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Hong Kong Company Registration 2026: Fees, Process & Costs

A practical breakdown of Hong Kong company registration government fees for 2026/27, the electronic NNC1 filing process, annual compliance costs and key bank account considerations for non-residents.

Hong Kong Company Registration Explained: 2026/27 Fees, Process and Annual Running Costs

If you are searching for hong kong incorporation, start with the government fees that apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027: an electronic NNC1 filing plus a one-year Business Registration Certificate (BR) costs a minimum of HK$3,895. Using an indicative rate of about 1 HK$ = NT$4.1195 as at 31 July 2026, that is roughly NT$16,045, though the amount you actually pay depends on the exchange rate and bank charges on the day. Once you add market packages for a company secretary and registered address, total first-year spending commonly lands somewhere around HK$8,000–15,000; always confirm whether a quote already includes the government fees. The HK$3,745 figure you often see online is the old 2025/26 price, not this year's fee. This article covers Hong Kong company registration costs, the NNC1 process, requirements for non-residents, and the compliance work that follows registration. It does not constitute legal or tax advice.

Start With the Numbers: What Does a Hong Kong Company Actually Cost?

Government fees: 1 April 2026 – 31 March 2027

Item Amount Notes
Companies Registry NNC1, electronic filing HK$1,545 Paper filing is HK$1,720
One-year BR HK$2,350 Registration fee HK$2,200 + Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund levy HK$150
Three-year BR HK$6,170 Registration fee HK$5,720 + levy HK$450
Minimum total HK$3,895 Electronic NNC1 + one-year BR

You can check these amounts against the Companies Registry fee schedule and the Inland Revenue Department's business registration fee and levy table. A HK$150 levy waiver applied in the 2025/26 year, which is why NNC1 plus a one-year BR was commonly quoted at HK$3,745 back then; that waiver no longer applies from 1 April 2026.

Agents, company secretary and registered address

Among licensed TCSP service providers in the market, first-year packages bundling a company secretary and registered address commonly run around HK$8,000–12,000, with premium packages reaching as much as HK$30,000. These are market prices, not government-set fees. Some quotes exclude the HK$3,895 in government fees; if HK$8,000–12,000 is the service fee alone, your first-year total could be HK$11,895–15,895. Assistance with opening a bank account is usually charged separately at around HK$1,000–2,000, and whether you need it — and how it is billed — depends on the provider and the bank's policies.

When comparing packages, ask explicitly whether government fees are included, what the second-year company secretary and address fees are, whether the NAR1 is filed on your behalf, whether bookkeeping and audit are charged separately, and how you retrieve your company documents if you stop using the service. Looking only at a discounted first-year price makes it easy to underestimate year two.

Annual costs from year two onwards

Item Likely fee or requirement What to watch
BR renewal 2026/27: HK$2,350 for one year; HK$6,170 for three years Depends on the year and validity period of the certificate
NAR1 annual return HK$105 if filed on time Private companies must file within 42 days after the anniversary of incorporation
Late NAR1 HK$870, HK$1,740, HK$2,610 or HK$3,480 The later the filing, the higher the registration fee band
Company secretary and registered address Per your service package You cannot simply let the service lapse because you have no revenue
Bookkeeping, audit and profits tax filing Depends on transaction volume, accounts and professional quotes The statutory audit is performed by an external independent practising accountant

As the Companies Registry explains, if the NAR1 is still outstanding more than 42 days after the anniversary date, the fee escalates from HK$870 up to HK$3,480; the company and its officers may also face prosecution and default fines. Zero revenue does not automatically mean zero cost: only companies that meet the legal conditions for dormant company status may qualify for specific exceptions to audit and profits tax filing, and statutory obligations such as the NAR1 still need to be confirmed case by case.

The Process: From Name Check to Certificate — How Fast Can It Be?

  1. Check the company name: search for the name through ICRIS or the Companies Registry's services. An English name must end with "Limited" and a Chinese name with 「有限公司」, and it must not be too similar to an existing name.
  2. Prepare the NNC1 information: company name, Hong Kong registered address, nature of business, share capital, and details of directors, shareholders and the company secretary.
  3. Prepare the articles of association: you can use the sample articles for private companies published by the Companies Registry, or file your own customised articles.
  4. File through the one-stop service: submit the NNC1 via e-Services, handle business registration and file the IRBR1 at the same time, and pay the applicable fees.
  5. Receive your certificates: once approved, you receive the Certificate of Incorporation (CI) and the Business Registration Certificate (BR).

For a straightforward private company whose name needs no extra approval and whose details pass the system's checks, the authorities can typically complete an electronic application within 1 hour; paper certificates usually take around 4 working days, so in practice allow 4–7 working days. See the Companies Registry's guide to incorporating a company for details.

Receiving your CI and BR does not mean you can start collecting payments immediately. Opening a bank account, setting up card acquiring or arranging other external payment services usually requires a further 2–8 weeks, plus a business plan, contracts, a website, and supplier and customer information. Review timelines and outcomes are determined by the bank or external service provider concerned.

Hard Requirements and What Differs for Non-Residents

A Hong Kong private limited company needs at least one natural-person director, one shareholder, one company secretary and a physical registered address in Hong Kong. Directors do not need to be Hong Kong residents; if the company secretary is a natural person, they generally must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong, and if it is a body corporate, it must have its registered office or place of business in Hong Kong. A sole director cannot also act as company secretary, and the registered address cannot be a PO box without a physical address. See the Companies Registry FAQ on directors and company secretaries.

