Hong Kong Company Registration For Local Founders

Company name, shareholder structure, Hong Kong company secretary, registered office, NNC1 filing, Business Registration Certificate, Significant Controllers Register and first-year compliance - coordinated in one clear process.

  • For a standard Hong Kong private company limited by shares
  • Local founders may use their own qualifying Hong Kong registered office address
  • Know the annual return, audit, tax and record-keeping obligations before you incorporate
Online Incorporation HK$3 895 Government baseline Hong Kong address Local founder pricing benchmark
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Need Help with Hong Kong Company Registration For Local Founders

Fill Up the below Mentioned Form

1+
Shareholder One or more permitted
DIR
Natural Director At least one required
SEC
Company Secretary Hong Kong presence rules apply
RO
Registered Office Must be in Hong Kong
SCR
Controllers Register Ongoing statutory requirement

Your incorporation checklist

  • check iconApproved English name, Chinese name, or both, subject to name rules
  • check iconAt least one founder member / shareholder and at least one natural-person director
  • check iconHong Kong registered office address stated at incorporation
  • check iconCompany secretary satisfying Hong Kong presence requirements
  • check iconArticles of Association, initial share structure and incorporation particulars
  • check iconSignificant Controllers Register and designated representative setup after incorporation
Warehouse
Local Essential
For a Hong Kong resident founder who already has a suitable Hong Kong registered office address.
¥5600
Starting At
  • Current HK$3,895 government baseline
  • Name availability review
  • NNC1, Articles & IRBR1 preparation
  • Electronic incorporation coordination
  • Company secretary - year 1
  • Statutory registers & SCR setup
  • Digital incorporation pack
  • Use your own Hong Kong registered office
Local + Registered Address
For founders who want a professional Hong Kong registered office and mail-handling layer included.
¥7600
Starting At
  • Everything in Local Essential
  • Hong Kong registered office - 12 months
  • Digital / managed statutory mail workflow
  • Registered-address change coordination where applicable
  • Compliance calendar for year 1
  • Bank-account preparation checklist
Complex / Corporate Shareholder
For multiple shareholders, corporate ownership, bespoke Articles or enhanced KYC/compliance work.
¥
Starting At
  • Corporate shareholder onboarding
  • Ownership / UBO review
  • Bespoke share structure support
  • Enhanced due diligence coordination
  • Banking documentation pack
  • Accounting, audit and tax add-ons available

No obligation | 15-min expert consultation | Response within 2 hours

Local founder advantage

Where a Hong Kong Resident Can Keep Setup Costs Lower

The legal entity is the same; the practical difference is that a local founder may already have some of the infrastructure that overseas founders must purchase.

1

Use Your Own HK Address

If suitable, your own Hong Kong address can serve as the registered office, avoiding a paid virtual-address add-on. Remember the registered office is public-facing corporate information.

2

Local Identity Verification

Providers commonly accept Hong Kong identity and address evidence for local founders, subject to their AML/KYC policy.

3

Secretary Flexibility

A qualifying individual ordinarily resident in Hong Kong can act as company secretary. The sole director of a private company cannot also be its company secretary.

4

Lower Entry Pricing

Published local-founder entry prices are commonly lower than foreign-founder packages because a paid registered office and extra overseas KYC handling may be unnecessary.

Choose the right structure

Private Limited Company or Another Hong Kong Business Form?

This page is priced and designed around a private company limited by shares, but local founders should understand the main alternatives before filing.

PVT LTD

Private Limited Company

Most common growth structure

Separate legal person, limited liability and a formal share-capital structure.

  • Suitable for founders and investors
  • Annual corporate filings
  • Audit/tax cycle usually applies
👤

Sole Proprietorship

Simplest owner-run route

Business and proprietor are not separate legal persons.

  • Lower admin burden
  • Unlimited personal liability
  • Business registration still required
🤝

Partnership

Two or more owners

Owners carry on business together under partnership arrangements.

  • Profit sharing by agreement
  • Liability differs by structure
  • Tax treatment differs from corporation
🏢

Company Limited by Guarantee

Special purpose

Often used for non-profit, membership or association-type purposes rather than ordinary equity businesses.

