- The Companies Registry (CR) incorporates Hong Kong companies and keeps their public records. Business registration and tax sit with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD).
- Online incorporation of a private company costs HK$1,545, and certificates are normally issued within one hour. The Business Registration fee is extra: HK$2,350 for one year from 1 April 2026.
- A private company files its annual return (Form NAR1) within 42 days after each incorporation anniversary. It costs HK$105 on time and HK$870 to HK$3,480 late.
- Changes to directors, the company secretary or the registered office must reach the CR within 15 days.
- Since 27 December 2023, CR filings and searches run on one platform, the e-Services Portal.
- What it does: Registers companies, maintains records, regulates compliance under the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622)
- Online registration timeline: 1–2 working days through the e-Registry portal
- Total government fees (2026): HK$3,895 (HK$1,545 CI + HK$2,350 BRC)
- Annual compliance: NAR1 Annual Return within 42 days of incorporation anniversary
Most founders assume the Hong Kong Companies Registry handles everything about their company. It doesn’t. The CR registers your company and holds its public record, but your Business Registration Certificate, profits tax and employer’s returns all sit with the IRD. Mixing the two up is how deadlines get missed.
Once you’re incorporated, the CR expects an annual return every year and a notice within 15 days of most changes. A company secretary tracks those deadlines and files the forms, so they don’t depend on you remembering.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- What the Companies Registry does, and what the IRD does instead
- How to register a company with the CR and what it costs
- Which forms are due after incorporation, with deadlines and penalties
- How to file online, and what has changed since 2022
- How to contact or visit the CR
- The mistakes that most often lead to late fees
What is the Hong Kong Companies Registry?
The Companies Registry is the Hong Kong government department that incorporates local companies, registers non-Hong Kong companies and keeps the public register of company records. It became an independent department on 1 May 1993 and has run as a trading fund since 1 August 1993, which means it covers its costs from the fees it charges.
- Law it administers: the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622).
- Companies on the register: 1,557,103 local and re-domiciled companies at the end of 2025, an all-time high, plus 15,586 registered non-Hong Kong companies.
- Where you file: online on the e-Services Portal, or in person at the Queensway Government Offices in Admiralty.
- What it doesn’t do: tax and business registration, which belong to the IRD.
What does the Companies Registry do?
The CR handles your company’s legal existence and public record, from incorporation to dissolution. Almost all of it runs through the e-Services Portal. Its main services are:
- Incorporation: forming local companies and issuing the Certificate of Incorporation.
- Registering company documents: annual returns, director and secretary changes, registered office changes, share allotments and company name changes.
- Registering charges: mortgages and other security a company gives over its assets.
- Public search: anyone can look up a company’s status, filed documents and particulars on the e-Services Portal.
- Non-Hong Kong companies: registering overseas companies that set up a place of business in Hong Kong.
- Deregistration: removing defunct solvent private companies from the register.
- TCSP licensing: licensing trust or company service providers under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615).
Most Companies Registry services, from incorporation to public search, run through its e-Services Portal.
How is the Companies Registry different from the IRD?
The CR deals with your company as a legal entity. The IRD deals with your business registration and tax. You’ll deal with both every year, and a filing with one rarely satisfies the other.
| Companies Registry (CR) | Inland Revenue Department (IRD) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it handles | Incorporation, company records, annual returns, director and address changes, company search, deregistration | Business registration, profits tax, salaries tax, employer’s returns, stamp duty |
| Office you deal with | Companies Registry, through the e-Services Portal | The IRD’s Business Registration Office for BR; the IRD for tax |
| Certificate you get | Certificate of Incorporation (issued once) | Business Registration Certificate (renewed every one or three years) |
| Main forms | NNC1, NAR1, ND2A, ND2B, NR1 | BIR51 (profits tax), BIR56A (employer’s return) |
| Recurring cost | HK$105 annual return fee, if on time | HK$2,350 for a one-year BR certificate |
When you incorporate, the CR passes your details to the IRD, and you get the Certificate of Incorporation and the Business Registration Certificate together. After that, the two run separately.
Your first profits tax return comes from the IRD, usually about 18 months after incorporation. See how to file profits tax returns in Hong Kong.
How do you register a company with the Companies Registry?
You file Form NNC1 and your articles of association on the e-Services Portal, pay HK$1,545 plus the Business Registration fee, and the CR normally issues your certificates within one hour. Hard-copy applications cost HK$1,720 and take about four working days.
Before you file, a private company limited by shares needs:
- At least one director: any nationality, no residency requirement. At least one director must be an individual, not a company.
- At least one shareholder: this can be the same person as the director.
- A company secretary: an individual who ordinarily lives in Hong Kong, or a company with its registered or principal office in Hong Kong. A sole director can’t also be the company secretary.
- A registered office: a physical address in Hong Kong. If you live overseas, a registered office address service covers this.
Then the process is four steps:
- Check the name: search the CR’s free name index to make sure your company name isn’t already taken.
