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Home › Company secretary services

TCSP licence TC009022

Hong Kong company secretary services

Every Hong Kong limited company needs a company secretary; SetupHK is a licensed provider.

WhatsApp us Call +852 3845 2888
See secretary fees

HK$1,500 Annual company secretarial fee

1 working day Appointed once documents are complete

TC009022 Trust or Company Service Provider licence

Must a HK company have a company secretary?

Yes. Section 474 requires one, named at incorporation. Changes must be notified to the Companies Registry within 15 days (section 652).

A consultant pointing at a computer screen to help a client in the office

Who can be a company secretary

An individual or a company (body corporate)

Under section 474(4), an individual must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong, and a body corporate must have a registered office or place of business here. Directors can generally be company secretary, except under section 475: in a private company with one director, that director cannot be the secretary, and the secretary cannot be a company with that same person as sole director.

What is a company secretary What is the difference between shareholders and directors
A director signing company documents

Do company secretaries need a licence?

Yes. SetupHK's licence number is TC009022

By way of business, acting as company secretary for others or providing a registered address is a “trust or company service” under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance. It needs a Companies Registry licence. Operating unlicensed is a criminal offence (Cap. 615, Schedule 1 and section 53F).

Check the licence online

What do company secretary services include?

Once SetupHK is your statutory company secretary, we handle the work below. Each item has a legal deadline; we remind you before it falls due and prepare and file the documents for you. The annual fee covers acting as company secretary, keeping the statutory registers, the annual return, and changes of registered address, directors and company secretary, and company name and business details. Share allotments and transfers are charged per item. Companies without our secretarial service pay per item for all of the above.

Acting as statutory secretary

Included in the annual fee

As a licensed firm, we act as your company secretary, with our name on record at the Companies Registry. We handle statutory compliance and liaise with government departments for you.

What is a company secretary

Keeping statutory registers

Included in the annual fee

Companies must keep registers of members (shareholders), directors, company secretaries and significant controllers. The Significant Controllers Register is required even if there are none (section 653H). We set up and update them.

Learn about company secretary duties

Preparing and filing the annual return

Included in annual fee · per item without subscription

Private companies must file the annual return (NAR1) within 42 days of the incorporation anniversary. We check details, then prepare and file before the deadline to avoid late penalties.

What is an annual return

Change of registered address

Included in annual fee · per item without subscription

On moving or changing the registered address, we prepare the notice (NR1) and file it within the deadline.

Address requirements

Changes to directors and secretary

Included in annual fee · per item without subscription

Appointing or resigning a director or secretary (ND2A), or changing their particulars (ND2B). We prepare and file with the Companies Registry within 15 days.

Difference between shareholders and directors

Share allotments and transfers

Charged per service

We handle share allotments (NSC1) and transfers, and update the register of members.

Share transfer documents and process

Changes to name and business details

Included in annual fee · per item without subscription

For changes to company name, business nature or business name, we prepare the resolutions and forms and file them with the relevant department on time.

What to do after incorporating your company

Need accounting and tax filing?

Another service

Company secretary services exclude bookkeeping and tax. If needed, the same team can handle accounting, audit arrangements and tax filing.

Learn about accounting services

Company secretary service fees

SetupHK company secretarial services cost HK$1,500 a year, including the service fees for the annual return and common changes; other work is charged per item. Quotes list service fees and government fees separately, with no surprise charges later.

Company secretary

HK$1,500/year

Acting as statutory secretary
Statutory registers kept updated
Annual return and common changes
Reminders before deadlines

Share allotments, transfers and other work charged per item

Get a quote on WhatsApp

annual return

HK$1,500/service

Plus HK$105 Companies Registry filing fee

Private companies must deliver an annual return within 42 days after the incorporation anniversary. If you subscribe to SetupHK company secretarial services, the service fee is included in the annual fee; otherwise it is charged per filing.

