Documents needed to incorporate a Hong Kong company

Documents Needed to Incorporate Hong Kong Company

To incorporate a Hong Kong private company limited by shares, file the incorporation form NNC1, the business registration notice IRBR1, and the consent to act as first director form NNC3. You must also provide identification and proof of address for every director, shareholder, company secretary and the person lodging the application.

Hong Kong Company Incorporation Checklist

Confirm these details before you file:

• A proposed company name (English, Chinese, or both)
• A Hong Kong registered office address (a post office box is not acceptable)
• At least one director who is a natural person
• At least one shareholder (may be the same person as the director)
• A company secretary who is either a natural person ordinarily resident in Hong Kong, or a body corporate with a registered office or place of business in Hong Kong
• Articles of association (you may adopt the model articles in the Companies Ordinance rather than drafting your own)
• A designated representative for the Significant Controllers Register

No business plan is required at any stage of incorporation.

Incorporation Form NNC1 Requirements

Form NNC1 is the main incorporation application for a company limited by shares. It must contain the proposed company name, the intended registered office address in Hong Kong, and particulars of each director: full name, correspondence address (which may be a residential address), and identity document number. Include particulars of each shareholder (full name and address), the company secretary, the intended date of first financial year end, and a statement of share capital, including the number of shares to be issued and their total consideration.

For companies not limited by shares, use Form NNC1G instead.

Form NNC3 accompanies the application. Each person consenting to act as first director must complete and sign it. The Companies Registry does not accept unsigned copies.

Business Registration Certificate Documents

The Business Registration Certificate is issued by the Inland Revenue Department, not by the Companies Registry. File Form IRBR1 with the incorporation forms; this serves as the notice to the . The IRD issues the certificate in the company's name once incorporation is approved.

The certificate is available as a one-year or three-year certificate. It is not a trade licence and does not authorise any regulated activity.

Company Incorporation Hong Kong Paperwork: Supporting Documents

Provide the following for each person listed in the application. For a natural person, supply a copy of the passport or Hong Kong identity card, plus proof of residential address issued within the past three months (such as a utility bill or bank statement). For a body corporate acting as shareholder, provide a Certificate of Incorporation or equivalent, plus confirmation of its registered office address.

Documents not in English or Chinese require a certified translation by a professional translator or notary.

File all forms and supporting documents with the Companies Registry either in paper or through its e-Services portal. The official forms are available from the Companies Registry's specified forms index and the Inland Revenue Department's forms index. Always download the current version, as the Registry revises forms periodically.

If you are not filing personally, you may authorise a corporate service provider who holds a TCSP licence under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615) to handle the application and prepare the documents on your behalf.