What documents and information do I need to incorporate a Hong Kong company?
Three documents go to the Companies Registry: Form NNC1, a copy of the articles of association, and the Notice to Business Registration Office (IRBR1). You also need identity details of the first members, directors and secretary, and the registered office address.
Filed documents
- Form NNC1 (for a company limited by shares). The online web form combines the details below.
- Articles of association: a customised PDF, or the Registry's sample populated from your form. A customised PDF must not exceed 5 MB.
- IRBR1: the Notice to Business Registration Office, filed with the business registration fee and levy.
Information you will enter
- Proposed company name in English, Chinese or both.
- Registered office address in Hong Kong.
- Share capital, the number of shares and who holds them (founder members).
- Each director's name, identity or passport number, and address details; a corporate director also needs its registration details.
- Company secretary's details, including a correspondence address (a natural-person secretary does not publish a residential address).
- Email address of the company; a Hong Kong contact phone number is optional.
- Nature of business (optional but recommended).
- Significant controller and designated representative arrangements, which the company must keep on its own register rather than file.
Practical points
- Founder members must sign the form. Individuals sign through their e-Services account; corporate founders use an authorised individual.
- Directors and the secretary must consent to act.
- You need an e-Services user account before submitting online.
Legal basis
- Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), Part 3
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
- 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.
- What is a private company limited by shares in Hong Kong and why do most businesses choose it?It is a separate legal entity whose shareholders are liable only for any unpaid amount on their shares. It is the most common vehicle in Hong Kong because it protects personal assets and makes ownership easy to transfer, in exchange for statutory filing and record-keeping duties.
- Should an overseas company set up a branch, a representative office or a Hong Kong subsidiary?A branch is the overseas company itself trading in Hong Kong and must register as a non-Hong Kong company within one month. A representative office can only liaise or research, not trade for profit. A subsidiary is a separate Hong Kong company that ring-fences liability.