Register a company with a business account in Hong Kong

Company formation in Hong Kong is simple with these steps. You first have to decide on your type of business entity (i.e. company type) and company name. A quick search through the Companies Registry will show if your intended name is in use or not. The minimum requirement for Hong Kong companies are at least one shareholder, minimum $1 HKD of share capital, a company secretary that resides in Hong Kong and a local office address. After completing the name search and confirming the rest of the information, there is a list of incorporation forms and copies to submit along with your application through e-registry to the Hong Kong Companies Registry and Business Registration Office.

The entire registration process via an e-form, depending on the applicant’s experience and credentials, could take up to 7 to 14 working days to receive your certificate of incorporation.

Incorporating in Hong Kong is a strong choice when deciding where to base yourself. Hong Kong is a great place for business, with many investors being attracted to the location and the reason is clear. The tax-friendly environment is a big attraction for foreign businesses keen to start a business in Hong Kong. A productive legal system, and pro-business setup are some other factors that offer plenty of lucrative opportunities for businesses, besides an attractive tax regime and productive workforce. Stable economy, strong workforces, and business-friendly tax policies let you get up and running sooner- so you can spend less time tangled in admin and more time to invest in business activities.

Click here to find out more about the benefits of incorporating in Hong Kong.

The majority of the service providers in the industry will charge you for each step of the registration service. At Sleek, we charge HKD 2,000 for business registration for a Hong Kong company with a system of services and all details included. The fee covers all company registration requirements, such as the incorporation forms, reserving the company name, appointing director and distributing shares/capitals. We are happy to provide support throughout the registration process. Sleek also offers company secretary and accounting services to help you with your corporate governance, liability, appointing directors and tax/audit duties.

Yes! Any one who has completed the Know Your Customer records checking process will have the rights to register Hong Kong companies and enjoy the financial benefits as a local company. However, the Companies Ordinance and Companies Registry CR will require your firm to have a registered office address, verified company name and a company secretary based in Hong Kong.

Read here for more information on liability, director, shares distribution and what information we need from you for the company registration and Hong Kong Companies e-Registry!

It is very important for each new company in Hong Kong to have a business account. There are 2 approaches to opening an account in Hong Kong and many choices – either with traditional banks such as DBS or online financial services such as Transwap and Airwallex. Both approaches vary slightly as traditional banks value in-person meetings and more completed documents in the business registration process. Whereas for online financial services, you can fill in the information on their website and go through the process online. Both options have their own pros and cons. Read here for more details.

Sleek have many banking partners that can help with your business needs. Sleek has many banking partners that can help with your business needs. Contact a team member today for referrals and email recommendations.

The Business Registration Certificate is a document issued by the Business Registration Office showing details of a company. Businesses operating in Hong Kong require a Business Registration Certificate and Business Registration Number. If you have a business in Hong Kong, you are required to apply for a Business Registration Certificate within 30 days of commencing operations. This number is issued by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and the Companies Ordinance.

In order to keep operating as a business and protect the associated assets/shares, the certificate needs to be renewed annually. You may apply for the relevant documents via the e-Registry at the Hong Kong Companies Registry. Read a relevant article here.

Articles of Association are a company document which sets out the rules and guidelines of how the board can operate the company. It is often viewed as a contract between company members and the company.

For registered business, its Business Registration Certificate has to be renewed annually (unless it is a certificate for 3 years). The business registration office will usually send the business registration renewal demand note by post to the business address approximately in the middle of the month preceding the commencement month of the renewal Business Registration Certificate.

For example, if the renewal Business Registration Certificate will commence in May, the Business Registration Office will issue the demand note in mid-April. Upon payment, the demand note will become a valid Business Registration Certificate. If you do not receive such a demand note, you should inform the Commissioner in writing within 1 month of the expiry of your current Business Registration Certificate.

The renewal can still be done either in person or by post as follows:-

• In person – you should visit the Business Registration Office with your old Business Registration Certificate and request a fresh demand note. If your business address has changed but the Business Registration Office has not been advised, you should also complete the form IRC 3111A to notify the change.
• By post – you should send a photocopy of your old Business Registration Certificate with a crossed cheque made payable to “The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region” to the Business Registration Office. A receipted Business Registration Certificate will be posted to your business address soon afterwards. If your business address has changed, you should also attach an advice of the new address specifying your business registration number, business name, old and new business address or registered office address, and the date of change.

With effect from 14 February 2011, all renewal demand notes will be issued in plain A4 size paper. For further details, please refer to “Format of Business Registration Certificates, Branch Registration Certificates and Renewal Notices”.

Apart from BR, you may also need to apply for other types of licences or obtain the recognised professional qualifications for operating certain kinds of business.

Please visit the website of the Trade and Industry Department for information on other licences, permits, certificates and approvals relevant to import and export operations and other business operations in HK.