Hong Kong Company Formation: Everything You Need in 2025

Starting a company in Hong Kong is widely regarded as one of the most efficient ways to establish a presence in Asia and a gateway to China. With its simple registration process and business-friendly policies, it’s no surprise that the city remains a top choice for entrepreneurs worldwide.

This guide will show you the step-by-step process of how to set up your business in Hong Kong smoothly and avoid common pitfalls.

Let's take a look.

The company formation process in Hong Kong is simple, with just 4 main steps. Here’s a quick checklist of the Hong Kong company registration process.

1. Choose Your Company Type

First, you need to decide the type of business you want to incorporate. Choosing the right type of business impacts personal liability, corporate taxes, company setup difficulty, and administrative needs. The most popular option in Hong Kong is a private limited company, which allows the business to engage in various profit-making activities such as manufacturing and ecommerce.

Other options include: 

• Sole Proprietorship:  A simple structure where one individual owns and manages the business, bearing full liability. It’s suitable if you're starting small and want a simple registration process with minimal ongoing requirements.
• Branch Office: An extension of an overseas company operating in Hong Kong, with responsibilities tied to the parent company.
• Representative Office: Suitable for market research or promotions but cannot generate profits or engage in legal business activities.
• Limited Partnership: Combines general and limited partners, where limited partners have liability protection. It requires more complex registration than general partnerships and typically requires a share certificate. 

2. Choose a Business Name

The second step is choosing your business name. Choosing a company name is a fundamental step because you cannot select an unregistrable or duplicate company name.

Choosing a name that is unregistrable or is a duplicate of another company name can result in your application being rejected, requiring you to start the application process over again.

According to the Company Registry’s guidelines, when naming your Hong Kong company, you have the option to choose between English, Traditional Chinese, or both, but refrain from combining characters from both languages.* For Hong Kong Limited company, make sure that any chosen name concludes with "Limited." (not Ltd.) if it's in English, and with "有限公司" if it's in Chinese. Simplified Chinese is not acceptable. 

How to Check for Name Availability:

• Use the Companies Registry’s e-Services Portal to conduct a name search and check for existing company names.*
• Use Hong Kong's government public online search system to search the Trademark Register.*
• Alternatively, you can visit the Companies Registry’s e-Services Centre on the 13th floor of the Queensway Government Offices at 66 Queensway, Hong Kong.

3. Organise Your Company Structure 

After completing the first two steps, the next is to prepare the internal structure of your private limited company to ensure it is well-organised for operations, future compliance, and financial management. This step involves establishing key roles and responsibilities in accordance with Hong Kong’s Companies Ordinance, including:

• One shareholder (minimum) and one director (minimum): They can be of any nationality and do not need to reside in Hong Kong.
• Designated representative: An individual authorised to act on behalf of the company. They must be a Hong Kong resident, an accounting or legal professional, or a licensed corporate service provider. Their details should be included in the Significant Controller Registers to ensure ongoing compliance. 
• Minimum share capital: At least HKD 1 or its equivalent in any currency is required.
• Fiscal year-end: Define your fiscal year-end date, as it affects tax declaration periods.

4. Appoint a Company Secretary

Next, you must appoint a company secretary.

All Hong Kong companies are required to appoint either a permanent resident or a professional company secretarial service holding a Hong Kong Trust and Corporate Service Provider (TCSP) licence as the company secretary.

The company secretary plays a key role in ensuring the business complies with local regulations and maintains good corporate governance. This includes managing the company’s common seal, keeping the statutory records, preparing and submitting annual tax returns, and organising regular shareholder meetings as outlined in the Articles of Association. 

5. Get a Registered Address

By law, all companies in Hong Kong must have a physical address to receive government correspondence and operate legally. The address must be in a physical location, not a PO box.

To get a registered office address in Hong Kong, you can:

• Rent an office: Renting a private office space provides a dedicated area if you need a physical space to run your business.
• Use a co-working space: Co-working spaces offer flexible and cost-effective options for startups and small businesses.
• Use a virtual office: A virtual office provides a registered address for your company without requiring a physical space. However, it’s important to ensure that the virtual address provider is qualified and that your business is eligible to operate using one.

Now that you have completed all the preparations for incorporation, the next step is to register your new company with the Hong Kong Companies Registry. In addition to what you’ve prepared in the previous steps, you’ll need the following incorporation documents: 

1. Identification Documents: Identification documents of the company’s directors, shareholders, and company secretary, such as copies of Hong Kong ID cards (HKID), People's Republic of China identity cards or passports. 
2. Articles of Association: A company document that serves as operational guidelines, including information on the share capital amount, corporate shareholder rules, and other key regulations that employees of your new business must follow.
3. NNC1 Form: An incorporation form for a company limited by shares. 
4. NNC1G Form: An incorporation form for a company not limited by shares. 
5. IRBR1 Form: A notice to the Business Registration Office.