What is an annual return

One-off services (HK$)

Services Service fee Government fees
Change of company name 500 295
Change of director and secretary details 300 —
Director or secretary appointment or resignation 500 —
Limited company share allotment 1,500 —
Limited company share transfer 1,500 Stamp duty payable separately
Change of registered address 300 —
Significant Controllers Register (SCR) 500 —
Branch Business Registration Certificate 300 230
Notice of business commencement 300 —
Services Service fee Government fees
Change of business nature 300 —
Change of business name 300 —
Replacement BRC 300 —
Certified copy of BRC 300 Included
Notice of business cessation 500 —
Limited company deregistration 3,500 Included
Apply for dormant company status 1,200 —
Partner joining or leaving notice 800 —

* “—” means no government fee. Government fees are as published by the Companies Registry and the Inland Revenue Department.

Statutory deadlines to meet each year

Filings limited companies must make yearly or on change; late filings carry penalties.

Annual return (NAR1)

Within 42 days of incorporation anniversary

Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), section 662

Appointment, cessation or changes

Notify Companies Registry within 15 days

Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), section 652

Significant Controllers Register (SCR)

Kept ongoing; update when details change

Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622), section 653H

Business Registration renewal

Renew the certificate before it expires

Business Registration Office, Inland Revenue Department

What if the annual return is late?

The table on the right shows Companies Registry filing fees (HK$). Late delivery is an offence for the company and each responsible person, who may be fined or prosecuted, plus HK$1,000 a day while the offence continues (section 662).

WhatsApp us
Within 42 days of return date 105
Up to 3 months late 870
3 to 6 months late 1,740
6 to 9 months late 2,610
Over 9 months late 3,480
Business Registration renewal What to do in the first year after forming your company

Appoint or switch company secretary: 4 steps

Same steps either way; 1 working day after signing if documents are complete.

01

Consultation and quotation

Contact us by WhatsApp, phone or email. Once our consultant understands your company, we send a quote listing the annual fee, what is included and any possible extra charges.

02

Sign the engagement letter

After you accept the quotation, sign the engagement letter covering scope, fees and responsibilities. For companies without a secretary, we prepare the appointment documents; when switching, we help with the handover.

03

Document handover

If you switch secretaries, the statutory records must be handed over. We provide a checklist, help organise and transfer them, and flag any gaps straight away.

04

Service starts

If documents are in order, we complete the appointment 1 working day after signing and file the notice with the Companies Registry within 15 days. We then keep records updated and remind you before deadlines.

When switching, you will usually need: Certificate of Incorporation, latest Business Registration Certificate, articles of association, registers of members, directors, secretaries and significant controllers, latest annual return, and ID documents of directors and shareholders. We will provide a tailored checklist, WhatsApp us.

Late annual return, penalties keep growing SetupHK consultant Marx Chan · YouTube video

Late annual return, penalties keep growing

One of a company secretary's key jobs is filing the annual return on time. In this video, SetupHK consultant Marx Chan explains the cost of filing late.

Annual return due 42 days after anniversary
Later means higher fees and prosecution risk
We file and remind you before deadlines
Can a public housing flat be the company address?A business address and company secretary are safer
Ignoring the company until a court summons A company that stops trading must deregister

Client reviews

These are reviews left by clients on Google, published as written.

If you're looking for a company secretary service in Hong Kong, look no further than Setup HK. Their full suite of services is incredibly helpful and surprisingly affordable. What truly stood out was their outstanding customer service. Their staff was always quick to respond and never once turned down an inquiry. Their extensive experience guided me through the entire process seamlessly. Highly recommend!

W

Wong Terry

Google review

Many thanks to SetupHK, especially during this first year of running my business. Even today, whenever I contact the accounting staff, they are very professional, conscientious and attentive. Finding SetupHK was our good fortune.

Y

YL LAW

Google review

Professional service, instant replies and very thorough follow-up. Very satisfied.

A

Andy Wong

Google review

4.9
123 Google reviews View reviews on Google

Why choose SetupHK as your company secretary

Founded in 2014, SetupHK holds Trust or Company Service Provider licence TC009022 from the Companies Registry, which you can check on the Registry for Trust and Company Service Providers website by name or licence number. Winner of four consecutive Economic Digest Outstanding Brand Awards and an Asia's Most Valuable Brand Award.

One team handles company formation, company secretary work, accounting and tax filing. The same people track your annual return, accounts and tax deadlines, so you are not passed between firms. We don't wait for you to chase deadlines: before key dates, we notify you and explain what we need.

