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Statutory Procedures for Incorporation a Company in Hong Kong

成立香港公司之法定流程

1.  Proposing and Checking the Company Name

一、 擬定及查核公司名稱

Select a distinctive name that complies with the regulations of the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622, the Laws of Hong Kong). The company name must be in full Traditional Chinese, full English, or both (mixed Chinese and English is not permitted). The Chinese name must end with “有限公司” and the English name must end with “Limited”. Prior to submitting the application, a name search must be conducted at the Companies Registry (e-Services Portal) to ensure that the proposed name has not been registered by another parties or is excessively similar to an existing company name.

選擇具備辨識度且符合香港《公司條例》規範的名稱。公司名稱必須為全繁體中文、全英文，或兩者並存（不得中英混雜）。中文名稱須以「有限公司」作結，英文名稱須以「Limited」作結。提交申請前，必須於公司註冊處進行查冊，確保擬用名稱未被他人註冊或與現存公司名稱過度相似。

2.  Establishing the Corporate Structure

二、 確立企業架構

The corporate structure directly determines tax liability and legal risks. Compared to the sole proprietorships or partnerships, establishing a “private limited company” is the preferred choice for most enterprises, as it possesses an entity with independent legal status, effectively segregating corporate debts from the personal assets of shareholders, providing limited liability protection and facilitating future financing and business expansion.

企業架構直接決定稅務責任與法律風險。相較於獨資或合夥，成立「私人有限公司」為多數企業之首選，因其具備獨立法人地位，能有效將公司債務與股東個人資產隔離，提供有限責任保障，並利於日後融資及業務擴展。

3.  Determining Authorized Share Capital and Preparing the Shareholders’ Agreement

三、 釐定法定股本與擬備股東協議

The share capital structure determines the distribution of ownership and voting rights within the company. According to the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622, the Laws of Hong Kong), there is no mandatory minimum requirement for authorized share capital and allows it to be denominated in various major currencies. Furthermore, it is strongly recommended that the founding team signs a comprehensive Shareholders’ Agreement. This agreement should clearly outlining the shareholding structure, voting rights mechanisms, restrictions on share transfers and exit mechanisms to prevent potential corporate governance disputes in the future.

股本結構決定公司的所有權與表決權分配。根據香港《公司條例》對法定股本無硬性下限要求，並容許以多種主要貨幣計價。此外，強烈建議創始團隊簽署完善的《股東協議》，明確列明股權架構、表決權機制、股權轉讓限制及退出機制，以防範未來潛在的企業治理爭議。

4.  Establishing a Statutory Registered Office Address

四、 設立法定註冊辦事處地址

According to the Hong Kong Companies Ordinance (Chapter 622, the Laws of Hong Kong), all Hong Kong companies must possess a local physical address serving as their statutory registered office to receive Government correspondence and statutory documents. Post office boxes (P.O. boxes) and residential addresses are not accepted. To optimize initial operating costs while maintaining a professional image, enterprises may engage an institution holding a Trust or Company Service Provider (“TCSP”) licence to provide a registered address.

根據《公司條例》，所有香港公司必須具備一個本地實體地址作為法定註冊辦事處，以接收政府公函與法定文件。純郵政信箱（P.O. Boxes）及住宅地址恕不接納。為優化初期營運成本並兼顧專業形象，企業可委託具備信託或公司服務提供者（「TCSP」）牌照的機構，提供法定地址借用服務。

5.  Appointment of a Company Secretary and Directors

五、 委任公司秘書及董事

Every private limited company must appoint at least one natural person aged 18 or above as a director (nationality is not restricted), as well as a natural person with Hong Kong resident status, or a body corporate entity holding a TCSP licence, as its company secretary. If a private limited company have only one director, that director cannot serve as the company secretary. The company secretary bears the significant responsibility of ensuing the company’s operations comply with statutory requirements.

每家私人有限公司須委任至少一名年滿18歲的自然人出任董事（國籍不限），以及一名具備香港常駐身份的自然人，或持有TCSP牌照的法人團體出任公司秘書。若公司僅有一名董事，該董事不得兼任公司秘書。公司秘書承擔著確保公司營運符合法定合規要求之重責。

6.  Preparing and Submitting Statutory Registration Documents

六、 擬備及提交法定註冊文件

The preparation of comprehensive registration documents is the core of the incorporation process. Key documents included the Incorporation Form (Company Limited by Shares) (Form NNC1), Articles of Association and Notice to Business Registration Office (IRBR1). All documents must accurately state the company name, registered address, share capital structure and particulars of the directors and company secretary. They must be submitted in English or Traditional Chinese (Simplified Chinese and handwritten documents are not accepted).

準備完善的註冊文件是成立程序的核心。主要文件包括：法團成立表格（股份有限公司）（表格NNC1）、公司章程細則（Articles of Association），以及致商業登記署通知書（IRBR1）。所有文件必須準確列載公司名稱、註冊地址、股本結構、董事及秘書之詳細資料，並以英文或繁體中文（不接受簡體中文或手寫）遞交。

7.  Obtaining Legal Certificates and Commencing Business Legally

七、 獲取法定證書並合法開業

Once the documents have been reviewed and approved by the Companies Registry, the authorities will simultaneously issue the Certificate of Incorporation (containing the company registration number) and the Business Registration Certificate. Upon obtaining these two legal documents, the company is legally qualified to commence business.

文件經公司註冊處審批通過後，當局將同步簽發《公司註冊證明書》（內附公司註冊編號）及《商業登記證》。取得此兩項法律文件後，公司即具備合法營運資格。

8.  Opening of a Corporate Bank Account

八、 開立企業銀行帳戶

Enterprises must apply to a bank for opening of a corporate account using the Certificate of Incorporation, the Business Registration Certificate, certified true copies of the Articles of Association, and identification documents of the directors and shareholders in order to handle the business transactions and financial audits. This is also an important step in establishing the independent operation of company’s funds.

企業須憑藉《公司註冊證明書》、《商業登記證》、經核證之《公司章程細則》及董事與股東之身份證明文件，向銀行申請開立企業帳戶，以處理商業收付與財務審計。這亦是確立公司資金獨立運作的重要步驟。

Establishing a limited company in Hong Kong is not only the first step in starting a business but also the starting point for establishing sound corporate governance. Thoroughly understanding and strictly adhering to the aforementioned legal procedures can effectively avoid potential legal and tax risks. A professional and compliant governance structure will lay a solid foundation for future financing and stable operations.

在香港設立有限公司不僅是開展業務的第一步，更是建立嚴謹企業治理的起點。透徹理解並嚴格遵守上述法定程序，能有效避免潛在的法律與稅務風險。透過專業合規的治理架構，能為未來的融資與穩健營運奠定厚實基礎。

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*Corporate Service Support

企業服務支援

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繁瑣的法定程序可交由專業團隊處理。AFFLUENT SEA 提供一站式企業秘書與註冊服務，涵蓋法定文件擬備及註冊申請，確保您的業務順利啟航。 [了解我們的企業服務 – 成立公司及註冊]