- Most founders set up a private limited company. It’s registered online with the Companies Registry and normally incorporated within one hour.
- Government fees start at HK$3,895: HK$1,545 to incorporate online plus HK$2,350 for a one-year Business Registration Certificate.
- You need one director, one shareholder, a company secretary and a Hong Kong registered office. The director and shareholder can be the same person, of any nationality, living anywhere.
- A sole proprietorship registers with the IRD within one month of starting business. It’s simpler, but you’re personally liable for its debts.
- Every year, a company files an annual return, renews its Business Registration, has its accounts audited and files a profits tax return.
You can start a business in Hong Kong and be registered within the hour, but only if the decisions before you file are already made. Choosing a structure, finding a company secretary and fixing a registered office are what slow most founders down, not the Companies Registry.
This guide takes you through every step in order, from choosing a structure to your first annual return, with the 2026 fees, forms and deadlines at each stage. If you’d rather hand it over, you can register a company in Hong Kong with Sleek.
In this guide, you’ll learn:
- Which business structure suits you, and why most founders choose a limited company
- How to register a limited company, sole proprietorship or partnership, step by step
- What it costs to start and run, and how your business is taxed
- How to open a bank account and what to do in your first month
- The annual deadlines every Hong Kong company has to meet
How does starting a business in Hong Kong work, and how long does it take?
Starting a business in Hong Kong takes five steps: choose a structure, register it, open a bank account, get ready to trade, then keep up with annual compliance. Registration itself is fast. A limited company filed online is normally incorporated within one hour, and a sole proprietorship registered online within two working days. Opening a bank account usually takes longer than registering.
| Step | What you do | How long it takes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Choose a structure | Limited company, sole proprietorship, partnership, branch or representative office | Before you file |
| 2. Register | File with the Companies Registry (company) or the IRD (sole proprietorship or partnership) | Within one hour online for a company |
| 3. Open a bank account | Apply with your certificates, articles and ID documents | Varies by bank and by how complete your application is |
| 4. Get ready to trade | Notify the IRD of your business details, get any licences, set up payroll and MPF | Within your first month |
| 5. Stay compliant | Annual return, Business Registration renewal, audit and profits tax return | Every year |
To register a limited company in one sitting, have these ready:
- Name: your company name in English, Chinese or both, already checked for availability.
- People: ID and address details for every director and shareholder.
- Shares: how many shares you’ll issue, and how many each shareholder will hold.
- Company secretary: a Hong Kong-resident individual or a Hong Kong-based firm that has agreed to act.
- Address: a Hong Kong registered office.
- Payment: HK$3,895 for the online incorporation and one-year Business Registration fees.
Why start a business in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong combines low, simple tax with fast company registration and an open economy. That’s why it attracts both local founders and businesses expanding from overseas.
- Low, simple tax: profits tax of 8.25% on a company’s first HK$2 million of profit and 16.5% above. There’s no VAT or GST, no capital gains tax and no tax on dividends.
- Territorial system: only profits sourced in Hong Kong are taxed.
- Fast, online registration: incorporation in about an hour, with no residency requirement for directors or shareholders.
- Common law and open capital: an English common law legal system, free movement of capital and a freely convertible currency.
- Access to the region: a base for trade with Mainland China and the rest of Asia.
It’s a popular choice. At the end of 2025, a record 1,557,103 local companies were on the Companies Registry, and 195,343 new ones were incorporated that year. For the full case, see why start a business in Hong Kong.
Which business structure should you choose in Hong Kong?
Most founders choose a private limited company, because it keeps the business’s debts separate from your personal assets and is the structure banks, investors and larger clients expect. A sole proprietorship is cheaper and simpler to run, but you’re personally liable for everything the business owes.
| Structure | Your liability | Profits tax | Registers with | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private limited company | Limited to your shares | 8.25% / 16.5% | Companies Registry, with Business Registration issued together | Most founders, and anyone hiring, raising money or signing large contracts |
| Sole proprietorship | Unlimited | 7.5% / 15% | IRD’s Business Registration Office | Freelancers and side businesses testing an idea |
| Partnership | Unlimited, shared by the partners | 7.5% / 15% | IRD’s Business Registration Office | Two or more owners in a professional practice |
| Branch of an overseas company | The parent company is liable | 8.25% / 16.5% | Companies Registry, as a non-Hong Kong company | Established overseas businesses |
| Representative office | The parent company is liable | Not applicable if it doesn’t trade | IRD’s Business Registration Office | Marketing, research and liaison only |
Private limited company
A separate legal entity that owns its assets, signs its own contracts and carries its own debts. Shareholders can only lose what they’ve put in. It has more compliance than a sole proprietorship, including an annual audit, but it’s the easiest structure to bank, hire and raise money with.
