Hong Kong requires BOTH English and Chinese names. 67% of foreign businesses skip the Chinese name - then can't open bank accounts.
Company Types
Private Limited: Ends with "Limited". Most common.
Public Company: Listed entities, ends with "Public Limited Company".
Sole Proprietorship: Unlimited liability, business registration only.
Fastest in Asia
91% of applications approved within 1 hour. Faster than Singapore (24 hours) or UK (24 hours).
Name Requirements
English name must end with "Limited".
Chinese name must end with "有限公司".
Can't be identical to existing company. Can't imply government connection.
Chinese name isn't optional: Most Hong Kong banks require it for account opening. Mainland China contracts need it. Register both names DAY ONE.
English Name Rules
Search icris.cr.gov.hk for existing names.
"The" at the beginning is ignored - "The Tech Company Limited" = "Tech Company Limited".
Chinese Name Rules
Must use traditional Chinese (not simplified).
Chinese name must match English meaning - not just phonetic. "Bright Future Limited" → "光明前途有限公司".
Incorporation Process
File via e-Registry at eregistry.cr.gov.hk. HKD 1,720.
You'll need: English and Chinese names, 1 director minimum, company secretary (HK resident).
Business Registration
Automatic with incorporation. HKD 250 for 1 year or HKD 3,950 for 3 years.
Required for tax, bank accounts, commercial leases.
Trademark via IPD
HKD 2,000 per class. Takes 6-9 months.
Opposition period: 3 months after publication. Protection lasts 10 years.
Why You Need Both
Chinese consumers search using Chinese characters. Missing the Chinese trademark means missing 70% of Hong Kong market.
Hong Kong trademark doesn't protect in mainland China. They're separate jurisdictions. Consider Madrid Protocol to cover both simultaneously.
Domain Strategy
.hk domain: Restricted to HK entities. Needs BR number. HKD 200-300/year. Takes 1-3 days.
.com domain: No restrictions. HKD 80-120/year.
Get both - .hk for local credibility, .com for international.
Company Name ≠ Trademark
Companies Registry only prevents identical names. Approved in 1 hour.
Trademark protects against confusingly similar marks. Takes 6-9 months.
Common trap: You register "Tech Solutions Limited" (1 hour). Competitor files "TechSolutions" trademark. Competitor can force you to stop using your company name. File trademark SAME DAY as incorporation.
Annual Costs
Annual return: HKD 105.
Business registration renewal: HKD 250.
Company secretary: HKD 3,000-8,000/year.
Registered address: HKD 2,000-6,000/year.
Name Changes Cost You
HKD 320 filing fee. Processing: 1 hour online.
But you'll update bank accounts, licenses, all contracts. Average total cost: HKD 8,000-15,000.
HK vs Mainland China
Separate legal systems. HK company can't operate directly in mainland - you'll need a WFOE.
Most businesses use HK company + mainland subsidiary structure.
Trademark Lens helps verify business names before HKD 11,000+ Hong Kong company setup and trademark filing costs.