank application supportPackage preparation, bank selection, and video interview supportFrom $500
Bespoke Articles of AssociationCustom articles for non-standard shareholder arrangementsFrom $400
Annual audit coordinationHong Kong CPA firm coordination, quoted by transaction volumeFrom $1,200/year
Apostille coordinationFor structures with corporate shareholdersQuoted at engagement
Fees current as of June 2026. The government's HK$150 levy returned with the 2026–27 Budget after a two-year waiver, and the fee structure is reviewed at each budget. A three-year Business Registration Certificate is also available at a small per-year saving; we confirm the current amount at engagement.
The timeline
Hong Kong company registration timeline
The company itself can exist within 24 hours of filing; document preparation takes a few days before that. The bank account is the slowest step at two to six weeks, so plan around six weeks from kickoff to a fully operational company.
Incorporation (Companies Registry + IRD)
Banking (depends on bank and profile)
Compliance setup (parallel work)
Common questions
Hong Kong company registration FAQs
Specific questions about the registration process itself.
How long does it actually take to register a company in Hong Kong?
The incorporation itself takes under 24 hours: once the NNC1 is filed electronically, the Registry usually issues both certificates within the hour. Preparing the documents takes one to three days before that, longer if apostilles are involved, so plan two to four working days from kickoff to an incorporated company. The bank account then adds two to six weeks, which is the slowest part. End to end, plan around six weeks to be operationally ready.
How much does it cost in 2026?
Government fees total HK$3,895 for electronic filing: HK$1,545 incorporation plus HK$2,350 for the one-year Business Registration Certificate, roughly USD 500. Emerhub's incorporation-only package starts at USD 1,490, and the full first-year setup at USD 2,890. A typical foreign-investor incorporation lands between USD 2,500 and 4,000 all in.
Do I need to visit Hong Kong?
No. The Companies Registry process is fully digital and signing is electronic. Some banks require a video interview for the account, and in rarer cases an in-person visit, but the registration itself is remote. Most of our foreign clients incorporate without ever visiting.
Can I be the sole director and sole shareholder?
One director and one shareholder is the minimum, and they can be the same person, of any nationality, with no residency requirement. At least one director must be a natural person. Corporate directors are only allowed in addition. The corporate secretary is the exception. It must be a Hong Kong resident or TCSP-licensed firm, and in a single-director company the director cannot hold the role.
What happens if my chosen name is rejected?
The Registry returns the application with the reason, usually similarity to an existing name or a restricted word, and you refile with a new name. That adds three to five working days. Since there is no reservation system, the protection is doing the search properly and keeping two backup names ready.
What if the bank rejects my account application?
A rejection doesn't prevent applying elsewhere, but it becomes part of your record and subsequent banks may consider it. Match your profile to the bank before applying and treat the first application as the one that counts. A fintech account is a workable plan B for most foreign investors, often onboarding in days; as an official Airwallex gold partner, we handle that route directly.
How much paid-up capital do I need?
There is no statutory minimum: a company can be incorporated with HK$1. In practice most are set up with HK$1,000 to HK$10,000, since banks and counterparties form judgments from the stated capital, and a token amount can read as unserious. Capital can be increased later by allotment.
Can my Hong Kong company own foreign subsidiaries?
Yes, in any jurisdiction, subject to that jurisdiction's inbound rules. This is the basis of the regional holding structures many of our clients use: a Hong Kong company holding operating subsidiaries in Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, or mainland China. Hong Kong places no restrictions on outbound investment.
Do I need a work visa to register a company?
You can incorporate and own a Hong Kong company without any visa and without setting foot in Hong Kong. A work visa only becomes relevant if you will be physically employed by the company in Hong Kong. Remote ownership and management are fully supported.
What if my structure includes a foreign corporate shareholder?
Foreign companies can hold shares in Hong Kong companies without restriction. The complication is documentation: apostilled, English copies of the parent's certificate of incorporation, registers, and constitutional documents. Plan for two to four weeks of apostille work, started the same day as the name search.
Can I change the company name later?
Yes, at any time by special resolution, filed on Form NNC2 with a HK$295 fee and one to two days of processing. The new name passes the same availability checks. The company number stays the same and existing contracts are unaffected.
Is the registered office address public?
It is. The registered office appears on the public Companies Registry record, searchable by anyone through e-Search. This is why most foreign investors use a service provider's address rather than a home address. Emerhub clients use our Hong Kong office as the registered office, which keeps personal addresses off the public record.
Setting up in Hong Kong?
Talk to our Hong Kong team
A free, no-obligation consultation: thirty minutes with our Hong Kong team to assess your structure, recommend a bank for your profile, and map out a realistic timeline.
Emailinfo@emerhub.com
Phone / WhatsApp+60 17 684 9718
OfficeRoom 06, 13A/F, South Tower
World Finance Centre
17 Canton Road
Hong Kong
World Finance Centre
17 Canton Road
Hong Kong