3 Essential Preparations Before Registering a Company in Hong Kong

Summary: According to the Companies Registry statistics, over 100,000 Hong Kong companies are established each year. Hong Kong company registration has many advantages, but what preparations are needed before registering a Hong Kong company? This article will focus on introducing the Hong Kong company registration process and essential preparations to help you smoothly complete the company establishment procedures.

Three Major Preparations Before Hong Kong Company Registration

There are three essential preparation items that must be handled in advance for company registration, otherwise you may find the registration process very difficult! The registration process for Hong Kong limited companies differs from unlimited companies, with more details needing preparation upfront, including company structure, company name and registered address. You can click to learn about the differences between limited and unlimited companies . Here are the 3 major items to prepare before establishing a Hong Kong limited company:

1. Determine Company Structure

Every private limited company must have at least one director who is a natural person and one company secretary, so you need to first determine which member will serve as the company director and who will serve as company secretary.

Director Requirements

• Must be at least 18 years old
• Can be Hong Kong resident or overseas person with valid passport
• If company only has one director, that director cannot also serve as the company secretary

Company Secretary Requirements

• Private company secretary can be served by one of the directors
• Company secretary needs to ensure full compliance with company's administrative and legal duties
• Must serve as corporate governance advisor
• If appointing a trust company or secretarial company as company secretary, that company's registered office or main office must be in Hong Kong
• Need to verify if the appointed company holds Trust and Company Service Provider license

2. Company Name

Choosing a company name isn't just about ensuring the name isn't duplicate. When naming a company you must ensure the name complies with the Hong Kong Company Name Registration Guidelines .

Key Points of Company Name Registration Guidelines

1. Naming Rules: Companies can register an English name and/or Chinese name, but cannot use a combination of English and Chinese. Chinese names can only use traditional Chinese characters, simplified Chinese is not accepted.

2. Name Ending Requirements: According to Companies Ordinance Section 102, English names must end with "Limited" (cannot be abbreviated as "Ltd"); Chinese names must end with "有限公司".

3. Name Uniqueness: Cannot be identical or too similar to other company names.

4. Words Requiring Approval: Including but not limited to "chamber of commerce", "kaifong", "levy", "savings", "tourist board", "tourist association", "trust", "trustee" etc.

5. Words Regulated by Other Laws: Such as "bank", "exchange", "securities exchange" etc.

3. Registered Address

According to Hong Kong company law, all companies established in Hong Kong must have their registered office in Hong Kong, and need to use a Hong Kong business address as the company's registered address. Remember the registered address must be an actual address, post office boxes cannot be used.

Next Steps After Preparation

After completing the above three major preparation items, you can submit your application according to Hong Kong's official company registration procedures. The registration process mainly involves these steps:

1. Submit company registration application to Companies Registry
2. Pay registration fees
3. Receive certificate of incorporation
4. Apply for business registration certificate
5. Prepare articles of association and other necessary documents
6. Set up company bank account (optional)

Common Questions for New Entrepreneurs

How much capital is needed to register a company in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong company law does not set minimum registered capital requirements - theoretically you can register a company with HK$1. However, in practice, it's recommended to set a reasonable registered capital amount, such as HK$10,000, for future business development and bank account opening needs.

Can non-Hong Kong residents register Hong Kong companies?

Yes. According to Hong Kong company law, non-Hong Kong residents (including foreign citizens) can also register companies in Hong Kong and serve as company directors or shareholders, without needing to reside in or personally visit Hong Kong. However, some banks may require directors or major shareholders to appear in person when opening bank accounts.

Conclusion

The more thorough the preparation work before Hong Kong company registration, the smoother the subsequent registration process will be. Complete advance preparation can reduce the possibility of errors and avoid application rejections or reapplications due to issues with company structure, name or address.

If you have any questions about Hong Kong company registration, welcome to contact professional company secretary service providers, who can usually provide one-stop business consulting services covering Hong Kong company registration, bank account opening and secretarial services to help you successfully launch your business plan.