Company Registration in Hong Kong

Yes, there is no need to travel. The Companies Registry accepts filings electronically, and the incorporation documents are signed online. All we need from you is a passport, proof of address and answers to a few questions about your business.

A trip may only be needed for the bank account: some banks in mainland China ask the director to visit in person to activate it. If you would rather not travel, we will choose a bank or fintech that opens accounts remotely.

There are three packages: Start at US$950, Corporate at US$1,450 and Full service at US$2,350. The Registry fee is included. Start does not include a company secretary or registered address, and the Registry will not incorporate a company without them, so most clients choose Corporate, which covers everything required for the first year.

Full service adds end-to-end account opening support and a free resubmission if the bank declines. The scope and price are fixed in the contract; see the package comparison.

We incorporate the company within 1-2 working days once your documents are verified; the electronic filing itself usually takes a few hours. After that, it depends on the account: a fintech account opens in 2-7 working days, a bank in mainland China takes 2-4 weeks and a Hong Kong bank 3-6 weeks.

If you need to receive payments urgently, we open a fintech account and apply to a bank in parallel. In one recent project, the company and its first account were ready just over a week after we started.

It depends on your volumes and who you deal with. A fintech account opens faster and works well for getting started, paying suppliers and handling several currencies. A Hong Kong bank takes longer to onboard but is better as a main account for larger volumes and for partners who prefer a traditional bank. If you trade with China, you will often need a mainland China account as well to settle in RMB.

In practice, we usually start with a fintech account and apply to a bank straight away. More in the account opening section.

It can, if the profits are not sourced in Hong Kong. Profits tax applies only to Hong Kong-sourced profits, so if you find clients, negotiate and sign contracts outside Hong Kong, your profits may not be taxable.

This is not an automatic exemption. You make an offshore claim in the profits tax return, and the IRD often asks for contracts, correspondence and evidence of where the work was done. Audited accounts are required either way. It is best to review your business model before incorporation rather than just before the first tax return. More in the tax section.

Most likely, yes, but that depends on where you are tax resident rather than on Hong Kong. Hong Kong does not withhold tax on dividends, but your country of residence will usually tax them.

Many countries also have controlled foreign company (CFC) rules: you may need to report your stake in a foreign company, and its retained profits can be taxed even if no dividends are paid. We recommend discussing the structure with a tax adviser in your country before incorporating.

Yes. The law requires every private company to have its accounts audited, even with no turnover, and you cannot file a profits tax return without them. Only companies formally declared dormant are exempt, and dormant status does not work if payments go through the company account. With no transactions, the audit is quicker and cheaper.

From the second year, you renew the company secretary and registered address, pay the Business Registration fee (HK$2,350), file the annual return NAR1 (HK$105), have the accounts audited and file the tax return.

Bookkeeping and audit fees depend on the number of transactions in the year, so we give an exact figure after a short call about your business. We do this before you pay for registration, so you can see your costs for the first two years. The full compliance calendar is in the section above.

Late filing of the annual return NAR1 attracts a fee that rises from HK$870 to HK$3,480 depending on how late it is, and the Registry cannot extend the deadline. If a company keeps missing filings, it can be struck off the register. Banks also ask for up-to-date documents in their annual reviews and may restrict the account without them.

That is why we remind clients on our compliance service about deadlines in advance and prepare the documents ourselves.

Tax losses can be carried forward indefinitely and set off against future profits. For example, if launch costs exceed income in the first year, tax in later years is calculated on profits after deducting that loss. The loss has to be reflected in the audited accounts and the tax return, so it is important to file even in a loss-making year.

For a standalone company with no related entities abroad, this income is assessed under the usual territorial rules. If the company is part of a multinational group, the FSIE regime applies: dividends, interest, IP income and disposal gains received in Hong Kong from abroad are exempt only if certain conditions are met, such as economic substance in Hong Kong. For holding structures, it is worth checking this before incorporation.