
All investors interested in Hong Kong company formation are required to register the business and obtain the
Business Registration Certificate from the Inland Revenue Department. What investors should also know is that the validity of this document can be of three years instead of one.
Our team of
Hong Kong company formation agents described the process needed for selecting the business registration certificate for three years. Investors who wish to know more about the general registration principles, as well as investing in Hong Kong, can reach out to our agents.
How to obtain the three-year Business Registration Certificate
Opting for a
three-year Business Registration Certificate instead of a one-year one is a simple process and the selection remains in force until it is expressly revoked in writing. Our
Hong Kong company formation agents highlight the main aspects to take into consideration when opting for this type of certificate:
- • New business vs. already registered business: it is important to note that the process is different according to whether or not the business is a new one or it has already been registered.
- • Limited period: the selection is to be made one month before the current certificate expires.
- • Revocation: the selection of the three-year certificate can be submitted no later than one month before the expiry date of the certificate in force.
- • Submission: the application can be submitted in person or by post; facsimile transmissions are not accepted.
- • Fee: a business registration fee applies and it is not refunded after the expiry date of the three-year certificate.
Applicants are required to fill in the appropriate form when making this selection. The form is different according to whether or not the business is a newly incorporated one or it is one that has been registered for some time.
Investors who also have
branches in Hong Kong, either one or more, should also know that the option for the certificate will also extend to these branches, both the old ones and the new ones that are opened after the selection is made.
The business registration certificate, as well as the branch registration certificate, are to be displayed in a clearly visible location at the address where the business is carried out. When needed, it must be offered for inspection. Individuals who open a Hong Kong company and lose the business or branch registration certificate can obtain a plain duplicate from the Business Registration Office.
Company registration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong is a jurisdiction that allows for a simplified company formation procedure. The one-stop business and company registration is designed to allow for a single application for the company and business registration. The applicant may submit this application in both paper and electronic form.
For a local Hong Kong company, the following documents are required for the one-stop registration:
- Incorporation Form: the filled-in incorporation form, as required by the authorities (Form NNC1, for example).
- Articles of Association: a copy of the company’s constitutive documents, its Articles of Association that contain information about the business.
- Notice: this is the Notice to Business Registration Office – it is the step during which the applicant indicates that he opts for the three-year certificate.
- Fee: the business registration fee and levy as well as any other fees that may be payable under the Companies Regulation.
Below, our team of agents who specialize in Hong Kong company formation lists some of the applicable fees and levies:
- - 3,950 HKD: the fee and levy for the three-year certificate for companies incorporated on or after 1 April 2019.
- - 5,950 HKD: the fee and levy for the three-year certificate for companies incorporated between 01.04.2017 – 31.03.2019.
- - 3,950 HKD: the fee and levy for the three-year certificate for companies incorporated between 01.04.2016 – 31.03.2017.
- - 5,950 HKD: the fee and levy for the three-year certificate for companies incorporated between 01.04.2014 – 31.03.2016.
Investors can reach out to our agents for more information about the different fees for the three-year Business Registration Certificate. As seen above, the fees vary and the total amount includes both a fee and a levy. For example, for a company incorporated on or after April 1, 2019, the total amount of 3,950 is comprised of a 3,200 HKD fee and a 750 HKD levy.
The fees and levies for
Branch Registration Certificate for a three-year period are different, for example, the total is 866 HKD for a branch incorporated on or after April 2019 (a 116 HKD fee and a 750 HKD levy). The fees may be subject to change as per the Inland Revenue Department and the
Government of Hong Kong.
Contact us for more information about company registration in Hong Kong and the business registration options.