What is a designated representative for the Significant Controllers Register, and who can be one?
A designated representative is the person the company appoints to give law enforcement officers information about the Significant Controllers Register on request. It must be a Hong Kong-resident shareholder, director or employee who is an individual, or an accounting professional, legal professional or licensed TCSP.
Role The company must have at least one designated representative, who is the contact for providing information and assistance to Hong Kong law enforcement officers about the register.
Who can be appointed
- An individual who is a shareholder, director or employee of the company and who is resident in Hong Kong; or
- An accounting professional, a legal professional, or a licensed trust or company service provider.
A significant controller can also serve if they satisfy the conditions above.
Practical points
- Choose someone who can respond quickly and who understands the company's ownership.
- Record the representative's details and keep them current.
- If the person leaves the company or moves away from Hong Kong, appoint a replacement.
- An outsourced professional should have a written engagement, with clear access to the company's records.
Other related duties
- Keep the register at the registered office or another place in Hong Kong; file Form NR2 within 15 days if it is kept elsewhere (companies that already kept it with the register of members and filed NR2 are exempt).
- Law-enforcement agencies listed by the Registry, including the Companies Registry, Police, IRD, Customs, ICAC and SFC, may inspect the register on demand.
Legal basis
- Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), Part 12, Division 2A (significant controllers register)
Sources
Applies to 2026 · Last reviewed 29 October 2026
General information for business owners, not legal, tax or professional advice. Rules change, so check the sources or ask a licensed professional before you act.
Related questions
- What is the Significant Controllers Register (SCR) in Hong Kong and who is a significant controller?Every Hong Kong company except listed companies must keep a Significant Controllers Register recording the individuals and entities who ultimately own or control it. A significant controller holds more than 25% of shares or votes, can appoint or remove most directors, or exercises significant influence or control.
- Which statutory registers and records must a Hong Kong company keep?A company must keep a register of members, a register of directors, a register of company secretaries, a significant controllers register, and records of members' resolutions and meetings. Some records have a 10-year retention period. They are kept at the registered office or another Hong Kong place.
- Which business structure should I choose in Hong Kong: sole proprietorship, partnership or limited company?Hong Kong offers sole proprietorships, partnerships, limited companies and, for overseas firms, branch or representative offices. The main trade-off is liability: a sole proprietor or general partner is personally liable without limit, while a limited company's members are liable only up to unpaid share capital.
- How do I set up a sole proprietorship in Hong Kong and what is my liability?Register the business with the Inland Revenue Department's Business Registration Office within one month of starting trading. There is no separate legal entity, so you are personally liable without limit for the business's debts.
- How does a partnership work in Hong Kong, and what is a limited partnership?A partnership is two or more people carrying on business together for profit. In a general partnership each partner can bind the others and all are jointly liable for debts. A limited partnership has at least one general partner with full liability and limited partners liable only up to their contribution.