Registration is universal, licences are not
Business Licence Applications in Hong Kong
Every Hong Kong business needs Business Registration. Beyond that, licences apply only to specific sectors.
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Two different things called registration
Businesses confuse incorporation with Business Registration. They are separate: incorporation creates the company at the Companies Registry, Business Registration registers the business with the Inland Revenue Department. Both are required. Sector licences are a third thing entirely.
- Business Registration handled with incorporation
- Sector licences identified for your activity
- No invented requirements where none exist
20+
Mainland, free zone and offshore jurisdictions we file in — so the recommendation is based on your activity, not on which authority we happen to be registered with.
7,000+
Companies successfully established.
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What might apply
Registrations and licences
The first is universal; the rest depend entirely on what you do.
| Item | When it applies | Granted by |
|---|---|---|
| Business Registration | Every business, without exception | Inland Revenue Department |
| Food business licence | Restaurants, food factories, bakeries | Food and Environmental Hygiene Department |
| Securities and asset management | Regulated financial activity | Securities and Futures Commission |
| Money service operator | Remittance and currency exchange | Customs and Excise Department |
| Travel agent licence | Selling travel services | Travel industry regulator |
| Employment agency licence | Recruitment and placement | Labour Department |
Hong Kong licensing is sector-specific and changes. Which apply to your activity is confirmed before you start trading. Company secretarial and registered office services in Hong Kong must be provided by a licensed trust or company service provider. We co-ordinate your engagement with a licensed Hong Kong provider and manage the process end to end; the regulated filings are made by them.
How it works
Establishing what you need
For many businesses, Business Registration is the whole answer.
01
Assess the activity
What you will actually do and whether it touches a licensed sector. For most businesses nothing beyond Business Registration applies.
02
Register
Business Registration obtained alongside incorporation and the certificate issued.
03
Sector licences
Where a licence does apply, we identify the right regulator and co-ordinate the application.
- A plain description of what you will do
- Whether you handle client money
- Whether you prepare or sell food
- Whether you deal in securities or investments
- Whether you remit money or exchange currency
- Whether you place or recruit workers
- Whether you sell travel services
- Where you will operate from
- Whether premises are open to the public
- Whether you employ staff
- Any regulator contact already made
- Equivalent licences held elsewhere
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Business Registration application
- Assessment of what sector licences apply
- Honest confirmation where none are needed
- Identification of the correct regulator
- Co-ordination of licence applications
- Guidance on premises requirements
- Renewal calendar for Business Registration
- One adviser co-ordinating it
Not included, quoted separately
- Government and regulator fees, paid at cost
- Securities and Futures Commission licensing, quoted separately
- Premises works required by a licence
- Legal representation at hearings
- Staff training and certification
- Food premises fit-out
- Renewals of sector licences, quoted separately
- Regulated filings, made by the licensed local provider
Verify independently
Official Hong Kong authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Companies RegistryInland Revenue DepartmentImmigration DepartmentMandatory Provident Fund Schemes AuthorityIntellectual Property DepartmentGovHK
Questions
Hong Kong business licensing — FAQs
Is Business Registration the same as incorporation?
No. Incorporation creates the company at the Companies Registry; Business Registration registers the business with the Inland Revenue Department. Both are required and they are separate.
Do I need a trade licence?
There is no general trade licence. Licences apply to specific sectors such as food, financial services, money services, travel and recruitment.
How often is Business Registration renewed?
It is renewed on a cycle, and the certificate must be displayed at the place of business. We put it on your calendar.
What if my activity is regulated?
Then licensing comes before trading, and in financial services it is a substantial process in its own right. We will tell you plainly if that is where you are.
Can I change my business activity later?
Generally yes, though a move into a licensed sector brings that sector’s requirements with it.
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At Black Swan Business Setup Services, our mission is simple: to empower entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes to establish and expand their presence in the UAE, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and beyond.
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