Sole proprietorship and partnership
The business and its owners are legally the same. There’s no audit and no company secretary, but creditors can claim against your personal assets.
Branch or representative office
For an overseas company that wants a presence without a new subsidiary. A branch can trade but leaves the parent fully liable. A representative office can only promote and liaise, not sign sales contracts or earn revenue.
Company limited by guarantee
Used by non-profits, charities and associations. It has members instead of shareholders, and needs at least two directors. See setting up a non-profit company in Hong Kong.
For a full comparison of each structure’s pros and cons, see the guide to legal entity types in Hong Kong.
How do you register a limited company in Hong Kong?
You choose a name, decide your shareholders and officers, then file Form NNC1, your articles of association and Form IRBR1 on the Companies Registry’s e-Services Portal. Online, your Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration Certificate are normally issued together within one hour.
Step 1: Choose your company name
- Format: an English name, a Chinese name or both. A single name can’t mix English and Chinese.
- Ending: English names must end in “Limited”, not “Ltd”. Chinese names end in 有限公司.
- Availability: your name can’t be the same as one already on the register. The CR ignores endings, punctuation and spacing when comparing, and treats “&” and “and” as the same.
- Restricted words: some words, and any name suggesting a connection with the government, need approval first.
Check availability for free with the “Exact Name Search” on the e-Services Portal. For tips on choosing a name that works, see picking a company name in Hong Kong.
Step 2: Decide your shareholders and share capital
- Shareholders: at least one, who can be an individual or a company, of any nationality. A private company can have up to 50 shareholders, not counting employees.
- Share capital: there’s no minimum. You can start with one share, and shares have had no par value since 3 March 2014.
- Split: decide who holds what before you file, because changing it later means a share transfer with stamp duty, or a new allotment.
For how to structure shares for co-founders and future investors, see share capital structure and requirements.
Step 3: Appoint your directors, company secretary and registered office
- Directors: at least one, who must be an individual aged 18 or over. Any nationality, living anywhere. You can add corporate directors as well.
- Company secretary: an individual who ordinarily lives in Hong Kong, or a company with an office in Hong Kong. A sole director can’t also be the secretary. See company secretary services.
- Registered office: a physical Hong Kong address, not a PO box, where official letters are sent. See registered office address options.
Step 4: Prepare your documents
- Form NNC1: the incorporation form, with the company’s name, registered office, share capital, and details of every founder member, director and the company secretary. Each director signs a consent to act, either on the form or on Form NNC3 within 15 days.
- Articles of association: your company’s rulebook. It must include the company name, a statement of limited liability and the founder members’ shareholdings. The CR publishes sample articles you can adapt. See articles of association.
- Form IRBR1: your Business Registration application, where you choose a one-year or three-year certificate.
Step 5: File and pay
File online through the e-Services Portal, or on paper at the Companies Registry, and pay the incorporation fee and Business Registration fee together. An application without the Business Registration fee is rejected.
| Online | Paper | |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation fee | HK$1,545 | HK$1,720 |
| Normally issued | Within one hour | About four working days |
| Certificates | Electronic, emailed to you | Paper, collected in person |
Step 6: Receive your certificates
The CR issues your Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration Certificate together. Electronic certificates have the same legal effect as paper ones. Your company exists from the date on the Certificate of Incorporation, and several deadlines start from that day.
How do you register a sole proprietorship or partnership?
You register with the IRD’s Business Registration Office within one month of starting business. There’s no Companies Registry filing, no company secretary and no statutory audit, but you and any partners are personally liable for the business’s debts.
- Forms: Form 1(a) for a sole proprietorship, Form 1(c) for a partnership.
- Online: through eTAX at GovHK, with an electronic certificate normally issued within two working days.
- In person: at the Business Registration Office in the Inland Revenue Centre, Kai Tak, with a paper certificate normally issued within 30 minutes.
- Fee: HK$2,350 for one year, or HK$6,170 for three years, the same as for a company.
