Licensed at two levels
Real Estate Business Licensing in Hong Kong
Hong Kong estate agency work is licensed at both company and individual level. Neither alone is sufficient.
GCC business setup specialists
Two licences, not one
A company carrying on estate agency work needs a licence, and so does each individual doing the work. Incorporating and assuming you can start brokering is the common and serious error.
- Company and individual licensing handled together
- Qualifying examination requirements explained
- Honest about the lead time
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 is involved
Licensing an estate agency
Both levels are required before any brokering.
| Requirement | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Company licence | The business carrying on estate agency work. |
| Individual licence | Each person performing estate agency work. |
| Qualifying examination | Individuals generally must pass the relevant examination. |
| Fit and proper assessment | Both the company and its individuals. |
| Premises | A business address appropriate to the activity. |
| Client money | Where held, specific handling obligations apply. |
Estate agency licensing requirements, examinations and conditions are set by the Hong Kong regulator and change. Yours are confirmed before any application.
How it works
Licensing the agency
The examination lead time usually sets the start date.
01
Assess the requirements
What the company and each individual will need, including examinations, and a realistic timeline.
02
Incorporate and apply
Company incorporated and the company licence application prepared alongside individual applications.
03
Licences and operation
Licences issued, client money arrangements established where applicable, and the renewal calendar set.
Company and individuals
What the regulator will want
Individual requirements are as important as company ones.
- Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration
- Company licence application
- Details of each individual who will broker
- Qualifying examination results
- Fit and proper evidence for controllers
- Business address details
- Professional indemnity arrangements where required
- Client money handling arrangements
- Company structure and management
- Prior regulatory history anywhere
- Advertising arrangements
- Record keeping procedures
Scope
What is included, and what is not
Stated plainly, so nothing is added once the engagement starts.
Included in the service fee
- Assessment of company and individual requirements
- Incorporation and Business Registration
- Company licence application preparation
- Co-ordination of individual licence applications
- Guidance on examination requirements
- Responses to regulator queries
- Client money guidance where applicable
- Renewal calendar set
Not included, quoted separately
- Regulator and licence fees, paid at cost
- Examination fees and preparation courses
- Professional indemnity premiums
- Office premises and fit-out
- Client money banking arrangements
- Advertising costs
- Legal representation at hearings
- Regulated filings, made by the licensed local provider
Verify independently
Official Hong Kong authorities
We file directly with these bodies on your behalf.
Inland Revenue DepartmentImmigration DepartmentLabour DepartmentMandatory Provident Fund Schemes AuthorityCustoms and Excise DepartmentFood and Environmental Hygiene Department
Questions
Hong Kong estate agency licensing — FAQs
Can I broker property with just a company?
No. The company needs a licence and each individual doing the work needs one too. Both are required.
Do individuals need to pass an examination?
Generally yes, and it has a lead time. That examination schedule often determines when the business can actually start.
Is foreign ownership restricted?
Company ownership is not restricted, but the licensing requirements apply regardless of who owns the company.
Can I hold client money?
Where client funds are involved, specific handling obligations apply. It is settled before you take any deposits.
How long does licensing take?
Driven by the examination schedule and the regulator’s assessment, so months rather than weeks.
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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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