![[Limited Company Registration Forms] NNC1, IRBR1, Articles of Association, IRBR200, NNC3 (2026 Update)](https://www.genacct.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/【註冊有限公司表格】NNC1、IRBR1、Article-and-Association、IRBR200、NNC3-2026最新教學.webp)
When registering a limited company in Hong Kong, correctly completing the government forms is the first step to successful incorporation. Under the latest 2026 guidelines, entrepreneurs must prepare 4 core documents and, depending on the circumstances, submit a fifth supplementary document.
Further reading:[Hong Kong Company Incorporation Guide] 8 Key Steps, Regulations, and Essential Tips—The Complete Guide
The 4+1 Essential Documents for Registering a Limited Company
| Document Code | Document Name | Purpose / Description |
|---|---|---|
| NNC1 | Incorporation Form | Declare basic company information, share capital, directors, and secretary |
| A.A. | Articles of Association | Stipulates rules for company operations (Recommended to use Sample A for simplified format) |
| IRBR1 | Notice to Business Registration Office | Apply for Business Registration Certificate and select validity period (1 year or 3 years) |
| IRBR200 | Notification of Commencement of Business | Most Important! Update business nature to meet bank account opening requirements |
| NNC3 | Consent to Act as First Director | Supplementary document: If the director has not signed the NNC1, this must be submitted within 15 days |
Further Reading:
NNC1 Incorporation Form: Step-by-Step Completion Guide (2026 Update)
The Incorporation Form (NNC1) is the most essential document for registering a limited company and is 8 pages long by default. If the company has multiple directors or shareholders, you may add continuation sheets A–E as needed.
NNC1 Page 1: Basic Company Information and Address
This page is the beginning of the Incorporation Form and records the company’s legal identity information.
1. Company Name (Chinese and English)
- How to complete: Enter the proposed Chinese and English names.
- Note: If the company does not intend to adopt a Chinese name, enter N/A in that field.
2. Company Type and Nature of Business
For company type, tick “Private”. For nature of business, select the most appropriate description by reference to the relevant list—this will directly affect the bank’s account opening review.
- Company type: For most newly incorporated companies, select “Private”.
- Nature of business: Select the most appropriate item based on the official “Table of Nature of Business Codes and Descriptions” to ensure it aligns with future bank account opening requirements.
3. Recommended Registered Office Address in Hong Kong
You must complete this section in the required format and strictly comply with the following restrictions:
- Use restriction: The address must be for industrial or commercial use.
- P.O. boxes not accepted: A post office box cannot be used as the registered address.
- No residential addresses: Public housing or subsidised housing addresses must not be used to avoid disputes relating to misuse of public housing.
- Professional solution: If you do not have an industrial/commercial address, consider using General Accounting’s virtual office service.
Further reading: [Company Registered Address] Is Using a Public Housing Address as a Business Address Considered Misuse?
4. Information of the Form Presenter
- Purpose: The information provided here will be used for subsequent contact regarding the company application and for collecting the Business Registration Certificate (BR) or Certificate of Incorporation (CI).
NNC1 Page 2: Contact Details and Share Capital
Company contact details:
- You must provide an email address and a Hong Kong registered telephone number starting with +852.
Share capital setup:
- Using HK$10,000 as an example: set the share class as Ordinary.
- Enter the total number of shares issued (10,000), the currency (HKD), and the total subscribed share capital.
- You must list the amounts paid up and unpaid separately.
- You may adjust the total number of shares, currency, or total share capital according to your needs.
NNC1 Page 3: Founder Member Information
Basic information and shareholding of founder members
- Enter the Chinese and English names and correspondence addresses of all founder members.
State the total value of shares subscribed by each member.
NNC1 Page 4: First Company Secretary (Individual)
Appointment of Company Secretary (Individual)
- Enter the secretary’s Chinese and English name, email, correspondence address, and Hong Kong ID/passport number.
- If the secretary holds a relevant licence, you must provide the Trust or Company Service Provider (TCSP) licence number.
- If you cannot provide a TCSP number, you must state the reason.
Further reading: Company Secretary Licence, Qualifications, Legal Liabilities and Duties | TCSP Licence Requirements and Renewal Notes
NNC1 Page 5: First Company Secretary (Body Corporate)
Appointment of Company Secretary (Body Corporate)
- Enter the secretary company’s name, registered address, Business Registration number, and TCSP licence number.
General Accounting provides professional Hong Kong company secretarial services. Trust or Company Service Provider licence number: TC002940.
NNC1 Page 6: First Director (Individual)
Director (Individual) Details
- Enter the director’s Chinese and English name, identity document number, email, and correspondence address.
Further reading: [Company Directors] What Are the Responsibilities and Duties of a Hong Kong Company Director? Director Change Procedures
Director’s Signature and Confirmation (Choose One)
- Sign directly on NNC1: Tick to confirm your consent to act as director and sign at the bottom of the document.
- Submit an NNC3 consent form later: If you cannot sign immediately, tick the relevant option and submit Form NNC3 within 15 days after incorporation.
NNC1 Page 7: Founder Members’ Statement
Founder members must read the statement details on page 7 carefully, confirm that they understand and that the information provided is true and accurate, and sign at the bottom of the page.
NNC1 Page 8: PI-NNC1 First Company Secretary/Director (Individual) – Protected Information
- To protect privacy, the full Hong Kong ID/passport numbers of the director(s) and secretary must be provided on this page.
