How to Register a Company in Hong Kong: Step-by-Step

Hong Kong remains one of the fastest places in the world to incorporate a company. There's no minimum share capital, no requirement for a local director, and the whole process can be completed remotely — the Companies Registry's e-Registry system has cut incorporation from four working days down to under 24 hours for straightforward applications, and a company may start doing business immediately once e-incorporation completes.¹ Here's what actually goes into it.

Who can register a company in Hong Kong

There's no requirement to be a Hong Kong resident, and a company can be wholly foreign-owned. The minimum structure is:

• At least one director (a natural person)
• At least one shareholder (can be the same person as the director)
• A company secretary — see our company secretary guide for who qualifies
• A registered office address in Hong Kong (a P.O. Box doesn't count)

1. Choose and check a company name

Your English and/or Chinese company name must be unique among companies on the Companies Registry's index. Check name availability through the Registry's Cyber Search Centre before filing. Names identical or "too similar" to an existing registered company, or that suggest a government connection, will be rejected.

2. Decide on a company type

The overwhelming majority of Hong Kong companies are private companies limited by shares — the default structure this directory's company pages assume. Other structures (companies limited by guarantee, unlimited companies) exist for specific cases like non-profits.

3. Appoint your director, secretary, and registered office

Covered above — see the requirements list. If you're using a company secretarial firm for the secretary or registered address, confirm they hold a current TCSP licence; read what a TCSP licence actually means before engaging one.

4. File online through the Companies Registry

You'll deliver three documents: the Incorporation Form (Form NNC1 for a company limited by shares), a copy of the company's Articles of Association, and a Notice to Business Registration Office (Form IRBR1) — filed electronically through the e-Services Portal, or in hard copy at the Companies Registry.¹ Filing electronically triggers the Business Registration application at the same time, rather than as a separate step. Since 27 December 2023, every company is issued a single Unique Business Identifier (UBI) — the first eight digits of the company's Business Registration Certificate number — replacing the old 7-digit Company Registration Number as the primary reference across all filings.² See our BRN vs CI number guide for the full history.

5. Receive your certificates

Once approved, you'll receive a Certificate of Incorporation and a Business Registration Certificate. The company then appears on the Companies Registry's public register — the exact record this site indexes. Search for a company by name or BRN in our directory once it's live.

Tax basics, once you're incorporated

Hong Kong taxes corporate profits at 8.25% on the first HK$2 million of assessable profits and 16.5% above that under the two-tiered profits tax regime, with no capital gains tax, no dividend withholding tax, and no GST or VAT.³ That structure is one of the reasons Hong Kong stays competitive for holding companies and regional headquarters despite the compliance requirements below.

What comes next

Newly incorporated companies still need to open a corporate bank account, register for any required licences, and file their first Annual Return within 42 days of the incorporation anniversary — covered in our annual return deadline guide.

Citations

1. Companies Registry — Electronic Company Incorporation and Business Registration, accessed 2026-09-07

2. 1823.gov.hk — What is Unique Business Identifier ("UBI")?, accessed 2026-09-07

3. Inland Revenue Department — FAQ on Two-Tiered Profits Tax Rates Regime, accessed 2026-09-07