FINPRO CONSULTING · HONG KONG

Hong Kong Company Formation Set up for what comes next.

Build a Hong Kong company for international trade, professional services or cross-border business. FinPro coordinates incorporation, company secretary and registered office arrangements, with support for banking preparation and ongoing compliance.

Get a Formation Plan Explore Our Services
Incorporation Company Secretary Registered Office Annual Compliance
Non-residents welcome Incorporation for overseas founders
At least one individual director No Hong Kong residency requirement
Hong Kong registered office With a qualifying company secretary
Ongoing support From incorporation to annual filings
BUSINESS & STRUCTURE

A company structure built around your business

Start with what the company will do, whom it will serve and how it will receive and make payments. Then align the ownership structure and local arrangements with those needs.

01 / INTERNATIONAL TRADE

Trading & supply chains

Map your suppliers, customers, trading markets and payment flows to prepare a consistent company profile and account application.

02 / PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Consulting, technology & digital services

Establish a contracting entity for consulting, software development or business services, with consistent corporate documents, contracts and website information.

03 / GROUP STRUCTURES

Regional operations & holding arrangements

Plan your Hong Kong entity around group ownership, management and reporting needs, with relevant tax and professional advice coordinated where required.

INCORPORATION REQUIREMENTS

What do you need to form a Hong Kong company?

These requirements cover a standard Hong Kong private company limited by shares. We review shareholder, director, company secretary and registered office details during document preparation.

View Companies Registry guidance ↗
Shareholders
At least one founder member is required. Shareholders may be individuals or corporate entities, and non-Hong Kong residents may incorporate a local limited company.
Directors
At least one director must be an individual. Directors do not need to be Hong Kong residents, and the same person may be both a shareholder and a director.
Company secretary
An individual secretary must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong. A corporate secretary must have its registered or principal office in Hong Kong. A sole director cannot also act as company secretary.
Registered office
The registered office must be in Hong Kong and serves as an address for statutory notices. Registered office services and any operational premises should be considered separately.
Share capital
The Companies Ordinance does not prescribe a minimum paid-up capital amount. Plan the share structure around ownership and business needs; regulated activities may have separate capital requirements.
Controller records
Identify significant controllers, keep a Significant Controllers Register and appoint an eligible designated representative, as required by the applicable rules.
HOW FINPRO HELPS

Support across the key stages of incorporation

FinPro coordinates the incorporation process and local service arrangements, from initial documents to the corporate handover. Your quotation sets out the scope, service periods and renewal items.

INCORPORATION

Company setup & documentation

  • Company name search and proposed name review
  • Shareholder, director and ownership information
  • Articles of association and incorporation documents
  • Company incorporation and business registration coordination
  • Delivery of certificates and corporate documents
LOCAL ARRANGEMENTS

Company secretary & registered office

  • Appointment of a qualifying company secretary
  • Hong Kong registered office and statutory mail arrangements
  • Statutory registers and initial corporate records
  • Significant Controllers Register and designated representative arrangements
  • Annual filing reminders and corporate record maintenance
ONGOING OPERATIONS

Banking preparation & annual support

  • Review of bank or payment account requirements
  • Business profile and account application preparation
  • Coordination of accounting, audit and tax filing services
  • Annual renewals and corporate change support
  • Licensing assessments where relevant to your activities
Key deliverables Certificate of Incorporation Business Registration Certificate Articles and incorporation document copies Applicable registers and corporate resolutions
Local secretarial, registered office and professional work is provided or supported by appropriately qualified service providers. Banking, audit, tax and licensing services are confirmed separately within your selected scope.
THE FORMATION PROCESS

Four steps to your Hong Kong company

A clear business brief and complete documents help reduce repeated requests across incorporation, banking preparation and ongoing administration.

  1. 01

    Discovery & identity checks

    Discuss your activities, customer markets and account needs, and collect identification for shareholders, directors and ultimate beneficial owners.

  2. 02

    Name review & signing

    Confirm the proposed name and ownership, arrange the secretary and registered office, and prepare the documents for signature.

  3. 03

    Filing & incorporation

    Coordinate the incorporation and business registration applications, follow up on any queries and collect the certificates once approved.

  4. 04

    Handover & next steps

    Deliver your corporate document pack, establish a compliance calendar and coordinate banking or accounting support as needed.

How long does incorporation take? For a private company limited by shares, the Companies Registry normally issues certificates within one hour of electronic submission. This is the government processing time; it does not include due diligence, signing, additional document requests, corporate pack preparation or bank account opening. We confirm your overall project timeline after reviewing the documents.

Documents to prepare before you start

Individual shareholders & directors

  • Valid identity documents and proof of residential address
  • Proposed company name, business description and contact details
  • Shareholdings, director and ultimate beneficial owner information
  • Source of funds and business background where required for review

Corporate shareholders & layered structures

  • Incorporation certificates and constitutional documents of corporate shareholders
  • Evidence of current directors, shareholders and control
  • An ownership chart tracing the structure to ultimate beneficial owners
  • Authorising resolutions and relevant individual identity documents

This checklist supports service-provider due diligence. Document recency, certification and translation requirements depend on residence and ownership structure.

