Choosing a Registered Office in Hong Kong: Home, Virtual Office or Real Office
A Hong Kong company must have a local registered office; P.O. boxes and care-of addresses are not accepted. Compare your own office, home, a virtual office and coworking on compliance, privacy and cost, and tell registered, mailing and business addresses apart.
Short answer: A Hong Kong company’s registered office must be in Hong Kong and able to receive communications and notices sent to the company; P.O. boxes, care-of addresses and non-Hong Kong addresses are not accepted. Common choices are your own office, your home, a virtual office address from a licensed provider, and a coworking space. The registered office is public on a company search, so think about privacy too.
Three different addresses
| Address | What it is | Who uses it |
|---|---|---|
| Registered office | Statutory address filed with the Companies Registry for official communications and notices | Companies Registry, public searches |
| Mailing address | Where letters are actually received and handled | Your clients, suppliers and bank |
| Business address | Where the company works and meets clients | Banks (principal place of business), ImmD (for business-based visa renewal) |
They can be the same address or different ones. If you only need a Hong Kong address to receive, forward or scan mail, see Hong Kong Mailbox’s mail services.
Four options compared
| Option | Compliance | Privacy | Cost | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your own rented office | Compliant; must receive mail | Shows a business address | Depends on rent | Companies with a real office |
| Home | Not forbidden by law, but check the tenancy, deed of mutual covenant or subsidised housing rules for non-residential use | Home address becomes public | No extra cost | Owners happy to publish their address |
| Virtual office (licensed TCSP) | Compliant; the provider must be licensed, checkable on the Companies Registry register | Home address stays private | HKESC from HK$1,600 a year | Companies without an office that want privacy |
| Coworking space | Depends on whether the operator offers registered office service and is licensed | Home address stays private | Depends on plan | People who need a desk now and then |
What to check
- Reliable mail: letters from the Companies Registry and IRD have deadlines, so someone must receive them and tell you.
- Licensed provider: providing a registered address is a trust or company service and needs a TCSP licence.
- Other uses: bank accounts, marketplace registration and visa renewal each look at addresses differently; online sellers do better with a dedicated address, and business-based visa renewal may need a rented office.
- Changing it: file NR1 within 15 days and update your bank and marketplace records.
How we can help
HKESC holds TCSP licence TC010205 and provides virtual offices for use as the registered office and business registration address, together with company formation and company secretary services.
Sources
- Companies Registry: Notes for completion of Form NR1 https://www.cr.gov.hk/tc/companies_ordinance/docs/NR1_fillable.pdf
- Companies Registry: Register of TCSP licensees https://www.tcsp.cr.gov.hk/tcspls?lang=en
FAQ
Can I use my home as the registered office?
The Companies Ordinance does not forbid it, but the address must be in Hong Kong and able to receive communications for the company. A residential tenancy, deed of mutual covenant or subsidised housing rules may restrict non-residential use, so check first. The address is also public on a company search.
Is the registered office address public?
Yes. It is part of the Companies Registry record and shows on any company search, which is why many owners avoid using their home.
What must I do to change it?
Notify the Companies Registry on Form NR1 within 15 days and update your bank and other records.
How do registered, mailing and business addresses differ?
The registered office is the statutory address filed with the Companies Registry for official communications; the mailing address is where letters are actually received and handled; the business address is where the company works and meets clients. They can be the same or different.
General information only, not legal or tax advice.