Can a deregistered or struck-off Hong Kong company be restored?

After deregistration

• Restoration generally requires a court order (s.765), applied for within 20 years after dissolution (s.766). The Registrar can restore a company on its own initiative only if it was deregistered by the Registrar's mistake (s.763).
• Once the court order is in hand and the documents are in order, the Registry restoration can take around two months.
• A creditor or other aggrieved party may also apply to court for restoration.
• Administrative restoration is not available for companies dissolved by deregistration or by winding up.

After striking off

• Court restoration is possible.
• Administrative restoration through the Registrar (s.760) is possible within 20 years of dissolution if the company was operating at the time of striking off.

Name issues If another company has taken the same name in the meantime, the restored company must change it within 28 days.

Cost and effort Court applications add legal costs and time; no fixed figure applies. Accordingly, deregister only when you are sure the company will not be needed and its affairs are fully settled; check assets, claims and contracts first.

Before dissolving Do not rely on restoration as an easy fallback. Confirm there are no disputes, unpaid taxes or unclaimed assets that would later require reopening the company.