Can I change my Hong Kong company's financial year end, and how?

In short: a directors' resolution is enough, within these limits. Section 371 of the Companies Ordinance lets directors change the accounting reference date, for the current period or the previous one.

Steps and limits

1. Pass a directors' resolution specifying the new date and stating whether the period is shortened (ends the first time the new date falls) or extended (ends the second time it falls).
2. An extension must not make the period longer than 18 months.
3. You cannot extend if the directors already extended an earlier period that ended within the previous 5 years, unless the new date matches the holding company's year end or the members approve by resolution.
4. You cannot change the date for the previous period if the deadline for laying or sending its accounts has already passed.
5. Public companies and companies limited by guarantee must deliver a notice of the new date to the Registrar within 15 days. Private companies limited by shares are not required by s.371 to notify the Registrar.

If a period is shortened, the accounts deadline is the later of the normal deadline and 3 months after the directors' resolution (s.431(2)).

Tell your auditor and tax adviser before resolving, because changing the period affects audit scope and tax filings.