- eTAX is the IRD’s online tax system. Start at etax.ird.gov.hk.
- Pick the right portal: ITP for individuals, BTP for businesses, or TRP for tax agents.
- Individuals can use iAM Smart, a digital certificate, or TIN + password.
- BIR60 e-filing adds one month to the printed due date.
- What it is: the IRD's online system for filing returns, viewing tax position, paying tax and receiving e-notices
- Where to go: the official entry page at etax.ird.gov.hk
- How to log in:iAM Smart, digital certificate, or TIN + password (ITP); businesses use a registered BTP account
- E-file perk: BIR60 e-filing gets an automatic +1 month on the due date
eTAX Hong Kong looks straightforward until the login page asks you to choose between ITP, BTP and TRP. Pick the wrong portal and your return may seem to have vanished, even though you’re simply looking in the wrong account.
The good news is the split is easier than it sounds. This guide shows you the official login, which portal you need, and how to register and file online without getting stuck.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- How ITP, BTP and TRP fit together
- How to register, log in and e-file
- How to fix common portal problems
What is eTAX in Hong Kong?
eTAX is the Inland Revenue Department’s branded online system for managing and filing Hong Kong taxes electronically.
The public entry page is etax.ird.gov.hk. From there you choose:
Portal | Who it’s for | Typical use |
Individual Tax Portal (ITP) | Individuals, including employees, property owners and sole traders | File BIR60, view assessments, pay tax, handle personal tax messages |
Business Tax Portal (BTP) | Corporations, partnerships and other businesses | File profits tax returns, employer’s returns, BR and other business tax services |
Tax Representative Portal (TRP) | Tax reps, company secretaries and service providers | File and manage tax work for appointed clients |
ITP replaced the former individual eTAX account (IRD ITP). BTP is the multi-user business platform (IRD BTP). TRP lets appointed agents work for clients (IRD TRP).
Those portals mirror Hong Kong’s tax system, but they don’t change which return you need.
How do I access eTAX (the official IRD portal)?
Go to etax.ird.gov.hk, then open the portal that matches your situation.
From the welcome screen: Individuals → ITP, Companies / partnerships → BTP, Tax agents → TRP. There’s also an official eTAX mobile app for ITP.
How do I register for an eTAX account?
Registration depends on whether you’re an individual (ITP) or a business (BTP).
Individuals (ITP)
You may not need a new registration at all:
- iAM Smart or a recognised personal digital certificate: you can log in to ITP directly without opening a separate password account
- Former eTAX account holders: log in with your existing TIN (for eTAX login) and password; no new registration is required
- New password users: request an Access Code with your TIN and Hong Kong Identity Card number (or Individual Tax File Number), then complete registration on the ITP login page
Your TIN for eTAX login is usually on your BIR60 or a Notice of Salaries Tax / Personal Assessment. Access codes often arrive by SMS or by post within about two working days.
Businesses (BTP)
Only the business Responsible Person (RP) can open a BTP Business Account. For a company, the RP is typically a director or company secretary (a natural person). The RP then appoints BTP Administrators, who appoint Authorised Users.
Anyone who will act in those roles also needs a BTP User Account, which requires an existing ITP account for identity checks. Up to five BTP Administrators are allowed per business; Authorised Users are unlimited.
Your BTP username is permanent and must differ from your ITP login. Choose it carefully during registration. The IRD doesn't let you rename it later.
How do I log in to eTAX?
Open etax.ird.gov.hk, choose ITP or BTP, then authenticate with the method your account supports.
Individual Tax Portal login
|
Method |
Best for |
|
iAM Smart |
Residents who already use iAM Smart for government services |
|
Digital certificate |
Users with a recognised personal e-Cert |
|
TIN + password |
Former eTAX users and new password-based ITP accounts |
Forgot your TIN or password? Use Forgot TIN and/or Password on the ITP login page and follow the Access Code reset flow.
Business Tax Portal login
BTP users log in with their BTP username and password after the business account and user appointments are in place. Identity for registration is checked through ITP, iAM Smart or a personal digital certificate.
If you only need to file as a director or employee on your own BIR60, use ITP, not BTP.
What can I do in eTAX?
Once you’re in the right portal, you can file returns, view your tax position, pay tax, update details and message the IRD.
Task | Where | Notes |
File Tax Return – Individuals (BIR60) | ITP | Pre-fill and estimated tax tools for current years (GovHK BIR60 e-filing) |
File profits tax return (BIR51/BIR52) | BTP or TRP | Upload computation and supporting files; profits tax filing explains the return pack |
File employer’s return (BIR56A / IR56) | BTP | The employer’s return has its own annual workflow |
View assessments / pay tax | ITP / BTP | Tax position, balances, electronic payment |
Business registration / stamp duty / CoR | ITP / BTP | Subject to each portal’s live service list |
Appoint a tax agent | ITP / BTP → TRP | Agent can then act for you |
How do I file my tax return online through eTAX?
Log in to the correct portal, open the return service, complete or upload the return, sign electronically, then save the acknowledgement.