- Late registration: if you apply more than 12 months after starting business, you also pay the fees for the earlier years.
Profits are taxed at 7.5% on the first HK$2 million and 15% above, and reported on your individual tax return. See taxes for freelancers and the self-employed.
How much does it cost to start a business in Hong Kong?
Government fees start at HK$3,895 for a limited company filed online and HK$2,350 for a sole proprietorship. A company also needs a company secretary and registered office from day one, and an audit every year, which most founders pay professionals for.
| Government fee (2026) | Limited company | Sole proprietorship or partnership |
|---|---|---|
| Incorporation | HK$1,545 online / HK$1,720 paper | None |
| Business Registration (one year) | HK$2,350 | HK$2,350 |
| Business Registration (three years) | HK$6,170 | HK$6,170 |
| Minimum to start | HK$3,895 | HK$2,350 |
Budget for these recurring costs as well:
- Every year (government): HK$105 for an on-time annual return, plus your Business Registration renewal.
- Every year (professional): company secretary, registered office, bookkeeping, audit and tax filing, priced by each provider.
- When needed: licences for regulated activities, and stamp duty if shares are transferred.
Sleek’s incorporation for locals starts at HK$4,973. For a full first-year budget, see the cost of company registration in Hong Kong.
Choose the three-year Business Registration Certificate on your IRBR1. At 2026 rates it costs HK$6,170, against HK$7,050 for three one-year certificates, which saves you HK$880 and two renewals. You pay more upfront, so only choose it if you expect to trade for at least three years.
How do you open a business bank account in Hong Kong?
You apply with your company’s certificates and documents, plus identity and address proof for the people behind it. Banks then carry out due diligence on the company, its directors and its main shareholders, so the time it takes depends on the bank and how complete your application is.
Banks typically ask for:
- Company documents: Certificate of Incorporation, Business Registration Certificate, articles of association and incorporation form.
- People: ID and proof of address for directors, authorised signatories and major shareholders.
- The business: what you sell, who your customers and suppliers are, where they’re based, and the transactions you expect.
Your main choices are traditional banks, Hong Kong’s licensed virtual banks, and payment accounts from fintech providers, which aren’t banks but suit many online businesses. The clearer you can explain your business model and your link to Hong Kong, the smoother it usually goes. See opening a business bank account in Hong Kong.
What do you need to do in your first month?
Your certificates let you trade, but a few tasks have their own deadlines from the day you incorporate or start business.
| Task | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Keep a significant controllers register and appoint a designated representative | From incorporation |
| Set up your registers of members, directors and company secretaries | From incorporation |
| Display a printed copy of your Business Registration Certificate at your business address | From the day you trade |
| Get any licence your business needs | Before you start that activity |
| Tell the Business Registration Office your business nature and address (letter or Form IRBR200) | Within one month of starting business |
| Choose your financial year end and set up bookkeeping | Before your first transactions |
Restaurants, travel agencies, employment agencies, financial services and other regulated businesses need a licence before trading. See the guide to licences and permits in Hong Kong.
What do you need to do when you hire your first employee?
You enrol them in an MPF scheme within 60 days, tell the IRD within three months, and take out employees’ compensation insurance before they start.
- MPF: enrol each employee aged 18 to 64 within their first 60 days. You and the employee each contribute 5% of their relevant income, capped at HK$1,500 a month each on income above HK$30,000. Employees earning under HK$7,100 a month don’t contribute, but you still do. Contributions are due by the 10th of the following month.
- IRD notification: file Form IR56E within three months of the employee’s start date.
- Insurance: employees’ compensation insurance is compulsory under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance.
- Employer’s return: each April, the IRD issues an employer’s return (BIR56A), which you file with an IR56B for every employee within one month.
For contracts, holidays and payroll basics, see hiring your first employee in Hong Kong.
How will your business be taxed in Hong Kong?
Your business pays profits tax on profits sourced in Hong Kong, under the two-tiered rates. There’s no VAT or GST, no capital gains tax and no tax on dividends, so for most small businesses profits tax is the only business tax.
| Tax | How it works |
|---|---|
| Profits tax (company) | 8.25% on the first HK$2 million of assessable profit, 16.5% above. Only one company in a group of connected entities gets the lower tier. |
| Profits tax (sole proprietorship or partnership) | 7.5% on the first HK$2 million, 15% above |
| Salaries tax | Paid by employees and directors on their pay. The company reports what it pays, but doesn’t withhold tax. |
| Stamp duty | Charged on share transfers and property, not on day-to-day trading |
A new company receives its first profits tax return about 18 months after incorporation. Your first assessment usually also includes provisional tax for the following year, so set money aside for both. See filing profits tax returns in Hong Kong, and for every tax in detail, the guide to Hong Kong taxation.
