Filing Form NAR1 one day late raises a private company's fee from HK$105 to HK$870. The Companies Registry can prosecute persistent defaulters, so the form should not be left until the final week.
In this blog, we discuss the current annual return fee and how the 42-day NAR1 deadline is calculated. We also cover late-filing penalties and a practical walkthrough of how to file annual return Hong Kong companies can follow in 2026.
What Does NAR1 Filing Cost for Hong Kong Companies in 2026?
The standard charge is HK$105 for an on-time annual return from a private Hong Kong share company, rising to HK$870 once late. For public entities, the timely charge is HK$140; for entities limited by guarantee, it is HK$105.
The Companies Registry, which maintains the Hong Kong companies register, publishes the filing fees in its official schedule. The sum payable depends on the type of company and on whether the return is lodged inside the 42-day statutory period.
Online and paper lodgement both attract the same annual return fee. The 10% reduction offered for electronic incorporation applications does not extend to this filing.
Public companies must attach certified true copies of the financial statements, the directors' report and the auditor's report. Companies limited by guarantee must attach certified true copies of the financial statements and the directors' report. The extra paperwork is a practical point for charities and social enterprises weighing Hong Kong nonprofit setup, because their yearly compliance burden is heavier than a share company's.
Because the schedule is revised from time to time, confirm the current figures against the Companies Registry's fee schedule before each return.
What Is Form NAR1 and Who Must File It?
Form NAR1 is a statutory snapshot, not a financial statement: it tells the Companies Registry who runs the company, where it sits and who owns it as at the return date.
The requirement stems from section 662 of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622). Every locally incorporated limited company must lodge an annual return within 42 days after its return date, even if it carried on no business at all during the year. The form must be signed by a director, the company secretary or an authorised representative.
The return records:
- The address used as the registered office
- Details of the directors and company secretary
- Shareholding information and share capital
- Particulars updated since the previous return
Membership of a corporate group does not remove this duty. Each Hong Kong subsidiary must submit its own NAR1, meet its own due date and pay its own fee.
NAR1 Filing Fees by Company Type (2026)
| Company type | Fee within 42 days (HK$) | Fee after 42 days (HK$) | Extra documents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private company limited by shares | 105 | 870–3,480 (escalating) | None |
| Public company | 140 | 1,400 | Certified financial statements, directors' report and auditor's report |
| Company limited by guarantee | 105 | 1,400 | Certified financial statements and directors' report |
When Is Your Annual Return Due in 2026?
For a private company limited by shares, the deadline falls 42 days after the anniversary of the incorporation date — the return date — not after the financial year-end and not after the tax year-end.
For a private company limited by shares, the calculation is simple once the incorporation date is known. A private company with a 31 December year-end that was incorporated in June still files in June and July. The Inland Revenue Department's tax deadlines have no bearing on the Companies Registry's timetable.
For public companies and companies limited by guarantee, the return date is not the incorporation anniversary. It is the date of the annual general meeting in the relevant financial year or, if no annual general meeting is held, the last day by which the meeting should have been held. The 42-day deadline runs from that return date, so it can fall on a different day from the incorporation anniversary.
The incorporation date is printed on the Certificate of Incorporation issued at the end of the Hong Kong company incorporation process, and it can also be checked on the public companies register.
The 42nd day is the last day for the standard fee. From day 43 the higher fee applies automatically, with no reminder issued in advance.
Example NAR1 Deadline Calculation for 2026
| Milestone | Date (example company) |
|---|---|
| Incorporation date | 20 June 2020 |
| Return date (anniversary) | 20 June 2026 |
| 42-day filing deadline | 1 August 2026 |
| Higher fee applies from | 2 August 2026 |
What Are the Penalties for Filing NAR1 Late?
Late delivery triggers an escalating fee. For a private company, it starts at HK$870 and can rise to HK$3,480. The company and every responsible person also face prosecution risk under section 662 of the Companies Ordinance.
The Companies Registry states that conviction can attract a fine of up to HK$50,000, plus HK$1,000 for each day the default continues. Responsible persons include the directors and the company secretary, so the exposure is personal as well as corporate.
In practice, we help clients who discover arrears only when applying for deregistration. The Registrar will not accept a dissolution application while annual returns remain outstanding, so one skipped filing can delay an exit by months.
Remedying a late filing is straightforward — deliver the form and pay the applicable escalating fee:
- More than 42 days but within three months: HK$870
- More than three months but within six months: HK$1,740
- More than six months but within nine months: HK$2,610
- More than nine months: HK$3,480 The public register, however, will still record the late delivery, and lenders carrying out searches will see it.
On-Time Versus Late NAR1 Filing Costs (Private Company)
| Item | Filed on time | Filed late |
|---|---|---|
| Filing fee | HK$105 | HK$870 |
| Prosecution risk | None | Fine up to HK$50,000, plus HK$1,000 per day of continuing default |
| Deregistration application | Unaffected | Blocked until the return is filed |
How Do You File an Annual Return in Hong Kong?
For companies with verified particulars and e-Services Portal access, filing can take under an hour, though completion time varies with the accuracy and complexity of the company particulars. The fastest route is the Companies Registry's e-Services Portal, which accepts NAR1 submissions 24 hours a day.
