What Documents Are Required to Register a Company in Hong Kong? A Step-by-Step Guide + Full Breakdown of Fees

Registering a company in Hong Kong is not merely a matter of filling out a form and paying a fee-it is a statutory procedure grounded in clear legal provisions, with a fixed list of required documents and well-defined procedural milestones. In practice, many applicants encounter obstacles such as incomplete documentation, invalid registered addresses, challenges to director eligibility, or even registration failure or subsequent anomalies in annual compliance-often due to engagement of an unqualified corporate secretary service provider. The following content is compiled based on the latest Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), effective as of 2025, together with practical requirements issued by the Companies Registry (CR) and the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). It contains no generic templates or boilerplate language-only mandatory conditions and transparent cost components.

I. Statutory Documents Required for Hong Kong Company Registration (All Items Are Mandatory)

1. Company Name (Chinese and English)

The Chinese name must include either “” (“Limited Company”) or “” (“Company Limited by Shares”);

The English name must end with “Limited”;

The proposed name must not duplicate any existing company name registered with the CR;

It must not contain regulated terms such as “Bank”, “Insurance”, or “Trust”, unless the applicant holds the relevant regulatory license.

2. At Least One Natural Person Director

Must be aged 18 or above;

Must have no record of bankruptcy or criminal conviction;

May be a non-Hong Kong resident, but cannot be a corporate entity (e.g., a BVI company cannot serve as a director).

3. At Least One Company Secretary

Must be either a Hong Kong-licensed corporate secretarial firm, or a Hong Kong permanent resident or a local natural person holding a valid visa;

Mainland Chinese residents without Hong Kong residency or valid local visas are not eligible;

The secretary must maintain a physical office address in Hong Kong and assume statutory compliance responsibilities.

4. Registered Address

Must be a genuine commercial address in Hong Kong (post office boxes, residential addresses, and virtual email addresses are strictly prohibited);

This address will appear on the Certificate of Incorporation and all official correspondence from the CR and IRD, and will serve as the official point of contact for statutory notices.

5. Identity Documents of Shareholders

Each shareholder must provide a colour scanned copy of a valid passport or Home Return Permit (for Hong Kong/Macau residents);

A proof of residential address issued within the last three months (e.g., utility bill or bank statement), clearly showing the shareholder’s full name and address-documents in either English or Chinese are acceptable, provided they are legible and verifiable.

6. Share Capital Structure

Stated share capital (commonly set at HK$10,000; no actual payment required upon incorporation);

Classes of shares (ordinarily ordinary shares only);

Par value per share (typically HK$1);

Shareholding proportions among shareholders.

II. Five-Step Registration Process (No Physical Presence in Hong Kong Required)

1. Name Search

Conduct a free preliminary name search via the CR’s “Integrated Companies Registry Information System (ICRIS)” online platform;

It is advisable to prepare three alternative names to avoid rejection due to name duplication.

2. Execution of Statutory Documents

Includes the Articles of Association, Form ND2B (Notice of Appointment of Director and Company Secretary), and Form IRBR1 (Application for Business Registration Certificate);

All documents must be signed personally by the director(s); electronic signatures are permitted, provided they comply with the Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap. 553).

3. Submission of Registration Application

Filed electronically through the CR’s “e-Registry” system by a licensed corporate secretarial firm;

Standard processing time is typically one working day; expedited same-day certification is available for an additional fee of approximately HK$800-HK$1,200.

4. Collection of Certificate of Incorporation (CI) and Business Registration Certificate (BR)

Upon successful registration, the CR issues the CI, while the IRD concurrently issues the BR;

Both documents are statutory legal instruments-neither may be omitted.

5. Opening a Corporate Bank Account

Required documents include the CI, BR, Articles of Association, identity documents and address proofs of directors/shareholders;

Applicants must book appointments with local Hong Kong banks (e.g., HSBC, Standard Chartered, Bank of China (Hong Kong));

Most banks currently require directors’ physical presence; limited banks offer video-based verification-but specific policies must be confirmed in advance.

III. Transparent Fee Breakdown (2025 Market Rates-No Hidden Charges Included)

• Government Fees

 - Company registration fee HK$1,720

 - Business registration certificate fee (first year) HK$2,250

 → Total HK$3,970 (payable directly via CR/IRD official websites; non-refundable and non-waivable)

• Corporate Secretarial Service Fee

 - HK$1,800-HK$3,500 per annum (covers registered address, appointment of company secretary, annual return filing, and receipt/forwarding of official correspondence from government departments)

• Bank Account Opening Fee

 - HK$0-HK$1,500 (varies by bank; some require an initial deposit of HK$50,000-HK$100,000)

• Articles of Association Drafting Notarisation

 - Additional HK$300-HK$800 if bilingual (Chinese/English) Articles are required, or if documents need notarisation for use in mainland China

• Annual Renewal Costs (From Year Two Onwards)

 - Government fees HK$3,970

 - Secretarial service fee approx. HK$2,000-HK$3,000

 → Estimated total HK$6,000-HK$7,000 per annum

The above provides a comprehensive, accurate breakdown of all required documentation, key operational steps, and itemised cost components involved in registering a company in Hong Kong. We hope this information proves helpful to you.