How to incorporate and register a private company in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong prides herself in combining the company incorporation and business registration into one step, which hugely facilitates investors to commence their operation as soon as possible. Thus, any persons who are applying for incorporation of a local company is regarded as applying simultaneously for business registration of the incorporating company. The materials needed for such application include:

• Incorporation Form – Form NC 1 (for companies limited by shares) or Form NC1G (for companies not limited by shares);
• One copy of the memorandum and articles of association of the company respectively; and
• A Notice to Business Registration Office (IRBR1).

Once the incorporation is approved, certificate of incorporation and business registration certificate will be issued by Registrar of Companies. There are two types of business registration certificate: one is for one year and another one is for three years. In case of any change to the registration certificate, business operator should notify the Inland Revenue Department in writing within 1 month of such change.

It must be reminded that some types of businesses will need extra application documents. These types of businesses would include, but not limited to, restaurants, banks and travel agencies.