Both electronic and paper routes carry the same fee. The four steps below cover the typical workflow for a private company limited by shares.
Step 1: Confirm the Return Date
Locate the incorporation date on the Certificate of Incorporation or the public register. Diarise the return date and the 42nd-day deadline at the start of each year.
Step 2: Verify the Company Particulars
Check that the registered office address, directors, secretary, shareholders and share capital on the form match the current facts. File the correct change forms first if anything has moved.
Step 3: Submit Form NAR1 and Pay the Fee
File electronically through the e-Services Portal and pay by the accepted electronic means, or deliver a paper form with the fee to the Companies Registry's counter at Queensway Government Offices. Keep the acknowledgement for your records.
Step 4: Record the Next Deadline
Note that the return date stays the same every year. A private company that changes its financial year-end still files on the incorporation anniversary.
Annual Return Versus Other Hong Kong Compliance Filings
| Filing | Authority | Form | Frequency | Key fee (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual return | Companies Registry | NAR1 | Once a year, within 42 days of the incorporation anniversary | HK$105–140 on time |
| Business registration renewal | Inland Revenue Department | Business registration certificate | Every 1 or 3 years | HK$2,350 incl. levy (1-year, 2026-27) |
| Profits tax return | Inland Revenue Department | BIR51 | Once a year, by the IRD-issued due date | Varies with assessable profits |
Which Common Mistakes Push Up Annual Return Costs?
Four recurring errors account for most avoidable late fees and rejections: conflating the filings, miscounting the window, filing stale particulars and assuming inactive companies are exempt.
The compliance-filings table earlier in this article shows where each recurring obligation sits, because NAR1 filing in Hong Kong sits alongside two separate Inland Revenue Department duties.
1. Treating the NAR1 as a Tax Filing
The annual return goes to the Companies Registry. The profits tax return (Form BIR51) goes to the Inland Revenue Department. It reports financial results tied to the company's tax identification number.
One filing does not discharge the other, and the costs differ sharply. A one-year business registration certificate for April 2026 to March 2027 costs HK$2,350, comprising the business registration fee and levy. An on-time NAR1 costs HK$105.
2. Miscounting the 42-Day Window
Day 43 triggers the higher fee automatically. There is no grace period and no automatic reminder issued before the deadline passes.
3. Filing Outdated Particulars
Directors' changes and office moves must be reported promptly, and changes affecting the business registration record must be reported within one month under the Business Registration Ordinance. Filing the NAR1 with stale data invites corrections and delay.
4. Assuming an Inactive Company Is Exempt
Section 662 applies to every local limited company except a dormant company under section 5 of the Companies Ordinance, which section 663 exempts from delivering annual returns. A company that is merely non-trading, without that dormant status, files on the same 42-day cycle as a trading business.
Conclusion
Submitting an annual return on time keeps the fee at HK$105. Delayed delivery can raise it to HK$870 or more, while missing the 42-day period may create prosecution risk and prevent a deregistration application.
As a technology-enabled Corporate Services Provider, 3E Accounting Hong Kong tracks return dates for its corporate secretarial clients. We verify particulars before submission and file the NAR1 through the Companies Registry's e-Services Portal. We also help companies clear overdue annual returns and restore their standing on the public register.
Where broader support is needed, our one-stop model covers incorporation, business registration renewal, accounting, tax and advisory. Backed by the 3E Accounting International Network across more than 110 countries, it keeps annual obligations on schedule. Speak with our team to confirm your 2026 deadline before the window closes.
Get Your 2026 NAR1 Filed Before the 42-Day Window Closes
Our corporate secretarial team confirms your return date, verifies particulars and files Form NAR1 with the Companies Registry on time. Reach out to 3E Accounting Hong Kong today.
Frequently Asked Questions
HK$105 when Form NAR1 is delivered within 42 days of the company's return date. For a private company, late fees are HK$870 within three months, HK$1,740 within six months, HK$2,610 within nine months and HK$3,480 thereafter.
For a private company limited by shares, within 42 days after the anniversary of the incorporation date. A company incorporated on 20 June 2020, for example, must file by 1 August 2026. Public companies and companies limited by guarantee instead count 42 days from the date of their annual general meeting in the relevant financial year, or from the last day by which the meeting should have been held.
No. The NAR1 goes to the Companies Registry and reports company particulars. The profits tax return (Form BIR51) goes to the Inland Revenue Department and reports financial results.
Yes. The obligation under section 662 of the Companies Ordinance applies to every local limited company regardless of trading activity (only a dormant company under section 5 is exempt, by section 663), and late filing still attracts the higher fee.
Yes. The Companies Registry's e-Services Portal accepts electronic NAR1 submissions 24 hours a day, and the fee is the same as for hard-copy delivery.
Abigail Yu
Director
Abigail Yu oversees executive leadership at 3E Accounting Group, leading operations, IT solutions, public relations, and digital marketing to drive business success. She holds an honors degree in Communication and New Media from the National University of Singapore and is highly skilled in crisis management, financial communication, and corporate communications.
