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What is the Mandatory Hong Kong Business Registration Fee and How to Get a Business Certificate in Hong Kong?

Hong Kong Business Registration Fee and CertificateEntrepreneurs who incorporate a company in Hong Kong must register their business with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) Hong Kong and make payment for the Hong Kong Business Registration Fee (HK BR Fee) to the business registration office. The Hong Kong business registration fee (HK BR Fee) costs HK$2,200 for a certificate with a validity period of 1-year. Meanwhile, the payment of HK$5,720 for a certificate has a validity period of 3 years. You must pay this HK business registration fee to obtain your Business Registration Certificate. The Business Registration Fee will be renewed on an annual basis usually as the amount set by the government can vary yearly. For the current rates of 1 year and 3 years Hong Kong BR registration or business registration Hong Kong or business registration fee details, please click here.

The amounts payable for renewing Business Registration Fee and Branch Registration Certificates will be subject to yearly review by the Inland Revenue Department.

 

“Business” Required to be Registered as Required by the Inland Revenue Department

“Business” Required to be Registered as Required by the Inland Revenue Department
Includes:
1. any form of trade, commerce, craftsmanship, profession, calling or other activity carried on for the purpose of gain;
2. any club which provides facilities, services and exclusive club premises to its members for social intercourse or recreation; and
3. every company incorporated in Hong Kong under the Companies Ordinance or non-Hong Kong company that has established a place of business in Hong Kong, regardless of whether it is actually carrying on any business in Hong Kong.
4. every non-Hong Kong company that has a representative or liaison office in Hong Kong, or has let out its property situated in Hong Kong, regardless of whether it has established a place of business in Hong Kong.
5. However, a person who is only holding an office or employment is not regarded as carrying on any business and is not required to apply for business registration.

 

(Main) Business Registration Certificate for Your Business

For clients engaging our Hong Kong company incorporation and Registered Office address services, we will assist to obtain the (main) Business Registration Certificate together with the Certificate of Incorporation upon incorporation of the new Hong Kong company.

 

Branch Registration Certificate for Your Business

For Hong Kong company which already has a physical office or actual place of business in Hong Kong, on top of our registered office and mail-forwarding service package, 3E Accounting can assist your Hong Kong company to apply for an additional branch registration certificate(s) for the place which actually carrying on any business in Hong Kong at an one-off service fee of HKD200 per branch registration certificate (exclusive of branch registration fee chargeable by the Inland Revenue Department annually).

Please click our registered office and mail-forwarding service package fee to know more about the benefits of using 3E Accounting’s Registered Office address service.

 

Business Registration Process

Besides the company incorporation documents and the HK business registration fee, you must also provide the following to the Companies Registry when applying to incorporate your business:

  • Levy for the Protection of Wages on Insolvency Fund
  • Notice of Business Registration Office (IRBR1)

 

Business registration Hong Kong applications are made via paper format. Further, you will get the HK business registration certificate within 30-minutes or in 2-working days via post. Upon payment of the registration fee and the specified levy on the HK business registration renewal, you will receive a valid business registration certificate. Alternatively, the branch registration certificate will bear a machine-printed line which shows the date the payment was made, receipt number and the amount which has been paid. Your certificate will be valid until when the date of expiry indicates.

 

Samples of Business Registration Certificate and Branch Registration Certificate

For view samples or to download a specimen of valid BR registration certificates or business registration certificates, or branch registration certificates as a point of reference, visit the Hong Kong Inland Revenue Department’s website.

The amount that is payable under your certificate will depend on what the commencement date of the registration certificate is. This is applicable unless it is your first registration certificate of local companies falling within the one-stop business and company registration. The amount payable on the certificate will also depend on the submission date for incorporation to the Companies Registry. The amount payable for renewing certificates will be based on the commencement date of the relevant renewal certificate.