Annual return
Business registration renewal
Significant Controllers Register (SCR)
Director and secretary changes
share transfers
Bookkeeping and tax filing
Marx Chan on YouTube

8 brand awards since 2018

SetupHK's Asia's Most Valuable Brand Awards 2026 certificate and trophy

2026 Asia's Most Valuable Brand Awards

SetupHK's Asia's Most Valuable Corporate Awards 2025 certificate and trophy

2025 Asia's Most Valuable Corporate Awards

SetupHK representative receiving the Economic Digest Outstanding Brand Awards 2021

2021 Outstanding Brand Awards, 非凡品牌大獎

SetupHK representative receiving the Economic Digest Outstanding Brand Awards 2020

2020 Outstanding Brand Awards, 非凡品牌大獎

SetupHK representative receiving the Economic Digest Outstanding Brand Awards 2019

2019 Outstanding Brand Awards

Economic Digest Outstanding Brand Awards 2018

2018 Outstanding Brand Awards

Company secretary service FAQs

Who can be a company secretary?

Either an individual or a company. An individual must ordinarily reside in Hong Kong; a body corporate must have a registered office or place of business in Hong Kong (Companies Ordinance, section 474). Acting for other companies by way of business also needs a Trust or Company Service Provider licence.

Who can be secretary

Can a director be company secretary?

Yes, with limits. Directors can generally act as company secretary. But in a private company with one director, that director cannot be the secretary, and the secretary cannot be a company with that same sole director (section 475). So such a company must appoint a separate company secretary.

Can I act as secretary?

Does a company secretary need a licence?

Acting as secretary for other companies, or providing a registered address, by way of business needs a Companies Registry licence as a “trust or company service”; operating unlicensed is a criminal offence. To verify an outside firm, ask for its licence number and check the Registry for Trust and Company Service Providers website. SetupHK’s licence number is TC009022.

What does a company secretary do yearly?

Each year: deliver the annual return within 42 days after the incorporation anniversary; keep the registers of members, directors, secretaries and significant controllers up to date; and notify the Companies Registry within the statutory deadline when details change, such as directors, address or shares.

annual return

How much does a company secretary cost?

SetupHK company secretarial services cost HK$1,500 a year, including the service fees for the annual return and common changes. For companies without our secretarial service, each annual return costs a HK$1,500 service fee plus the HK$105 government registration fee. Other one-off services are priced per item; see the full price list under "Company secretary service fees" on this page. Quotes list service fees and government fees separately, with no surprise charges later.

Is accounting or tax filing included?

No. Company secretary services cover statutory records and filings. Bookkeeping, audit arrangements and profits tax returns are separate services, but SetupHK can handle them all with one team.

Accounting services

Can I switch to SetupHK as secretary?

Yes. After you sign, we give you a checklist and help retrieve and hand over the statutory records from your current secretary. With documents in order, the switch takes 1 working day. Notices of appointment and cessation are each filed with the Companies Registry within 15 days.

Can I terminate the engagement midway?

Yes. The company must notify the Companies Registry within 15 days after its secretary ceases (section 652). Moving to another provider? We help hand over the statutory records so compliance is not affected.

Further reading

What a company secretary does, shareholders vs directors, and yearly duties.

What is a company secretary? Duties, eligibility and whether you can do it yourself, all in one read

Every Hong Kong limited company needs a company secretary. This article covers Companies Ordinance duties, who can act, whether a director can double up, and the differences and risks of DIY versus outsourcing.

Read the article

Shareholder vs director in Hong Kong: key differences

Confusing shareholder and director roles causes structural problems. This article compares their duties, legal liability and number requirements, so you know where each one stands before you set up.

Read the article

After setting up a Hong Kong company: first-year to-do list

Many people only realise after forming a company that they are unprepared for its ongoing duties. This checklist gives exact deadlines for annual returns, profits tax and business registration renewal, to avoid penalties.

Read the article

Need a company secretary or to switch?

WhatsApp or call us for a quote based on your company.

WhatsApp us Call +852 3845 2888
+852 3845 2888 WhatsApp us