The Companies Registry may request additional information or documents to support the application, such as proof of residential address in Hong Kong. The incorporation forms must be completed consistently in either English or Traditional Chinese. Otherwise, officially certified translations must be provided. Handwritten submissions may be rejected.

When everything is prepared, you can submit the required documents and information and pay the registration fees online via the Companies e-Registry, in person, or by mail to the Companies Registry, 14th Floor, High Block, Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Hong Kong.*

Once your company is successfully registered, the next step is to complete the key post-incorporation tasks required to operate efficiently and meet legal requirements.

1. Collect Certificates and Documents

After the company incorporation documents are submitted and approved, the Hong Kong authorities will issue two official documents to confirm the registration: a Certificate of Incorporation and a Business Registration Certificate. Depending on the method of application submission, the certificates will be issued either electronically or as hard copies. Both formats hold equal legal validity.

The Certificate of Incorporation includes the identification number, company name, and the date the company is officially established. This document is issued by the Hong Kong Companies Registry.

The Business Registration Certificate (BRC) is issued by the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department and is mandatory for any profit-making company. It shows the registration number, which typically serves as the business’s tax identification number. Banks often request this certificate to verify the company’s existence before opening a business bank account.

2. Obtain Business Licences

Certain sales and specialised industries, including but not limited to alcohol, financial services, food and beverage, travel agencies, restaurants, and recruitment, require a specific Hong Kong Business Licence. You can apply for this licence after incorporating your company.

3. Open a Business Account

Although it is not a mandatory requirement, having a corporate account for your Hong Kong company is essential for maintaining accurate financial records, especially when it comes to tracking business transactions to ensure proper profits tax filing. This contributes to both regulatory compliance and operational efficiency.

Most major banks in Hong Kong offer multi-currency accounts, making cross-border transactions more convenient. However, traditional banks often require a face-to-face appointment during the bank account opening process. If you’re a new entrepreneur or startup, consider a non-bank payment service provider that offers an online account opening process to save time and reduce costs.

Registering your company in Hong Kong is only the first step. Ensuring that your company meets the regulatory requirements is equally important for seamless operations. Here are the essential compliance measures you need to uphold to keep your Hong Kong company in good standing. 

Keep Statutory Records

Maintaining statutory records is a legal requirement for all companies in Hong Kong and ensures transparency in your business operations. These records must be updated regularly and kept at the company’s registered office or a designated location in Hong Kong. The key statutory records include:

• Register of Directors: Information about all the appointed directors.
• Register of Significant Controllers: Identifies individuals or entities with 25% or more of the shares or voting rights in the company.*
• Meeting Minutes: Documentation of resolutions passed during shareholder and board meetings.

File Annual Returns

The Annual Return is a form that includes essential details of a company, such as its ownership structure, directors, corporate secretary, and a summary of shares held. This form must be submitted each year within 42 days of the company’s incorporation anniversary.

Annual returns are filed using the NAR1 – Annual Return form and the company secretary is responsible for ensuring this filing is completed.

Renew Business Registration

Depending on the expiration date of your initial Business Registration Certificate, you must renew the document either annually or every three years. The renewal must be completed no later than one month before the expiration date.

You can renew the certificate by visiting the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) office in person or by post.*

Ensure Accounting and Auditing Compliance

Hong Kong companies must maintain accurate bookkeeping and accounting records and have them audited annually by a certified public accountant (CPA). This ensures compliance with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and provides transparent financial records for effective cash flow management.

First of all, let’s address the most important question: yes, foreigners can register a company in Hong Kong. In fact, Hong Kong’s business-friendly environment actively encourages foreign entrepreneurs to set up companies with straightforward requirements and a company registration process. 

There are also no restrictions on foreign ownership, which means that foreigners, including non-residents, can fully own a Hong Kong company. For those planning to operate primarily outside Hong Kong, offshore companies may also qualify for tax exemptions, provided they meet the criteria.

However, you’ll need a physical business address and a local company secretary to complete the registration process and qualify for tax benefits. So, many prefer seeking assistance from professional incorporation services for convenience rather than doing it on their own.

While registering a company in Hong Kong is relatively straightforward, it can be time-consuming and overwhelming for new business owners or foreign entrepreneurs unfamiliar with the requirements. If you’re looking for a hassle-free company registration experience, Statrys can help.

Statrys offers a comprehensive Hong Kong company formation package, covering everything from preparing and filing incorporation documents to providing company secretary services and a registered address in Hong Kong with mail scanning and forwarding services for your convenience. Additionally, you can access a fast-track application to open a Statrys multi-currency business account (subject to approval), all at a single, transparent price. 

Simply follow these steps:

1. Visit https://statrys.com/hong-kong-company-registration
2. Click on “Get Started”
3. Fill out your information
4. Complete the payment

And we’ll do the rest!