FEES & BUDGETING

Understand your setup fees and recurring costs.

Alongside the first-year quotation, consider the ongoing costs of the company secretary, registered office, accounting and filings. We provide an itemised quotation based on your structure and service needs.

Request a Fee Breakdown
Government charges

Incorporation fees, business registration fees and applicable levies. Charges depend on the application date, filing method and certificate validity period.

Formation services

Name review, information collection, document preparation, filing coordination and delivery of the corporate document pack.

Secretary & registered office

Confirm the service period, mail handling, Significant Controllers Register support, and whether annual return preparation and government charges are included.

Additional services

Banking support, accounting, audit, tax filing, document certification and ownership changes are quoted according to scope and workload.

AFTER INCORPORATION

Keep your company in order as it grows

Manage Companies Registry filings, business registration renewals and financial reporting as separate obligations, each with its own requirements and deadlines.

COMPANIES REGISTRY

Annual return

A standard local private company must deliver its annual return within 42 days after the anniversary of incorporation. This is separate from the profits tax return.

INLAND REVENUE DEPARTMENT

Business registration renewal

Renew your Business Registration Certificate according to its validity period, payment notice and the charges applicable at the time.

FINANCIAL RECORDS & TAX

Bookkeeping, audit & tax filing

Keep complete accounting records and supporting documents, prepare financial statements and arrange audits as required, and respond to tax filing obligations.

CORPORATE RECORDS

Changes & controller information

Keep director, shareholder, secretary, address and significant controller information up to date. Record changes and submit notifications within the relevant deadlines.

How does Hong Kong profits tax work?

For corporations eligible for the two-tiered regime, the first HK$2 million of assessable profits is taxed at 8.25%, with the excess taxed at 16.5%. Where there are connected entities, generally only one eligible entity may be nominated for the two-tiered rates.

These rates apply to assessable profits, not turnover. Hong Kong uses a territorial source principle, but overseas customers or payments do not automatically make profits tax-exempt. Profit sourcing and applicable rules, including the foreign-sourced income exemption regime, should be assessed against the actual transactions and business circumstances.

RELATED SERVICES

Connect incorporation with your next step

ACCOUNT PREPARATION

Bank & payment accounts

Prepare applications around currencies, payment corridors, counterparties and expected transaction volumes. Each institution makes its own approval decision.

Explore banking support → REGULATED ACTIVITIES

Financial licensing assessments

Review the licensing requirements for securities, asset management, payments or other regulated activities. Company incorporation does not grant a financial licence.

Explore financial licensing → CROSS-BORDER STRUCTURES

Other jurisdictions

If your customers, management and operations span several markets, compare incorporation locations against your banking and operating requirements.

Explore global company formation →
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Your Hong Kong company formation questions, answered

Can non-Hong Kong residents incorporate a company?

Yes. Residents of mainland China and other non-Hong Kong residents may incorporate a local limited company. Directors do not need to be Hong Kong residents. You must still arrange a Hong Kong registered office, appoint a qualifying company secretary and complete identity and beneficial ownership checks.

Do I need to visit Hong Kong?

Incorporation can generally be coordinated remotely through document preparation and electronic filing. Signing, identity verification and certification arrangements depend on the case. Bank account opening is a separate process, and some institutions may require an interview or an in-person visit.

Can one person be both shareholder and director?

Yes. A sole shareholder may also be the director. However, where there is only one director, that person cannot also act as company secretary. A separate, qualifying secretary arrangement is required.

Does incorporation guarantee a bank account?

No. Banks and payment institutions independently assess applications. They commonly review actual business activities, customers, suppliers, source of funds and expected transactions. FinPro can help prepare the documents and coordinate with suitable institutions.

Are audits and tax filings required if there is no income?

No income does not automatically remove financial reporting, audit or tax filing obligations. A company with formal dormant status is different from a company that simply has not traded. An accountant should confirm any applicable exemptions and how to respond to tax returns received.

Do secretary and registered office renewals cover all annual obligations?

Not necessarily. Secretarial services, the registered office, annual returns, business registration renewal, bookkeeping, audit and tax filing are separate items. Your quotation should identify included services, government charges paid on your behalf and any additional fees.

Can a Hong Kong company immediately provide financial services?

You must first establish whether the proposed activities are regulated. Neither a Certificate of Incorporation nor a Business Registration Certificate replaces a required financial licence. FinPro can help review your business model and coordinate a licensing assessment.

Can shareholders, directors or the registered office be changed later?

Yes, following the applicable procedures. Director, secretary and address changes involve different requirements from share transfers. A transfer may also involve stamp duty and beneficial ownership updates. We can coordinate documents and filings for the specific change.

START YOUR HONG KONG COMPANY

Tell us about your business.
Get a clear formation plan.

From ownership and documents to first-year fees and ongoing compliance, we will help you map out the next steps.

Talk to a FinPro Adviser
To get started, tell us about:
  • Your proposed activities and main customer markets
  • Shareholder and director locations, and ownership structure
  • Any bank or payment account requirements
  • Your target start date and supporting services needed