Asia · Limited
Cost to register a company in Hong Kong
Hong Kong's government fees are modest, but the company is not cheap to maintain — and the difference from a UK Ltd or US LLC comes down to two compulsory items a non-resident cannot avoid: a local company secretary / registered office, and a mandatory annual CPA audit. At formation you pay the Companies Registry incorporation fee plus the Business Registration fee to the IRD, totalling roughly HK$3,745–3,895 (about US$480–500). There is no notary, no minimum capital to lock up, and no resident-director cost. The recurring spend is driven by the TCSP secretarial package, the audit, and tax-return preparation.
- Country
- Hong Kong
- Topic
- Cost breakdown
- Reviewed
- June 2026
By the Lanzamo Editorial Team · Reviewed June 2026 · How we research
| Item | One-time | Recurring | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government incorporation fee (Companies Registry) | $200 | — | HK$1,545 for electronic NNC1 filing (HK$1,720 on paper). Roughly US$200 electronic. |
| Business Registration fee (IRD) | $300 | $300 | HK$2,200 in 2025/26, rising to HK$2,350 from 1 Apr 2026 for a 1-year certificate; renewed annually (HK$6,170 for a 3-year certificate). |
| Notary / apostille | — | — | Not required for incorporation — no notarial deed is needed, unlike a German GmbH or Dutch BV. |
| Company secretary + registered office (TCSP) | — | $300–$800 | Mandatory: a HK-resident / TCSP-licensed secretary and a HK registered office, usually bundled in an annual package. |
| Nominee / resident director | — | — | Not required — a sole non-resident can be the only director, so there is no nominee-director cost (a saving vs Singapore). |
| Annual statutory audit (HK CPA) | — | $500–$2,500 | Mandatory for every limited company; no small-company exemption. Cost scales with transaction volume. |
| Accounting / Profits Tax Return preparation | — | $300–$1,200 | Bookkeeping plus the BIR51 Profits Tax Return; often bundled with audit by the same firm. |
| Annual return (NAR1) registration fee | — | $15 | HK$105 if filed within 42 days of the incorporation anniversary; late filing escalates sharply (up to HK$3,480). |
| VAT registration & returns | — | — | Not applicable — Hong Kong has no VAT/GST, so there is nothing to register or file. |
| TCSP formation package (optional but common) | $400–$1,200 | — | Bundles name check, NNC1 filing, first-year secretary, registered office and SCR setup — what most non-residents actually buy. |
Realistic all-in first year
$900 – $4,500
After year one the incorporation fee falls away, but the recurring trio remains: the annual Business Registration renewal (~$300), the TCSP secretary + registered office (~$300–$800/yr), and the mandatory audit plus tax-return work (~$800–$3,700/yr combined). Budget roughly $1,400–$4,800 a year ongoing — call it $4,200–$14,000 over three years all-in. The compulsory annual audit with no small-company exemption is what makes Hong Kong materially more expensive to maintain than a UK Ltd or a US LLC, where a low-turnover entity can often skip a formal audit.
Frequently asked questions
What's the absolute minimum it costs to start a Hong Kong company?
About HK$3,745–3,895 (~US$480–500) in unavoidable government fees: the Companies Registry incorporation fee (HK$1,545 electronic) plus the Business Registration fee to the IRD (HK$2,200, rising to HK$2,350 from 1 April 2026). But you must also engage a HK company secretary and registered office, so a realistic first-year all-in via a TCSP starts around US$900.
Why is Hong Kong more expensive to run than a UK Ltd or US LLC?
Two compulsory costs: a local company secretary plus registered office (legally required, since a sole non-resident director cannot be the secretary), and an annual statutory audit by a Hong Kong CPA with no small-company exemption. A UK Ltd or a low-turnover US LLC can often avoid a formal audit entirely, so Hong Kong's mandatory audit is the single biggest ongoing cost difference.
Do I have to deposit any share capital?
No. There is no minimum paid-in capital. Companies are usually formed with a tiny issued capital such as 1 to 10,000 shares of HK$1, and you do not need to wire that money into a Hong Kong bank account before incorporating. This is a real advantage over jurisdictions like Germany, where a GmbH requires €25,000.
Is there an annual government tax just for existing?
Effectively the annual Business Registration renewal (HK$2,350 from April 2026 for a one-year certificate) functions as a yearly licence fee, plus the small NAR1 annual-return fee of HK$105 if filed on time. There is no separate franchise tax or capital duty, but the Business Registration must be kept current — trading on an expired certificate is an offence.
Sources
- Companies Registry — Major Fees (official)
- Companies Registry — FAQ: Incorporation of Local Limited Companies (official)
- Inland Revenue Department — Two-tiered Profits Tax Rates (official)
- Inland Revenue Department — Foreign-sourced Income Exemption (official)
- Inland Revenue Department — welcome / Profits Tax (official)
- PwC Tax Summaries — Hong Kong SAR corporate withholding taxes
- Statrys — Business Registration Certificate in Hong Kong (2026 guide)
- Statrys — Hong Kong Offshore Tax Exemption 2026: how to qualify
- Statrys — Significant Controllers Register in Hong Kong (2026 guide)
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