Set up a Hong Kong company
Sources: Companies Registry, Inland Revenue Department, Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (as of September 2026)
Incorporating a Hong Kong company touches incorporation, business registration and the annual return. The fees and deadlines carry written authority, set out here from verified official figures.
Incorporation cost and refunds
To incorporate a private limited company: the application fee is HK$1,545 by electronic filing and HK$1,720 by paper filing, plus the business registration fee and levy payable separately. If the application is not successful, you can apply to recover HK$1,280 of it (electronic filing) or HK$1,425 (paper filing).
Annual return (NAR1)
A private company must file its annual return (NAR1) within 42 days after the anniversary of incorporation; the on-time fee is HK$105. Late filing is charged in tiers up to HK$3,480; filing late is itself a criminal offence, up to HK$50,000 per occasion, with a further HK$1,000 per day for a continuing offence.
Incorporation is only the first step
Electronic incorporation is issued in about an hour; paper applications take around four working days. After incorporation, business registration, bank account opening and annual compliance recur as ongoing obligations rather than a one-off.
Sources: Companies Registry, Inland Revenue Department, Mandatory Provident Fund Schemes Authority (as of September 2026)