  • No share capital
  • Different incorporation form
  • Longer CR processing benchmark
Process

Hong Kong Company Registration Process for Local Founders

The authority filing itself can be quick. Most of the practical work happens before submission: decisions, identity checks, document preparation and signing.

1

Name & Structure

Choose name, activity, shareholders, directors and share split

2

KYC & Address

Provide identity/address evidence and confirm registered office

3

Secretary & SCR

Confirm secretary and designated representative arrangement

4

Prepare Documents

NNC1, Articles of Association and IRBR1

5

Electronic Filing

Submit to Companies Registry and pay statutory fees

6

Handover & Compliance

CI, BRC, registers, share records and compliance calendar

Documents Required

Documents and Information Required

Separate the official filing set from the due-diligence documents a professional provider may require.

Hong Kong Identity Card

Residential address proof

Hong Kong registered office address

Shareholding percentages, number/class of shares and initial capital

Director particulars and consent information

Significant controller / UBO information

Corporate shareholder constitutional documents and ownership chart (if any)

Local founders have a real DIY option. The trade-off is whether you want to personally manage secretary, statutory records, SCR, deadlines and future filings.
Compare setup routes

DIY vs Local Essential vs Address - Included Setup

Decision factor DIY Filing Local Essential Local + Address
Government fees HK$3,895 current electronic baseline Included in benchmark Included in benchmark
Company secretary You arrange Year 1 included Year 1 included
Registered office Your own HK address Your own HK address Professional address included
NNC1 / Articles / IRBR1 preparation You prepare Coordinated Coordinated
Statutory registers / SCR setup You manage Included in scope Included in scope
Mail handling Your own Your own Managed workflow
Annual audit / profits tax Separate Separate Separate / add-on
For incorporation submissions delivered from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, the current one-year government baseline for electronic incorporation is HK$3,895.
Official cost & timing

What the Government Charges - and What It Does Not Include

Government fee components

Electronic incorporation fee HK$1,545
1-year Business Registration fee HK$2,200
Business Registration levy HK$150
Total current government baseline HK$3,895
Paper incorporation alternative HK$1,720 + BRC/levy
3-year BRC option (current period) HK$6,170

What usually sits outside government fees

Secretary

Company secretary service

Required unless you have a qualifying individual/corporate arrangement of your own.

Address

Registered office / mail handling

Optional paid service for locals who already have a suitable Hong Kong address.

Compliance

Annual return, records and corporate changes

Ongoing secretarial services vary by plan.

Finance

Bookkeeping, audit and profits tax

Usually separate from entry-level incorporation packages.

Avoid delays

Why a “One-Hour Filing” Can Still Become a Multi-Day Setup

The Companies Registry processing benchmark starts after a complete filing reaches the authority. Preparation and due diligence happen before that.
Name

Name Issue

Restricted, misleading or conflicting names can stop a straightforward filing.

ID

KYC Mismatch

Names, identity details and addresses should be consistent across records.

RO

Address Not Final

The registered office particulars must be ready for incorporation.

SEC

Secretary Not Confirmed

The secretary arrangement is part of the incorporation particulars.

⚖

Regulated Activity

Financial, employment, food, education and other regulated sectors may need separate licences.

UBO

Complex Ownership

Corporate shareholders and layered ownership can require enhanced review.

Company secretary & SCR

The Local Requirement Many DIY Founders Underestimate

A private company must have a company secretary. If the secretary is an individual, that person must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong; if a corporation, its registered or principal office must be in Hong Kong. A sole director cannot also be company secretary.

✓ Maintain company registers and statutory records
✓ Support NAR1 annual-return filing and prescribed corporate changes
✓ Maintain the Significant Controllers Register and designated representative arrangement
✓ Track official correspondence and filing deadlines
Hong Kong tax overview
Hong Kong’s tax system is simple relative to many jurisdictions, but company incorporation does not itself determine whether a specific item of profit is taxable.
Tax overview

Low Rates, Territorial Taxation - but Keep the Nuance

% 8.25%

First HK$2 Million

Corporation profits-tax rate on the first HK$2 million of assessable profits under the two-tier regime, subject to connected-entity rules.

