Company services in Hong Kong: formation and accounting, online
A company in Hong Kong from abroad: formation and accounting, the first year in order, what a year costs and who Hong Kong suits. Certificates in 1 hour.
Two services a Hong Kong company starts with
Services for a company in Hong Kong, and how long each takes
For the other countries where we register companies, see international company formation.
| Service | When you need it | How long it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Company formation in Hong Kong | At the start | 1 to 4 working days |
| Accounting in Hong Kong | From the first transaction | Every month, with the annual return within 42 days of each anniversary |
First year of a Hong Kong company, in order
- day 1 to 21
Name and identity checks
We search the Registry's names and check your business activity. Each owner and director sends a passport and a proof of address.
- 1 to 4 working days2
Forms and filing
We draft form NNC1, the articles and the business registration notice, you sign, and we file online. The certificates follow within 1 hour.
- week 13
Secretary, registered office and registers
We arrange the company secretary and the registered office that Hong Kong requires, and open the statutory registers, the significant controllers register among them.
- week 14
Bank file
We assemble the bank file from your registration papers and the invoices or contracts that show your trade, then present the company to a bank and to a payment institution.
- every year5
Books and first returns
The books start with the first trade, and within 1 month of the start of business we report it to the Business Registration Office. Each year follow the annual return, the audited statements and the profits tax return: accounting in Hong Kong.
What a Hong Kong company costs to run for a year
State amounts as published in October 2026. Our fees for the company secretary, the registered office and accounting with the audit come in your quote. The quote gives the total of the year. See how our prices work.
| Amount | Line | When |
|---|---|---|
| HK$1,545 | Companies Registry fee, online filing | once |
| HK$2,350 | Business registration fee and levy, 1-year certificate | at the start, then at each renewal |
| HK$6,170 | Business registration, 3-year certificate | instead of the 1-year one |
| HK$105 | Annual return to the Registry | each year |
Who Hong Kong suits, and what you sign
8.25%Suits traders and consultants selling abroad
Hong Kong taxes profit that arises there: 8.25% on the first HK$2 million and 16.5% above it. Profit earned outside Hong Kong stays out of the tax once you claim it in the return: the offshore claim, step by step. There is no VAT and no tax on dividends.
YearlyLess suited to a company that wants no audit
Every company is audited each year unless it is dormant. A company that sells to customers in Hong Kong pays the two rates on that profit, so the territorial rule helps only the profit earned abroad.
9 bodiesWhat the authorities expect
Hong Kong asks for a company secretary and a registered office there, and for a significant controllers register that 9 bodies, the tax department among them, can inspect. A designated representative assists them. We arrange all three.
3 papersWhat you sign and what we sign
You sign the incorporation form, the articles and the business registration notice, and we file them. Each return then waits in your account on the Legarithm platform for your approval before our accountant sends it.
What clients write about Legarithm
4.8 on Google from 26 reviews.
Questions about a company in Hong Kong
Does the Hong Kong bank file wait for the certificates?
In part. We assemble the file at once, and a bank asks for the certificate of incorporation and a Registry report, so the application goes out in the week the certificates arrive, with an introduction to a payment institution as well.
Which state fees come back every year in Hong Kong?
The annual return, HK$105, within 42 days of each anniversary, and the renewal of the business registration, HK$2,350 for 1 year or HK$6,170 for 3. The audit and the tax return come with our accounting.
How long after incorporation does the first profits tax return arrive in Hong Kong?
The Inland Revenue Department issues it about 18 months after incorporation, and the first one falls due 3 months after its issue. The audited statements go in with it.
Does a Hong Kong company need a director who lives there?
No. One director of any residence is enough. Hong Kong asks for a company secretary and a registered office, and we arrange both.
Can one person hold every seat in a Hong Kong company?
One person can be the only shareholder and the only director. A sole director cannot also be the company secretary, so a second person signs as secretary, and we arrange that role.
What does a Hong Kong company file each year, and by when?
The annual return within 42 days of the anniversary (the NAR1 due date and late fees), the profits tax return by the date its notice gives (3 months after issue for the first one), the employer's return 1 month after its issue in April and the pension payments by the 10th of each month. Each date sits in your account.
Get a quote for your company in Hong Kong
Book a 30-minute call about your company
Your consultant Vladyslav Babaiev Opens in a new tab Business Setup Specialist
- We email you the Google Meet link.
- 30 minutes, free, no obligation to order.
- After the call we email you the checklist of documents for your country.
We reply by the end of the next working day with the cost and the dates for your case. The first call is free and confidential.
Updated 21 October 2026. Reviewed by Vladyslav Drapii, Founder.
