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Hong Kong company help: answers by topic

11 answers for owners and founders of a Hong Kong company, from ordering to banking, annual compliance and what happens after incorporation. General information, not legal or tax advice: your specialist confirms how it applies to you.

Start in Hong KongHong Kong company formation

Getting started

Do my passport and address proof need to be certified for a Hong Kong company?

Usually not for the incorporation itself: you upload clear copies and we verify them during KYC. Banks set their own rules, and some ask for copies certified by a lawyer, notary or accountant, or for the original on a video call. If a document issued abroad must be legalised, an apostille is normally enough, because Hong Kong applies the Apostille Convention.

Certification and apostilleSource: Status table: Apostille Convention, Hague Conference on Private International Law (HCCH) (accessed Sep 2026)

What name can my Hong Kong company use?

An English name ending in “Limited”, a Chinese name ending in “有限公司”, or both. The Companies Registry will not register a name that is the same as one already on its index, and some words, such as “bank” or names suggesting a government link, need consent first. Give us three choices at checkout and we check them before filing.

Start an orderSource: FAQ: Local limited companies, incorporation, Companies Registry, Hong Kong (accessed Sep 2026)

Which documents will I receive when my Hong Kong company is formed?

The Certificate of Incorporation, the Business Registration certificate, the articles of association, the first board resolutions, share certificates and the company registers. They appear as PDFs in your client portal. Printed originals and a company chop are sent by courier if your package includes them or you order them.

Extra certificates

Pricing & payment

Why is the Hong Kong audit priced separately from my package?

Because its cost depends on how many transactions your company has, which nobody knows before the first year. Every Hong Kong company that is not dormant must have its accounts audited by a Hong Kong certified public accountant. We quote bookkeeping and the audit together once you share your bank statements and invoices.

Accounting and auditSource: FAQ: Accounts and audit, Companies Registry, Hong Kong (accessed Sep 2026)

Banking

What will a Hong Kong bank ask about my company?

Expect questions on what the company sells, who its main customers and suppliers are, which countries the money moves between, and expected monthly volumes. Banks also look at the directors' and owners' backgrounds and may want contracts, invoices or a website. The bank decides; we prepare the file so your answers are consistent from the start.

Business account support

Can I start trading before my Hong Kong bank account is open?

The company exists from the date on its certificate, so it can sign contracts straight away. Without an account, though, it cannot receive customer payments in its own name. Many founders open a payment-institution account first, which is often quicker, and add a traditional bank later. We tell you which options fit your activity.

Online merchant accounts

Compliance

When will I receive my first Hong Kong profits tax return?

Usually about 18 months after the business starts, when the Inland Revenue Department issues it. File it by the date printed on the return, with audited accounts attached (confirm the deadline with your specialist). If your company has not received a return, it still has to tell the IRD when it has profits to report.

Accounting and tax filingSource: A guide to Profits Tax for unincorporated businesses (1), Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (accessed Sep 2026)

After incorporation

How are shares transferred in a Hong Kong company, and is there stamp duty?

Yes. The seller and buyer sign bought and sold notes and an instrument of transfer, which must be stamped by the Stamp Office. Duty is 0.1% of the price or the value of the shares, whichever is higher, payable by each side, plus HK$5 on the instrument. We then update the register of members and the Significant Controllers Register.

Corporate changesSource: Stamp Duty, Inland Revenue Department, Hong Kong (accessed Sep 2026)

What happens if I do not renew my Hong Kong company?

The legal duties continue even if you stop paying for services. The annual return fee rises the later it is filed, and the company still needs a Hong Kong company secretary and registered office. If you no longer need the company, apply to close it so the duties end.

Company renewalSource: Major fees under the Companies Ordinance, Companies Registry, Hong Kong (accessed Sep 2026)

How do I close a Hong Kong company that has stopped trading?

If it is solvent and has no assets or liabilities, apply for deregistration. First the Inland Revenue Department issues a Notice of No Objection (fee HK$270). Then form NDR1 goes to the Companies Registry within 3 months of that notice, with a fee of HK$420. Companies with debts or assets need a winding-up instead.

Company closureSource: How to deregister a defunct solvent company, Companies Registry, Hong Kong (accessed Sep 2026)

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