% 16.5%

Above HK$2 Million

Corporation profits-tax rate on assessable profits above the first HK$2 million.

VAT 0%

No Sales Tax / VAT

Hong Kong does not impose a general sales tax or VAT.

SRC Territorial

Source of Profits

Matters Hong Kong generally taxes profits arising in or derived from Hong Kong. Offshore-source questions are fact-sensitive and should not be reduced to “foreign customer = 0% tax.”

What this means: Company formation is the starting point. Keep these recurring obligations visible from day one.
After incorporation

Annual Compliance Calendar for a Hong Kong Private Company

WITHIN 42 DAYS AFTER ANNIVERSARY

NAR1 Annual Return

File the annual return with the Companies Registry. On-time registration fee for a private company is HK$105.

ANNUAL/CERTIFICATE CYCLE

Business Registration

Renew the Business Registration Certificate and pay the applicable fee/levy for the renewal period.

GENERALLY ANNUAL

Financial Statements & Audit

Companies generally prepare annual financial statements and obtain an audit, subject to statutory exceptions such as dormant-company treatment.

OFTEN FIRST ISSUED ≈ 18 MONTHS

Profits Tax Return

IRD generally issues the first Profits Tax Return around 18 months after incorporation, though it can be issued earlier where circumstances warrant.

7 YEARS

Business Records

Retain sufficient business records for at least seven years under the Inland Revenue Ordinance.

ONGOING

SCR & Statutory Registers

Keep controller information and prescribed company registers current and available as required.

WHEN EMPLOYEE EXISTS

Employer Reporting

File employer returns and employee notifications as applicable; BIR56A is generally due within one month of issue.

WHEN PARTICULARS CHANGE

Corporate Changes

File prescribed changes to directors, secretary, registered office, shares and other particulars within the relevant statutory time limits.

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Company name, shareholder structure, Hong Kong company secretary, registered office, NNC1 filing, Business Registration Certificate, Significant Controllers Register and first-year compliance - coordinated in one clear process.

  • For a standard Hong Kong private company limited by shares
  • Local founders may use their own qualifying Hong Kong registered office address
  • Know the annual return, audit, tax and record-keeping obligations before you incorporate
divider

FAQ's on Hong Kong Company Registration for Local Founders

Here are some common questions we receive from our customers. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

1. How much are the government fees for a local Hong Kong private company?

For an electronic incorporation submission made from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, the Companies Registry incorporation fee is HK$1,545 and the one-year Business Registration Certificate total is HK$2,350 (HK$2,200 fee plus HK$150 levy), giving a government baseline of HK$3,895.

2. Can I use my home address as the registered office?

A Hong Kong registered office is mandatory. A local founder can use a qualifying Hong Kong address they control, including a residential address where appropriate, but the registered office is part of the company’s public record. Many founders use an address service for privacy and mail management.

3. Do I need a Hong Kong-resident director?

No. A Hong Kong private company must have at least one natural-person director, but the Companies Ordinance does not require that director to be resident in Hong Kong.

4. Can I be my own company secretary?

A natural-person secretary must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. However, if you are the sole director of the private company, you cannot also act as its company secretary.

5. How long does incorporation take?

The Companies Registry says certificates for a properly completed electronic application for a private company limited by shares are normally issued in about one hour. End-to-end provider onboarding can take longer because KYC, document preparation and signatures happen before filing.

6. Is HK$5,600 an official government price?

No. HK$5,600 is a rounded market-based benchmark for a local-founder service package using the founder’s own Hong Kong registered office. The statutory government baseline is HK$3,895 for the current 2026–27 fee period. Actual provider packages and inclusions vary.

7. Does incorporation include audit and profits tax filing?

Usually not in a low-cost incorporation package. Accounting, annual financial statements, audit and Profits Tax Return preparation should be scoped separately unless the package expressly includes them.

8. Is there any minimum share capital?

The Companies Registry states that the Companies Ordinance does not prescribe a minimum paid-up-capital requirement for a local company limited by shares.

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Founder & CEO charteredone

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