How to start a business in Hong Kong as a foreigner (2026)

Legal framework

Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) administered by the Companies Registry, with parallel Business Registration under the Inland Revenue Department's Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310); no foreign-investment screening regime applies to most sectors.

Starting a business in Hong Kong as a foreigner

The usual vehicle for a foreigner starting out in Hong Kong is a private company limited by shares, registered with the Companies Registry.

Company type

a private company limited by shares

Registered with

the Companies Registry

Minimum capital

no minimum capital (typically HK$10,000 nominal)

Timeline

about 5 working days, or as fast as 1 hour via e-Registry

Government cost

around HK$3,895 in government fees (incorporation plus business registration)

Foreign ownership

100% foreign ownership allowed; a Hong Kong-resident company secretary and a local registered office are required

Rules and fees change; confirm with the official registry before incorporating.

Key points: starting a business in Hong Kong

1. 01100% foreign ownership permitted

   A private limited company can be wholly owned and controlled by a single non-resident foreign individual or entity; no local shareholder, local director or nominee is required. Non-residents may incorporate remotely.

   investhk.gov.hk gov.hk

2. 02No minimum capital

   There is no statutory minimum share capital; a company can be formed with as little as HK$1 in issued shares, and shares need not be fully paid up at incorporation.

   cr.gov.hk investhk.gov.hk

3. 03Company secretary must be local

   Every company must appoint a company secretary who, if an individual, ordinarily resides in Hong Kong, or if a body corporate, has its registered office/place of business in Hong Kong. Where there is only one director, that director cannot also be the secretary.

   cr.gov.hk investhk.gov.hk

4. 04One-stop filing (NNC1 + Articles + IRBR1)

   Applicants file Incorporation Form NNC1 (companies limited by shares), the Articles of Association and the Notice to Business Registration Office (IRBR1) with the Companies Registry; the Certificate of Incorporation and the Business Registration Certificate are issued jointly under the one-stop service.

   cr.gov.hk ird.gov.hk

5. 05Fast timeline

   Electronic applications via the e-Registry portal are typically processed within about one hour; paper applications are normally cleared within four working days.

   cr.gov.hk gov.hk

6. 06Government fees are modest

   Companies Registry incorporation fee plus IRD business registration fee (HK$2,000 + HK$250 levy for a 1-year certificate; HK$5,200 + HK$750 levy for 3 years) keep total government costs well under HK$4,000 for a standard 1-year setup.

   ird.gov.hk ird.gov.hk

7. 07Sectoral foreign-ownership caps exist

   Free-to-air TV and sound broadcasting licences cap non-resident voting control at 49% (with prior-approval thresholds at 2%, 6% and 10%) under the Broadcasting Ordinance; banking, insurance and SFC-regulated activities require separate licences and substantial regulatory capital.

   state.gov communicationsauthority.hk

Starting a business in Hong Kong: FAQ

Timeline of decisions

1. 23 May 2025Law · official
   Inward company re-domiciliation regime takes effect

   The Companies (Amendment) (No. 2) Ordinance 2025 came into force, letting eligible foreign-incorporated companies transfer their domicile to Hong Kong without forming a new entity or winding up, a major new pathway for establishing a business presence locally. The Companies Registry began accepting applications the same day.

   Inland Revenue Department

2. 1 Apr 2024Law · official
   Business registration fee raised to HK$2,200; levy waived

   Following the 2024-25 Budget, the annual business registration fee rose by HK$200 (its first increase in nearly 30 years) while the HK$150 insolvency-fund levy was waived for two years through 31 March 2026, changing the baseline cost of legally operating a business.

   Government of HKSAR (info.gov.hk)

3. 27 Dec 2023Guidance · official
   Unique Business Identifier and revamped ICRIS launched

   The Companies Registry replaced the Company Registration Number with the Business Registration Number as a Unique Business Identifier for all entities, and rolled out the new Integrated Companies Registry Information System (ICRIS) consolidating e-services, streamlining identification and online incorporation/registration.

   Inland Revenue Department

4. 1 Mar 2018Law · official
   Significant Controllers Register requirement introduced

   The Companies (Amendment) Ordinance 2018 took effect, requiring every non-listed Hong Kong company to identify its beneficial owners and keep a Significant Controllers Register, adding an ongoing compliance obligation for new companies in line with FATF anti-money-laundering standards.

   Companies Registry

5. 3 Mar 2014Law · official
   New Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622) commences

   A comprehensive rewrite of company law replaced the incorporation provisions of the old Cap. 32, modernising the framework for forming and operating companies (921 sections, 11 schedules) and underpinning Hong Kong's current fast, low-cost incorporation regime.

   Companies Registry

6. 1 Jan 1993Guidance · official
   Companies Registry established to administer incorporations

   The Companies Registry was set up as the dedicated authority for incorporating and regulating companies in Hong Kong, later enabling the e-Registry/online incorporation services that allow a private company limited by shares to be formed within about an hour of electronic submission.

   Companies Registry

7. 1 Jan 1959Law · official
   Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310) requirement

   Hong Kong law requires every business, companies, sole proprietorships, partnerships, branches and online businesses, to register with the Inland Revenue Department and obtain a Business Registration Certificate within one month of starting, establishing the universal tax-registration step for any new venture.

   Inland Revenue Department

8. 1 Jan 1933Law · official
   Original Companies Ordinance (Cap. 32) enacted

   Modelled on the UK Companies Act 1929 and duplicated in Hong Kong, the original Companies Ordinance created the foundational legal basis for company incorporation that governed business formation for some eight decades until the 2014 rewrite.

   Companies Registry

Sources

1. 1.cr.gov.hk/en/publications/docs/4-e.pdf
2. 2.cr.gov.hk/en/companies_ordinance/docs/NNC1_fillable.pdf
3. 3.cr.gov.hk/en/electronic/e-servicesportal/faq/business-registration.htm
4. 4.ird.gov.hk/eng/pdf/one_stop.pdf
5. 5.ird.gov.hk/eng/tax/bre_lcc.htm
6. 6.ird.gov.hk/eng/pdf/brfee_table.pdf
7. 7.gov.hk/en/business/registration/businesscompany/index.htm
8. 8.investhk.gov.hk/en/setting-up-in-hong-kong/
9. 9.investhk.gov.hk/en/faq/
10. 10.state.gov/reports/2024-investment-climate-statements/hong-kong/
11. 11.communicationsauthority.hk/en/legislation_rules/ordinances/