Individuals (BIR60 on ITP)
- Log in to ITP via etax.ird.gov.hk
- Open the Tax Return – Individuals e-filing service for the year of assessment
- Review pre-filled income and any deduction records you’ve saved
- Complete the return, run the optional estimated tax check, then sign and submit
- Save the acknowledgement; the filed return stays available in your tax position records
The BIR60 filing guide covers the fields, allowances and supporting records.
Companies (profits tax on BTP / TRP)
- Confirm the company has a BTP Business Account (or that your tax rep is engaged on TRP)
- Use the profits tax upload, completion and submission services
- Attach financial statements, tax computation and any supplementary forms
- Sign under the mode your appointment allows, then keep the acknowledgement
The profits tax filing process covers the return pack, supplementary forms and signing rules.
Is eTAX better than paper filing?
For BIR60 filers, usually yes: you get pre-fill tools, an electronic receipt and an extra month to file.
Factor | Electronic (eTAX portals) | Paper |
BIR60 timing | Automatic +1 month when filed electronically | Due date printed on the return |
Data entry | Pre-fill and save drafts on ITP | Manual form completion |
Proof of filing | On-screen acknowledgement | Postage and receipt risk |
E-filing doesn’t remove the need for accurate figures. It only changes how you deliver them.
What are common eTAX problems and how do I fix them?
Most blocks are identity, Access Code, or wrong-portal issues, not the tax form itself.
- Can’t find the login page: type etax.ird.gov.hk and choose ITP or BTP
- Forgotten password / TIN: use Forgot TIN and/or Password on ITP and request an Access Code
- Access Code never arrived: confirm the IRD has your current mobile number or postal address
- Logged into ITP but can’t file the company return: company returns sit on BTP/TRP
- Outstanding return alert after filing: check the acknowledgement under tax position; contact 183 5500 if it was submitted
Don't let the company depend on one BTP Administrator. If every administrator leaves, the Responsible Person must appoint replacements, and the business account can be suspended while the IRD verifies the change. Keep at least two active administrators where practical.
What about tax deadlines and e-filing extensions?
Use e-filing where it gives you an automatic extension, and treat block-extension calendars as a separate lookup.
For 2025/26 Tax Return – Individuals, returns were issued on 4 May 2026. Standard due dates were 4 June 2026 (general) and 4 August 2026 (sole proprietors). Electronic filing added one month automatically (4 July / 4 September respectively).
The tax filing deadline calendar tracks profits tax extensions by year-end code. Check the current IRD circular before you plan.
When is Sleek not the right fit for eTAX filing?
Sleek isn’t the right fit if you only need a portal password reset, a one-off IRD dispute, or DIY filing help with no accounts work.
- You only need login or Access Code help. Use the IRD Help Desk or ITP recovery tools
- You already have an in-house or Big Four team filing through BTP/TRP every cycle
- The case is under audit or litigation and you need counsel, not a compliance filer
If you want bookkeeping, computations and e-filed returns without living in the portals, Sleek accounting and tax is the usual fit.
How Sleek handles eTAX filing for you
Sleek prepares your Hong Kong accounts and tax package, then e-files through the IRD portals so you don’t have to manage ITP, BTP, or TRP yourself.
With Sleek, you can:
- Hand over the return package instead of learning portal workflows each April or May
- Have profits tax and employer filings submitted electronically where required
- Keep deadlines aligned with your year-end code and block-extension dates
Accounting plans start from HK$3,500 per financial year on our accounting services page.
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FAQs about eTAX Hong Kong
Yes. Most people carrying on a business in Hong Kong must register with the IRD and display a Business Registration Certificate, and pay the levy. Registration is separate from filing Part 5 of BIR60, and you can owe profits tax on your assessable profits even when the business feels informal. The BR fee and levy change from year to year, so check the current fee table before you apply.
Write to the IRD Assessor and ask for a return if you have chargeable income or a sole-proprietorship trade. Waiting for a form that never arrived is not a defence. Keep copies of your request and any earlier notices. Once the BIR60 arrives, complete Part 5 even for a nil or loss year, so the IRD does not raise an estimated assessment.
Yes. Sole-proprietorship profits on their own can still benefit, when the basic allowance and progressive rates beat the 7.5% profits tax. On HK$300,000 of assessable profit with no other income, personal assessment often cuts the bill by roughly half compared with profits tax. Re-run the comparison every year of assessment before you tick the election box.
Report the profits or losses of all your sole proprietorships in Part 5 of the same BIR60 for that year of assessment (IRD self-employed guide). Do not open a separate individual return for each trade. If one of them is a partnership, that partnership uses BIR52, while your remaining sole proprietorships still sit in Part 5.
File as soon as you can, then deal with any estimated assessment or surcharge in writing. Late tax usually attracts a 5% surcharge, rising by a further 10% if it stays unpaid for six months. Leaving Part 5 blank is worse, because the IRD may assess profits you never earned. Keep evidence of when the return left your hands.
Yes. Sleek’s bookkeeping produces your year-end figures, prepares Part 5 and the supporting computation, and compares profits tax against personal assessment before you file. Accounting plans start from HK$3,500 per financial year. Book a meeting if you would like your sole-proprietorship tax handled alongside your accounts.