Non-residents can generally incorporate a Hong Kong company, own 100% of the shares and serve as directors, and a trip to Hong Kong is usually not required at the registration stage; whether an in-person interview or visit is needed to open a bank account depends on that bank's KYC policies. Shareholders from Taiwan, mainland China and Malaysia commonly need to prepare a passport or other identity document, proof of address, and documents certified as required by the bank or service provider.

Before filing, also note that details of directors, shareholders, the company secretary and the registered address are not entirely private. Companies Registry search records can include company information such as directors, shareholders, the company secretary and the registered address, so understand the public search regime and personal data arrangements before you file.

Bank Accounts, Tax Filing and Offshore Source: The Real Work Starts After Registration

Opening a bank account

Traditional banks now place heavy weight on business substance, transaction patterns, where customers are located, suppliers, your website, contracts and projected fund flows. Virtual banks, acquirers and other payment platforms are common alternatives in the market — external services you may integrate with, not banking or payment products provided by Chan & Chung itself. Any deposit thresholds, account opening timelines and fees are subject to each institution's latest policies.

Tax filing and audit

Hong Kong companies generally need to keep proper books, handle annual filings and submit profits tax information as required by the Inland Revenue Department. Apart from specific exceptions such as dormant companies, financial statements generally must be audited; the statutory audit must be issued by an external independent practising accountant, and the IRD's tax filing guidance also sets out the financial statement requirements when a company submits its profits tax return. If you have no revenue, do not simply assume the company is dormant — first confirm that it meets the relevant legal conditions and that the necessary procedures have been completed.

Offshore profits tax exemption

Hong Kong taxes on a territorial source basis, and whether profits arise in Hong Kong depends on the actual activities and facts that generated those profits. Factors commonly discussed in the market include where contracts are negotiated and signed, where customers are located, whether goods pass through Hong Kong, whether there is an office or staff in Hong Kong, and where order-taking, delivery and decision-making take place. The IRD's explanation of the territorial source principle stresses that source is a question of fact and cannot be determined simply by where the company is registered or where the receiving bank is located.

Offshore claims are assessed by the IRD case by case, which in practice can take from six months to more than a year, and there is no such thing as a guaranteed approval, guaranteed exemption or guaranteed tax saving. Where no exemption is granted, profits tax must still be dealt with under the applicable rules. This article does not constitute tax advice.

Common Scenarios: Is Now the Right Time to Register?

  • Cross-border e-commerce payments: if you already have clearly defined customers, a supply chain, logistics and payment needs, a Hong Kong company may be worth evaluating; but prepare transaction evidence and a payment workflow first rather than incorporating simply because you want a bank account.
  • Professional services with overseas clients: work through where the service is delivered, who performs it, where the contract is negotiated and where the key decisions are made, before deciding on your corporate structure and its tax consequences.
  • Holding and investment structures: suitable for those who need clarity around shareholdings, dividends, investors or group arrangements — but evaluate annual maintenance, bank KYC, operational substance and home-country tax rules at the same time. Simply registering a company does not create a tax advantage by itself.

FAQ

What is the minimum cost to register a Hong Kong company?

For 2026/27, an electronic NNC1 at HK$1,545 plus a one-year BR at HK$2,350 gives a minimum government fee of HK$3,895; a company secretary, registered address and other external services are charged separately.

Can a non-resident own 100% of the shares and be a director? Do they need to travel to Hong Kong?

Generally yes, and directors do not need to be Hong Kong residents. Registration usually does not require a trip to Hong Kong, but account opening, document certification and interview requirements are decided by each bank.

If the company has no revenue, does it still need to file tax returns and be audited?

Annual compliance, bookkeeping and tax requirements generally still apply; only companies that genuinely meet the dormant company conditions may qualify for specific exceptions to audit or filing. Having no revenue is not in itself an automatic exemption.

Is it hard to open a bank account for a Hong Kong company? Is there a deposit threshold?

Reviews typically focus on business substance and supporting documents. Deposit thresholds, timelines and outcomes vary by bank, and virtual banks and acquirers are simply another category of external option in the market.

How long does an offshore exemption take, and can it be guaranteed?

A case can take six months to more than a year and is assessed by the IRD on the facts; approval cannot be guaranteed, and profits tax must still be dealt with if no exemption is granted.

What is the difference between the CI and the BR?

The CI is the Certificate of Incorporation, evidencing that the legal entity has been formed; the BR is the Business Registration Certificate issued by the Inland Revenue Department, covering the business registration requirement. When you apply through the one-stop process, you normally receive both together.

Next Steps

If you have decided it is worth evaluating a Hong Kong company, Chan & Chung can help you assemble what is needed for Hong Kong company formation, coordination of company secretary and annual compliance services, and advisory work on cross-border tax, income source and bank payment arrangements. Bank account opening, statutory audit, and the filing and approval of offshore profits tax exemptions are handled case by case by external banks, independent practising accountants and the Inland Revenue Department respectively, and are not services held or outcomes guaranteed by Chan & Chung itself. You can start by submitting your business model, customer regions, payment methods and shareholder residence on the services page, then evaluate the structure from there.

Further Reading

Mandatory disclosure: Regulated trust or company services (TCSP) are provided by Intelligent Services Limited (Licence No. TC010349), and not under a licence held by Chan & Chung Consultancy Services Limited itself.