- Prepare the documents: Form NNC1, the articles of association and the Notice to Business Registration Office (IRBR1).
- Submit and pay: file on the e-Services Portal and pay the incorporation fee and the BR fee together.
- Get your certificates: download the Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration Certificate once issued.
For the full walkthrough, see how to register a company in Hong Kong. For every cost beyond government fees, see the cost of company registration in Hong Kong.
Which forms do you file with the Companies Registry, and when?
After incorporation, every private company files an annual return (NAR1) each year and a notice within 15 days of most changes to its officers or address. These are the five forms you’re most likely to need:
| Filing | Form | Deadline | Maximum penalty for default |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual return | NAR1 | Within 42 days after each incorporation anniversary | HK$50,000, plus HK$1,000 a day |
| Director or secretary appointed or resigns | ND2A | Within 15 days of the change | HK$25,000, plus HK$700 a day |
| Director’s or secretary’s details change | ND2B | Within 15 days of the change | HK$25,000, plus HK$700 a day |
| Registered office address changes | NR1 | Within 15 days of the change | HK$50,000, plus HK$1,000 a day |
| New shares allotted | NSC1 | Within one month of the allotment | HK$25,000, plus HK$700 a day |
Not everything goes to the CR. Your significant controllers register is kept by the company, not filed. It sits at your registered office or another place in Hong Kong. If it’s kept anywhere other than the registered office, you tell the CR on Form NR2 within 15 days.
For the two filings founders get wrong most often, see:
- Annual returns: the full guide to annual return filing in Hong Kong.
- Moving offices: how to change your registered office address with both the CR and the IRD.
The annual return fee doesn't rise gradually. It's HK$105 up to day 42 after your anniversary and HK$870 from day 43. Put the date in your calendar the day you incorporate, and file a week early.
How do you file with the Companies Registry online?
You file on the CR’s e-Services Portal with an Individual User account, which is free to open. You sign documents with your password, iAM Smart+ or a digital certificate, and pay by card, digital wallet, FPS or PPS. Only individuals can sign and submit, not company accounts.
- Open an account: register as an Individual User. Verify your identity with iAM Smart, a Hongkong Post e-Cert or Digi-Sign ID-Cert, or a certified copy of your HKID or passport.
- Living overseas: a passport is accepted, and a consular officer of your home country can certify the copy.
- No account? If you’re a director or company secretary with iAM Smart+, you can file the annual return (NAR1) and change of registered office (NR1) without registering.
- Pay: Visa, Mastercard, JCB, UnionPay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, FPS, PPS Shop&Buy, or a prepaid deposit account.
- Search only: you don’t need an account. A search subscription is optional and costs HK$500 a year for a principal account.
If a company secretary files for you, you don’t need your own account. They file as an authorised person linked to your company.
How much does the Companies Registry charge in 2026?
Online incorporation costs HK$1,545 and an on-time annual return costs HK$105. Routine change notices, such as ND2A for a new director or NR1 for a new address, have no CR filing fee. The Business Registration fee is paid to the IRD, not the CR.
| Item | Fee | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation, company limited by shares | HK$1,545 online / HK$1,720 hard copy | CR |
| Business Registration Certificate | HK$2,350 (one year) / HK$6,170 (three years) | IRD |
| Annual return, within 42 days after the anniversary | HK$105 | CR |
| Annual return, after 42 days and up to 3 months after the anniversary | HK$870 | CR |
| Annual return, 3 to 6 months after the anniversary | HK$1,740 | CR |
| Annual return, 6 to 9 months after the anniversary | HK$2,610 | CR |
| Annual return, more than 9 months after the anniversary | HK$3,480 | CR |
| Change of company name | HK$295 | CR |
| Deregistration application | HK$420 | CR |
| Company Particulars Search | HK$22 | CR |
The one-year BR fee includes a HK$150 levy, which was waived from April 2024 to March 2026. Always check the IRD’s fee and levy table before you pay. To look up another company’s records, see the guide to Hong Kong company search.
What has changed at the Companies Registry since 2022?
Four changes affect how you file and search today. Anything written before them may send you to the wrong place or quote the wrong fee.
- 24 October 2022, protected information: directors’ residential addresses and full ID numbers, and company secretaries’ full ID numbers, in documents filed from this date are withheld from public search. Searchers see a correspondence address and a partial ID number instead.
- 27 December 2023, new e-Services Portal: it replaced the e-Registry and the Cyber Search Centre. Your BR number also became your Unique Business Identifier, used by both the CR and the IRD.
- 23 May 2025, re-domiciliation: companies incorporated overseas can now move their place of incorporation to Hong Kong and register with the CR as re-domiciled companies.
- 1 April 2026, BR levy returns: the one-year Business Registration fee went back up to HK$2,350 after two years at HK$2,200.
How do you contact or visit the Companies Registry?
The CR is at the Queensway Government Offices, 66 Queensway, Admiralty. Its 24-hour automated enquiry hotline is (852) 2234 9933, and you can email [email protected].
