Form NN9: Return of Change of Address of a Registered Non-Hong Kong Company in Hong Kong

Form NN9 Hong Kong Non-Hong Kong Company Address Change

A registered non-Hong Kong company must notify the Companies Registry of any change to its Hong Kong registered office using Form NN9 Hong Kong non-Hong Kong company address change. This is the Part 16 equivalent of Form NR1, which local companies file for the same purpose. File within 15 days of the date of the change. The form must state both the old and new addresses.

Purpose of Form NN9

Form NN9 is a specified form under the Companies Ordinance. It records a change in the registered office address of a non-Hong Kong company registered in Hong Kong. The address must be a physical location in Hong Kong where documents can be served on the company. A post office box is not acceptable. The form requires the company's registration number, its name as registered in Hong Kong, the former address, and the new address. Nothing else.

Hong Kong Non-Hong Kong Company Address Change NN9

The filing window is 15 days from the date the address changes. Miss it and the company commits an offence under the Companies Ordinance, liable to a fine. The Companies Registry may also conclude that the company has failed to maintain a registered office in Hong Kong. That finding can lead to the company being struck off the register.

NN9 Form Companies Registry

The Companies Registry accepts NN9 form companies registry through two channels. Paper filing requires the original signed form delivered to the Companies Registry's office at Queensway, Hong Kong. Electronic filing is available through the e-Services portal at www.eregistry.gov.hk. The filing fee is HK$15 for paper and HK$10 for electronic. A director, the company secretary, or an authorised representative of the non-Hong Kong company must sign the form.

Change Registered Address Non-Hong Kong Company Hong Kong

A change registered address non-hong kong company hong kong triggers obligations beyond the Companies Registry. Notify the Inland Revenue Department of the new address, particularly if the company receives profits tax returns or employer returns at the old one. The authorised representative listed on the register must also be informed: this is the person on whom legal documents may be served. If the representative's address changes as a result, a separate filing using Form NN6 may be required.

Filing Requirements and Supporting Documents

Form NN9 does not require a certified true copy of any board resolution or other supporting document. The form is self-contained. One trap: if the company has changed its name since initial registration, the name on the form must match the name currently on the register. The Companies Registry will reject a mismatch.

Contrast with NN1 and NN3

Form NN1 is the application for initial registration of a non-Hong Kong company in Hong Kong, filed once at the point of registration together with a certified copy of the company's certificate of incorporation and other documents. Form NN3 is the annual return, filed each year within 42 days after the anniversary of registration. Form NN9 is event-driven. File it only when the address changes. A company that has not moved does not file NN9.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Fail to file Form NN9 within 15 days and the company and every officer in default may be prosecuted. The maximum fine is HK$5,000. A further daily default fine of HK$50 may apply. More seriously, the Companies Registry may treat the failure as evidence that the company no longer maintains a registered office in Hong Kong. That is a ground for striking the company off the register under section 662 of the Companies Ordinance. A struck-off company ceases to exist as a legal entity in Hong Kong. Its assets may vest in the government.

Practical Steps

1. Confirm the new address is a physical location in Hong Kong.
2. Complete Form NN9 with the old address and the new address.
3. Have the form signed by an authorised person.
4. File within 15 days of the change.
5. Update the authorised representative and the Inland Revenue Department separately.

Download the current version of Form NN9 from the Companies Registry's specified forms index at www.cr.gov.hk/en/forms/specified.htm before every filing. The Registry revises forms periodically and a stale version may be rejected.