A Company Green Box is a green hardcase box measuring 40 cm (L) x 7.5 cm (W) x 25.5 cm (H). The company’s Chinese and English name (Limited) is printed on the lid in gold. The “Company Green Box” is a common item included in company secretarial limited company incorporation services, and it can also be customised separately. In 2026, the price is approximately HK$500–HK$800.
Uses of the Company Green Box:
When a company buys property or opens a corporate bank account, do you need a green box, company chops, and a common seal?
For a company buying property, a limited company must hold a directors’ and shareholders’ meeting to approve holding the property in the company’s name. Therefore, all legal documents—including the provisional sale and purchase agreement, estate agent’s appointment letter, formal sale and purchase agreement, and related legal documents—must be executed in the company’s name. As such, the company signature chop bearing the wording “For and on behalf of” and “Authorized Signature(s)” must be used to indicate that the authorised signatory is acting on behalf of the limited company.
In addition, when purchasing property in the name of a limited company, the solicitor may also request the use of the company’s common seal. Therefore, if you intend to buy property in the name of a limited company, we strongly recommend ordering the Green Box Package.
For opening a corporate bank account, you may decide whether to order a Company Green Box based on your start-up budget and the nature of the company’s business.
Items included in the Company Green Box and their uses:
1. Articles of Association (Articles of Association, abbreviated as AA)
The Articles of Association (AA), formerly known as the M&A (Memorandum and Articles of Association), are essential documents for registering a limited company. They set out the company name, members’ legal liability, share capital, and details of the founding members.
The Articles of Association also specify the powers and responsibilities of the company’s directors and company secretary, as well as statutory quorum requirements and other rules for convening shareholders’ and directors’ meetings.
In general, limited companies adopt the model Articles of Association provided by the Companies Registry. If there are special requirements, clients may draft their own articles. The model articles provided by the Companies Registry are as follows:
Model Articles A – Articles of Association for a Private Company Limited by Shares <Simplified Format>
Model Articles B – Model Articles of Association for a Private Company Limited by Shares
Model Articles C – Model Articles of Association for a Public Company Limited by Shares
Model Articles D – Model Articles of Association for a Company Limited by Guarantee
2. Company signature chop (Signature chop)
The company signature chop (English: Signature chop), also known as a rectangular chop, measures approximately 75 mm (L) x 40 mm (W). In addition to the company’s Chinese and English name, it also bears the wording “For and on behalf of” and “Authorized Signature(s)”. It is usually kept by the company’s authorised signatory or a director and is used to sign on behalf of the company. For example, when using a shelf company to buy property, the authorised signatory will stamp the signature chop on the relevant documents and then sign for the documents to take effect. Examples include issuing bank cheques(#), purchase and sales contracts, tenancy agreements, etc.
(#) When opening an account, clients may decide whether a chop is required when signing.
3. Small round chop (Small round chop)
Approximately 22 mm in diameter, it bears the company’s Chinese and English name. Compact and easy to carry, it is convenient for clients to use on quotations, invoices, receipts, and acknowledgement documents, etc.
4. Common seal (Common seal)
The company common seal (English: Common seal), also known as a steel seal, measures approximately 120 mm (L) x 50 mm (W). It is used for more important documents, such as purchasing property in the name of a limited company, and legal documents such as major acquisitions or share certificates.
After the Companies Ordinance amendment on March 3, 2014, companies may choose whether to keep or use a common seal.
5. Share certificate (Share Certificate)
6. Registers
Under the Companies Ordinance, a limited company must keep the following registers:
♦ Register of Directors
♦ Register of Company Secretaries
♦ Register of Members
♦ Register of Significant Controllers (Register of Significant Controllers)
These registers are usually kept at the company’s registered address. If the registers are not kept at the registered address, Form NR2 must be filed to notify the Companies Registry.
7. Statutory book (Statutory Book)
Used to record company information and keep the following documents:
♦ Register of Directors
♦ Register of Reserve Directors
♦ Register of Company Secretaries
♦ Register of Members
♦ Transfer
♦ Register of Charges
♦ Minutes of Directors
♦ Minutes of Members
8. Premium gold-embossed Green Box (Green Box)
The company name is prominently printed in gold on the Green Box, making it easy to store and identify. It is durable and convenient for keeping important company documents.
Is it mandatory to customise a Company Green Box when incorporating a company? Must you use a Green Box Package when setting up a limited company?
Not necessarily. A Company Green Box is simply a green hardcase box for storing important documents and chops. However, in the accounting and company secretarial services industry, it is commonly understood as the “Green Box Package”, “Green Box”, or “Company Green Box”, which should include three company chops, the Articles of Association, and the statutory book, etc. That said, if the company’s business involves property investment or may purchase property in the company’s name, we strongly recommend using a Company Green Box Package when registering the company.
Since the Companies Ordinance amendment on March 3, 2014, as the use of a common seal (steel seal) is no longer mandatory, entrepreneurs may decide whether they need to customise a Green Box. General Accounting provides a basic package for limited company incorporation, offering entrepreneurs an additional option for setting up a company and saving the cost of customising a Green Box.
Summary:
The Company Green Box is used to store a limited company’s chops and important documents. The “Green Box Package” is one of the items included in company registration services. The key point is that when setting up a limited company, it is not mandatory to use a company “Green Box” to store documents—the most important thing is the documents and chops inside the company “Green Box”, such as the Articles of Association. After incorporation, for example, to open a bank account, you must provide the Articles of Association. If you buy or sell property in the company’s name, in addition to the Articles of Association, you will also need to use the company chops or the company common seal (steel seal).
Therefore, entrepreneurs may decide whether to customise a Company Green Box or use the Green Box Package provided with company registration services, depending on their start-up budget and business needs.
