How do I incorporate a limited company in Hong Kong, step by step?
Pick a name, then file Form NNC1, the articles of association and the business registration notice (IRBR1) with the Companies Registry, usually online through the e-Services Portal. Once the name clears and fees are paid, a certificate of incorporation and business registration certificate are issued together.
Steps
- Decide the structure: shareholders, at least one director who is an individual, and a company secretary (a HK-resident individual or a company with a Hong Kong office).
- Choose a name and search it for free on the Registry's e-Services Portal.
- Prepare the articles of association: use the Registry's sample articles or your own.
- Complete Form NNC1: it includes the company name, registered office, share capital, first shareholders, directors and secretary. You also give significant controller details.
- Submit with IRBR1: the Notice to Business Registration Office is filed together with the Registry fee and the business registration fee and levy.
- Receive the certificates: a Certificate of Incorporation and a Business Registration Certificate.
After incorporation
- Set up the statutory registers and the significant controllers register.
- Hold a first board meeting; allot shares if needed.
- Open a bank account.
- Notify the IRD of business particulars within one month of starting business.
- Diarise the annual return.
The e-Services Portal replaced the older e-Registry in December 2023. A company that wants to file online later must have an authorised officer registered as an e-Services user.
Legal basis
- Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), Part 3
- Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310)
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.