- Customer Service Counter (15/F): (852) 2867 4507, Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 12:45pm and 1:45pm to 5:45pm.
- Company registration enquiries (14/F): (852) 2867 2587, same hours.
- e-Services Centre (13/F): (852) 2867 2571, Monday to Friday, 8:45am to 5:30pm. Use it for onsite searches, certified copies and e-Services account identity checks.
You rarely need to go in person. Incorporation, annual returns, change notices and searches can all be done on the e-Services Portal, including from overseas.
What are the most common Companies Registry mistakes?
Filing the annual return after day 42
The fee jumps from HK$105 to HK$870 the day after the deadline and keeps climbing to HK$3,480. The CR can also prosecute the company and its officers. The return date is your incorporation anniversary, not your financial year end.
Missing the 15-day window for officer and address changes
A new director, a resigning secretary or a new office address all need a CR notice within 15 days. Founders often update the bank and forget the CR, so the public record shows the wrong people or address.
Making the sole director the company secretary
A private company with one director can’t use that director as its company secretary. The Companies Ordinance doesn’t allow it, so line up a separate secretary before you incorporate.
Assuming the CR also handles tax and business registration
Filing your annual return with the CR doesn’t renew your Business Registration Certificate or file your profits tax return. Those are IRD obligations with their own deadlines. See how to renew your Business Registration Certificate.
Following guides that point to retired portals
The e-Registry and Cyber Search Centre closed when the e-Services Portal launched on 27 December 2023. Old bookmarks and older guides no longer lead to a working filing or search.
When might you not need help with Companies Registry filings?
- You live in Hong Kong and already have a company secretary who meets the residency rules.
- Your company has more than one director, so the sole-director restriction doesn’t apply.
- Nothing changes during the year: no new directors, no share allotments, no office move.
- You’re comfortable using the e-Services Portal and reading CR forms.
- You keep your own calendar for the 42-day annual return window.
If that’s you, the CR’s filings are manageable on your own, and the fees are low when you file on time.
When does a company secretary service make sense?
- You live outside Hong Kong and need a local company secretary and registered office.
- You’re the only director, so you can’t act as your own secretary.
- You expect changes this year, such as new shareholders, a new director or a move.
- You’ve already paid a late annual return fee or missed a 15-day notice.
- You’d rather spend your time on the business than on statutory forms.
In these cases, a company secretary takes the deadlines and the residency rules off your plate.
How does Sleek help with Companies Registry filings?
Sleek acts as your company secretary and keeps your Companies Registry filings on schedule, from the yearly annual return to the 15-day notices after any change. You approve the details, and Sleek prepares and files the forms for you.
With Sleek, you can:
- Meet the company secretary requirement: Sleek holds TCSP licence TC006483 and acts as your Hong Kong company secretary.
- File on time: your annual return and change notices are prepared and filed within the CR’s deadlines.
- Keep your statutory records current: your registers of directors, members and significant controllers stay up to date.
- Use a Hong Kong registered office: get a compliant address for CR records and official mail, even if you’re based overseas.
Your company’s public record stays accurate, and CR deadlines stop being something you have to remember.
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FAQs about the Hong Kong Companies Registry
Do I need to tell the Companies Registry when shares are transferred between shareholders?
No form is needed at the time of transfer. The CR says a share transfer is reported in the company’s next annual return (NAR1). You still update your register of members and stamp the transfer documents with the IRD. See how stamp duty on a share transfer works.
How do I change my company name with the Companies Registry?
Pass a special resolution, then file Form NNC2 within 15 days with a HK$295 fee. Online filings are normally processed within one hour, and hard-copy filings within four working days. The new name takes effect on the date the CR issues the Certificate of Change of Name. Check the name is available first, because the fee isn’t refunded if the form is rejected.
How do I get a certificate of good standing from the Companies Registry?
Order a Certificate of Continuing Registration on the e-Services Portal. It costs HK$170 a copy and confirms your company is still on the register. Banks and overseas authorities often ask for one, and sometimes for certified copies of filed documents too. Those cost a HK$130 certifying fee a copy, plus the document fee.
Can a director hide a home address filed with the Companies Registry before October 2022?
Yes, by applying. Protection is automatic only for documents filed from 24 October 2022. For older filings, a director can apply to the CR under section 49 of the Companies Ordinance to withhold their residential address and full ID number from public inspection.
How do I close a dormant Hong Kong company through the Companies Registry?
If the company is solvent, apply for deregistration on Form NDR1 with a HK$420 fee. All members must agree, and the company must have no debts, no Hong Kong property and no trading in the past three months. You first need a Notice of No Objection from the IRD (Form IR1263). The process takes about five months. See the guide to deregistering a company in Hong Kong.
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Can I restore a company the Companies Registry has struck off?
Usually, yes. A former director or member can apply for administrative restoration within 20 years of dissolution, if the company was still operating when it was struck off. The fee is HK$2,700, and you must file every outstanding annual return. This route doesn’t apply to companies that were deregistered or wound up. See how to restore a struck-off company in Hong Kong.
