How To Register a Company in Hong Kong

Register A Company in Hong Kong

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China, commonly referred to as Hong Kong SAR, is a city situated along the Pearl River Delta in Southern China. Hong Kong is often ranked as the world’s leading developed city and foremost global financial centre. Hong Kong is also renowned for its ease of doing business and this is evidenced by the city being a major international trading hub and therefore ranked 2nd by the World Bank. In terms of Gross Domestic Product, it ranks 48th on the Purchasing Power Parity with $618.7 Billion and 43rd on the Nominal index with $368.37 Billion. Are you an entrepreneur looking to start a company in Hong Kong. Here are ways for how to register a company in Hong Kong.

The government of Hong Kong has made steps to increase the rate of foreign direct investment and this has led to a further simplification of the business registration process. Herein highlighted below, is a step-by-step process for registering a business in Hong Kong::

The primary step to registering a business in Hong Kong is the determination of the business structure. The business structures that are applicable in Hong Kong include Sole proprietorship, Limited Liability Companies, Partnerships & Branch Offices, albeit, the most commonly registered business structures in Hong Kong are Limited Liability Companies, & Partnerships. Information as regards deciding on the best structure to utilise can be found on the website of the Companies Registry

Deciding the name of the business is a very important step in the business registration process. The Companies Registry of Hong Kong stipulates that all registered companies must have unique names and as such, the register needs to be consulted to ensure the chosen names have not been previously registered. This can be accessed via the Companies Registry Cyber Search Centre and on the Trademark Register to ensure compliance with Intellectual Property Rights

The next step in the registration process involves gathering all necessary documents and filling out all requisite forms in preparation for submission. All required forms must be made available at the point of submission to avoid unnecessary delays. The required documents include a Memorandum of Association, Articles of Association, Business Plan, Application Form, Proof of Address and Copy of Verifiable Proof of Identity. Samples of the documents can be found on this website and submitted on this website

During the registration process and as determined by the business structure to be registered, the initial share capital as stipulated in the business plan and memorandum of association needs to be made available. The value of the Initial Share Capital varies as per business structure and size.

Once all documents have been submitted and the Initial Share Capital has been made available, the forms and documents are then submitted and upon approval, a business registration certificate is issued. This certificate serves as proof of legality within the jurisdiction of the Hong Kong Province. The submission of the documents and receipt of the certificate can either be done physically at the office of the Companies Registry of Hong Kong or online

Upon receipt of the business registration certificate, a business registration number is then issued and this number is expected to be cited in all business transactions and correspondence within and outside Hong Kong. This can be gotten online via the Incorporation Form NNC1 IRBRI Notice to the Business Registration Office

A business license is required to operate within Hong Kong and this must be gotten within one month of the commencement of operations. However, the type of license is dependent on the structure of the business and the industry the business focuses on. Differentiation between business licenses can be accessed and gotten via website

The next process is the opening of a corporate bank account in the name of the registered business and the depositing of the initial share capital. This can be done physically in the branches of any of the banks situated in Hong Kong. Some of the most common banks include the Bank of East Asia, Citibank Hong Kong, Standard Chartered Bank Hong Kong, Barclays Bank Hong Kong, etc.

This is an optional stage of the business registration process, however, this stage is compulsory for all businesses that intend to go into trading. The VAT number application can be done physically at the office of the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong or on their website:

All businesses are expected to register and get their Tax Identification number from the Inland Revenue Department of Hong Kong (IRD). Upon completion, the IRD issues a tax file number and highlights the process for filing taxes. This is done via the Inland Revenue Department’s website

Creating an online presence for your business is an important aspect of the business registration process in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is a technologically driven society hence, an online presence further adds a form of legitimacy to business registration. Website hosting can be done via any of the major web hosting services situated in Hong Kong and some are Cloudways, SinoHosting, Alibaba Cloud, etc.

Dependent on the business structure and the industry of operation, an application for a license or permit may be deemed necessary to enable a business to commence operations. This is done through the relevant government agency in charge of the licenses and permits. Further information can be sourced on the website of the Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Trade and Industry Department

The following are the documents needed to complete a business registration in New Zealand:

1. Proof of Identity (Passport Data page, Driver’s License)
2. Proof of Identity of all Directors
3. Proof of Residential Address (Electricity Bill, Financial Statement)
4. Company Address and contact details
5. Memorandum of Association
6. Articles of Association
7. Copy of the Company’s Share Allotment