Your first profits tax bill usually covers two years at once: the final tax for your first period, plus provisional tax for the next year, based on the same profit. It often comes as a surprise, so set aside money from your first profitable month. If your profit is likely to fall, you can apply to hold over provisional tax.
What are your ongoing compliance obligations in Hong Kong?
Every limited company follows the same annual cycle: an annual return to the Companies Registry, a Business Registration renewal, audited accounts and a profits tax return to the IRD.
| Obligation | Deadline |
|---|---|
| Annual return (Form NAR1) | Within 42 days after each incorporation anniversary. HK$105 on time, rising to HK$3,480 if very late. |
| Business Registration renewal | Every one or three years, before the certificate expires |
| Audited financial statements | Every year, audited by a Hong Kong CPA |
| Profits tax return | First return about 18 months after incorporation, then every year |
| Annual general meeting | Within 9 months after the end of each financial year, unless exempt: single-member companies, dormant companies, or those that use written resolutions or have agreed to dispense with AGMs |
| Change notices (directors, secretary, registered office) | Within 15 days of the change |
| Employer’s return | Within one month of the IRD issuing it each April, if you have staff |
| Business records | Kept for at least seven years |
What government support is available for new businesses?
Hong Kong offers funding and loan guarantees for SMEs, plus free help for overseas companies setting up here. Two schemes most new businesses look at first:
- BUD Fund: matching funds for projects that develop your brand, upgrade operations or expand into markets with which Hong Kong has trade agreements, up to a cumulative HK$7 million per enterprise.
- SME Financing Guarantee Scheme: government-backed guarantees that help SMEs borrow from banks, including an 80% guarantee product open for applications until the end of March 2028.
Overseas founders can also get free advice from InvestHK, the government’s investment promotion agency. For every scheme and how to apply, see the best Hong Kong grants for businesses.
How Sleek can help you start a business in Hong Kong
Sleek handles your incorporation and the compliance that starts the day you’re registered. You provide your ID and sign the documents, and we do the rest.
With Sleek, you can:
- Incorporate without paperwork: we prepare and file your NNC1, articles and IRBR1.
- Meet the officer requirements: Sleek holds TCSP licence TC006483 and can act as your company secretary.
- Use a Hong Kong registered office: a compliant address for your filings and official mail.
- Stay compliant from year one: your statutory registers, significant controllers register and annual return are handled for you.
Your company is registered quickly, and the deadlines that follow don’t catch you out.
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FAQs about starting a business in Hong Kong
Do I need a Hong Kong visa to start a company?
Not to own or direct one. You can set up and run a Hong Kong company from overseas without a visa. If you want to live and work in Hong Kong yourself, you need permission to work, such as an employment or entrepreneur visa. See the guide to employment visas in Hong Kong.
Can I use my home address as my company’s registered office?
Yes, if it’s in Hong Kong. Any physical Hong Kong address can be the registered office. It appears on the public register, though, so many founders use a provider’s address to keep their home address private.
How do I choose my company’s financial year end?
You can choose any date, but your first accounting period can’t be longer than 18 months from incorporation. Many companies pick 31 March to match the Hong Kong tax year. See choosing a financial year end.
Can I turn my sole proprietorship into a limited company?
Yes, but it’s a new business. You incorporate a new company, move your contracts, bank account and assets across, and apply for its own Business Registration Certificate. Then tell the Business Registration Office that the sole proprietorship has ceased, within one month.
Do I need to renew my company registration every year?
Not the company itself. Your Certificate of Incorporation never expires. What you renew is your Business Registration Certificate, every one or three years, and what you file every year is the annual return. Miss either and you’ll pay more.
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What’s the difference between the Companies Registry and the IRD?
The Companies Registry incorporates your company and keeps its public record, such as directors, shareholders and annual returns. The IRD handles Business Registration and tax. You’ll deal with both every year. See the guide to the Hong Kong Companies Registry.