- The information on this page will not appear on the public record and is for internal registry records only.
IRBR1 Notice to Business Registration Office: Guide
This form is used to apply for the Business Registration Certificate (BR). Entrepreneurs must choose the validity period of the certificate here.
Choose a 1-year or 3-year validity period
- Apply for a 1-year certificate: Tick “No”. From April 1, 2026, the BR fee will be adjusted to HK$2,350.
- Apply for a 3-year certificate: Tick “Yes”. The BR fee is HK$6,170.
Startup tip: For startups, it is generally recommended to choose the 1-year certificate first to keep cash flow flexible.
Further reading: [Business Registration Certificate Fees] BR Fee Increased to $2,350! Latest Notes and Cost-Saving Tips
Articles of Association: Guide
The Articles of Association are statutory documents that govern a company’s operations. It is recommended to use the Companies Registry’s simplified “Model Articles A” format.
Further reading: [Articles of Association] 6 Key Purposes of the Articles
How to Complete Page 1 of the Articles of Association
Company name and total share capital
- Enter the Chinese and English company names consistent with NNC1.
- State the proposed total number of shares to be issued and the total amount (e.g., 10,000 shares, total HK$10,000).
Expert tip: Pay close attention to the currency, e.g., HKD or USD.
How to Complete Page 2 of the Articles of Association
Founder members’ shareholding details
- Enter the share class, number of shares, and total amount.
- List the names of all founder members and the number of shares allocated to each (typically Ordinary Shares).
IRBR200 Notice of Commencement of Business by a Corporation: Guide
This is a key document for opening a bank account!! As a new company’s BR defaults the nature of business to “CORP”, banks often use this as a reason to reject account opening. You must submit this form to update the information.
Further reading:[Company Bank Account] Hong Kong Bank Account Opening Process, Required Documents, Requirements, and Fees
1. Business Name and Nature of Business
- Business name: If there is no special business name, enter “Nil”.
- Nature of business: You must describe the specific business activities (e.g., ACCOUNTING), and the code must match NNC1 exactly.
2. Business Address and Commencement Date
- If the business address is the same as the registered address, simply enter “Nil”.
- You must provide a confirmed date on which the business will commence operations.
NNC3 Consent to Act as First Director: Guide
If the first director is unable to sign the NNC1 form at the time of incorporation, this document must be submitted subsequently.
Company name and Business Registration number
Enter the company’s Chinese and English names and the first 8 digits of the Business Registration number (do not include 000).
Name of the first director
Individual acting as director: Complete Part A with the Chinese and English name, and confirm: “I have consented to act as a director of the company upon its incorporation as a corporation, and I confirm that I was at least 18 years old at the time of incorporation.”
Company acting as director: Complete Part B with the Chinese and English company name, and confirm: “I am authorised by the above body corporate to confirm that the above body corporate has consented to act as a director of the company upon its incorporation as a corporation.”
15-day statutory deadline
- Submission deadline: You must deliver it to the Registry within 15 days after the date of incorporation.
- Legal consequences: Late submission of NNC3 is an offence, and both the company and the founder members may be subject to fines.
Information of the NNC3 form presenter
Enter the Chinese and English name and contact details of the person submitting the consent to act as first director.
5 Common Mistakes in Limited Company Registration Forms
Based on General Accounting’s 20+ years of experience, the following are the most common reasons applications fail:
- Missing NNC1 continuation sheets: When appointing multiple directors/secretaries, failing to correctly indicate the number of continuation sheets A–E on page 7.
- Swapped name fields: Entering the Chinese and English names in the wrong fields, or mixing English words into the Chinese name.
- Mismatch in Articles information: The share capital, currency, or share class in the Articles of Association does not match the information in NNC1.
- Missing key signatures: Most commonly at the director confirmation section at the bottom of page 6 of NNC1.
- Incorrect BR number: Entering the full number at the top right of NNC3. The correct approach is to enter only the first 8 digits of the BR number.
Further reading: Is the Business Registration number the same as the Company Number?
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the fees for limited company registration forms the same every year?
No. The Business Registration fee and levy, as well as the company registration fee, may vary from year to year.
After April 1, 2026
Company registration fee (paper application): HK$1,720. Business Registration fee plus levy: HK$2,350 (1 year). Total: HK$4,070.
Company registration fee (electronic incorporation): HK$1,545. Business Registration fee plus levy: HK$2,350 (1 year). Total: HK$3,895. For more details: Online company incorporation
How long does it take to receive the Business Registration Certificate (BR) after submitting the forms?
Generally 4–7 working days. If you need to commence business urgently, you may consider a shelf company (already incorporated with a BR) or express incorporation, which can complete the limited company incorporation procedures as fast as the same day.
How can I check the progress of my company registration?
You may visit the Companies Registry in person on the 14th floor, or call the CR Local Companies and Non-Hong Kong Companies Registration Section at 2867 2587.
Conclusion
This article is professionally written by General Accounting, with over 20 years of experience, to provide entrepreneurs with the most comprehensive 2026 guide to completing limited company application forms.
Entrepreneurs can follow the instructions step by step. After submitting the company registration fee and documents, the incorporation process is typically completed in about 7 working days.
General Accounting has been established for over 20 years and provides express limited company incorporation services. Trust or Company Service Provider licence number: TC002940. If you have any questions about registering a Hong Kong company, our professional client service managers can provide free initial company incorporation service enquiry support.
Further Reading:
