Companies Registry
Good News! The Companies (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2020 will come into operation on 1 October 2020.
The registration fees for annual returns (except for late delivery) charged by the Companies Registry will be waived for two years. The waiver of registration fees will apply to annual returns delivered to the Registry on time and within the concession period from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2022 (both dates inclusive). However, the fee waiver will not apply to late delivery of annual returns. In cases of late delivery of annual returns, companies are still required to pay the statutory higher registration fees calculated based on the date of delivery, even though the late annual returns are delivered within the concession period.
In addition, with a view to encouraging the wider use of the Registry’s electronic services, with effect from 1 October 2020, the fees payable for electronic incorporation of companies and registration of non-Hong Kong companies will also be reduced by 10%.
For details on the waiver and fee reduction, please refer to Companies Registry External Circular No. 4/2020.
The new Companies Ordinance simplifies the mode of execution of documents by companies. The keeping and use of common seal is now optional.
Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions - Common Seal Section at the Companies Registry’s website for more details.
Delivery of annual return by a public company or a guarantee company in respect of the company’s financial year that begins on or after 3 March 2014 must comply with the new requirements under the new Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622). Please refer to the information pamphlet on “Annual Return of a Local Public Company or a Company Limited by Guarantee” for details.
There is no change in the requirement for a private company to deliver annual returns. Please refer to the information pamphlet on “Annual Return of a Local Private Company” for details.
Please note:- Substantially higher registration fees are payable for late delivery of annual returns.
For details, please refer to Companies Registry External Circular No. 1/2018 and Companies Registry External Circular No. 2/2018.
Good News! The Companies (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2020 will come into operation on 1 October 2020.
The registration fees for annual returns (except for late delivery) charged by the Companies Registry will be waived for two years. The waiver of registration fees will apply to annual returns delivered to the Registry on time and within the concession period from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2022 (both dates inclusive). However, the fee waiver will not apply to late delivery of annual returns. In cases of late delivery of annual returns, companies are still required to pay the statutory higher registration fees calculated based on the date of delivery, even though the late annual returns are delivered within the concession period.
In addition, with a view to encouraging the wider use of the Registry’s electronic services, with effect from 1 October 2020, the fees payable for electronic incorporation of companies and registration of non-Hong Kong companies will also be reduced by 10%.
For details on the waiver and fee reduction, please refer to Companies Registry External Circular No. 4/2020.
The new Companies Ordinance simplifies the mode of execution of documents by companies. The keeping and use of common seal is now optional.
Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions - Common Seal Section at the Companies Registry’s website for more details.
Delivery of annual return by a public company or a guarantee company in respect of the company’s financial year that begins on or after 3 March 2014 must comply with the new requirements under the new Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622). Please refer to the information pamphlet on “Annual Return of a Local Public Company or a Company Limited by Guarantee” for details.
There is no change in the requirement for a private company to deliver annual returns. Please refer to the information pamphlet on “Annual Return of a Local Private Company” for details.
Please note:- Substantially higher registration fees are payable for late delivery of annual returns.
For details, please refer to Companies Registry External Circular No. 1/2018 and Companies Registry External Circular No. 2/2018.
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INFORMATION & PUBLICATIONS
Good News! The Companies (Fees) (Amendment) Regulation 2020 will come into operation on 1 October 2020.
The registration fees for annual returns (except for late delivery) charged by the Companies Registry will be waived for two years. The waiver of registration fees will apply to annual returns delivered to the Registry on time and within the concession period from 1 October 2020 to 30 September 2022 (both dates inclusive). However, the fee waiver will not apply to late delivery of annual returns. In cases of late delivery of annual returns, companies are still required to pay the statutory higher registration fees calculated based on the date of delivery, even though the late annual returns are delivered within the concession period.
In addition, with a view to encouraging the wider use of the Registry’s electronic services, with effect from 1 October 2020, the fees payable for electronic incorporation of companies and registration of non-Hong Kong companies will also be reduced by 10%.
For details on the waiver and fee reduction, please refer to Companies Registry External Circular No. 4/2020.
The new Companies Ordinance simplifies the mode of execution of documents by companies. The keeping and use of common seal is now optional.
Please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions - Common Seal Section at the Companies Registry’s website for more details.
Every company is required to deliver annual returns to the Registrar of Companies for registration.
Delivery of annual return by a public company or a guarantee company in respect of the company’s financial year that begins on or after 3 March 2014 must comply with the new requirements under the new Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622). Please refer to the information pamphlet on “Annual Return of a Local Public Company or a Company Limited by Guarantee” for details.
There is no change in the requirement for a private company to deliver annual returns. Please refer to the information pamphlet on “Annual Return of a Local Private Company” for details.
Please note:- Substantially higher registration fees are payable for late delivery of annual returns.
With effect from 1 March 2018, a new licensing regime for trust or company service providers has come into operation. Any person who carries on or wishes to carry on a trust or company service business in Hong Kong is required to apply for a licence from the Registrar of Companies. In addition, the new requirement for companies to ascertain and maintain up-to-date information on beneficial ownership by way of keeping a Significant Controllers Register was implemented on the same day.
For details, please refer to Companies Registry External Circular No. 1/2018 and Companies Registry External Circular No. 2/2018.
To tie in with the Government’s earlier announcement to adopt more stringent measures for enhancing the efficiency and precision of contact tracing, starting from 1 November 2021, except for exempted persons (see the paragraph below), all people entering the public service halls and offices of the Companies Registry are required to use the “LeaveHomeSafe” mobile application (the app) to scan the QR code of the public service halls or offices concerned before entry.
Persons who are aged below 12 or aged 65 or above, and those with disabilities that render use of the app difficult, are exempted from the requirement of using the app. However, they are required to complete a record form to register their names, the first four digits or letters of their identification documents, their contact numbers and the date and time of their visits, with relevant identification documents presented for verification at the request of the staff on-site. The staff will also verify the contact numbers by making phone calls. The information provided will be used to facilitate the work of the Government in controlling the spread of COVID-19 and related purposes, epidemiological investigation, contact tracing, investigation and prosecution in relation to breaches of the relevant legislation.
If you do not use the app and fail to provide the required information, the Registry may deny your entry.
We appeal to your cooperation with the Registry and the staff on-site in respect of the instructions given as a concerted effort to cut the viral transmission chain and reduce the risk of a community outbreak.
28 October 2021
