[Online company search tutorial] Limited company registration and search steps
Company search and limited company registration are a necessary part of starting a business. These procedures may be a little annoying, but they are essential for a successful business. This article will introduce how to conduct a limited company search so that you can Be prepared when starting a business to avoid making mistakes and ensure the health of your business.
An application for a Certificate of Incorporation (CI) must be submitted to the Company Registry, such as the company’s birth certificate, which represents the company’s legal status and effectiveness. To set up a local limited company, you need to draft a company name first. The proposed name needs to comply with regulations and cannot be used by existing companies. Complete the required documents and submit them to the Registrar of Companies. If the application is approved, a certificate of company registration will be issued.
What is a company search?
Company search refers to searching a company's registration information, company registration and other related records in relevant government departments to confirm its legality and business reputation. A company search can provide basic information about the company, such as company name, registration number, registered address, names and ID numbers of directors and shareholders, company capital structure, registration date, etc. In addition, a company search can also provide the company's articles of association, annual report, profit report, tax records and other relevant records. Through company searches, people can gain a more comprehensive understanding of a company's operating conditions and risks so that they can make more informed business decisions.
What is the difference between company registration certificate and business registration certificate?
The functions of the above two are not the same and are managed by different government departments. Applying for a business registration certificate is not equivalent to a registered company. If a business operator establishes a "limited company" in Hong Kong, he or she needs to apply to the Companies Registry to register the company. When applying for the establishment of a limited company at the Companies Registry, you can submit a business registration application at the same time, and both processes should be processed at the same time. If you only set up an "unlimited company", including a sole proprietorship or partnership business, since the legal liability lies with the proprietor rather than the company, you only need to apply for a business registration certificate at the Business Registration Office.
What information can be retrieved during a company search?
The Companies Registry provides a number of services that are open to the public. You can check basic company information through the search process, such as company name, date of establishment/registration/dissolution, company type, liquidation mode, place of incorporation and company registration of non-Hong Kong companies. Name record.
The "free" search service includes the company name (including the current and former names of the dissolved company), the date of submission of the company form and other basic information, such as a brief description of the charge, registration number, date of establishment and registration, date of establishment and registration by the court The names and corporate lists of persons who are disqualified from holding directorships or specified positions.
The "fee-based" search service includes searching the list of all current and reserve directors of the selected company; or the list of persons appointed as current/reserve directors; or the information on the company's current/reserve directors selected by the searcher. Company information report, including the company’s registered office address (applicable to local companies), principal place of business in Hong Kong and authorized representative information (applicable to registered non-Hong Kong companies), share capital structure, names of current/reserve directors, company secretary Information, information about receivers and managers, and information about liquidators.
5 steps for company search online
Go to Integrated Company Registration Information System (ICRIS): https://www.icris.cr.gov.hk/csci/
Follow the instructions to select "Registered Account" or "No Registered Account".
After entering the interface, you need to fill in the verification code and make some statements.
When conducting a company search, you must understand the contents of this statement to avoid violating current laws.
After making the declaration, we can choose in different ways. You can make your selection in the "View" column above.
If you simply want to know which directors own a company, you can click "Director Index" and click "Search Director Index" (search with company information)
- Then enter the company name in the company name to check whether the company name has been registered.
The company's roster will then be displayed.
Click "Read Online" and pay HK$11 via credit card to obtain the relevant search records.
Company search fee schedule
You can log in to the Companies Registry's Online Search Center (www.icris.cr.gov.hk) at any time, which operates 24 hours a day. Here you can view the information in all company registers, including dissolved companies, and you can also See images of documents registered and kept by the Registrar of Companies. If necessary, you can also order certified copies of registered documents or apply for a "Certificate of Company Registration to Date", which is very convenient!
| TOLL | |
|---|---|
Basic search services | |
Search company name (search by first name or full name) |
free |
Consult file index |
free |
View the Index of Disqualification Orders Register |
free |
View charge register index |
free |
Become a registered user | |
Main account (by year) |
HKD 500 |
Each subsequent account (annually) |
HKD 100 |
Application for disclosure of protected information | |
每名資料當事人的受保護資料（只適用於申請人屬第 622N 章第 12(h) – (j)條所指明的人士，即律師或外地律師、執 業會計師、金融機構或指定非金融業人士） |
HKD 10 |
Check list or report information | |
Search company information (per company) |
HKD 22 |
Check director index by company name (per company) |
HKD 11 |
Check director information (per director or reserve director) |
HKD 11 |
Check the director index by director name (per director or reserve director) |
HKD 22 |
Access to disqualification order information (per disqualified person) |
HKD 11 |
Certificate or certified copy (per unit) | |
Obtain a certificate of current registration of a local company still registered or a registered non-Hong Kong company |
HKD 170 |
Certification fee for obtaining a certified copy of a document (or extract thereof) or report (excluding the cost of providing a hard copy of the document or report) |
HKD 130 |
View image records (per document)
| File category | Prospectus, record keeping documents, accounts/financial statements, memorandum of association, articles of association, memorandum and articles of association, charter, regulations or similar documents | Annual Return, Form NNC1, NC1, NNC1G, NC1G, NN1 or N1 | Other files |
|---|---|---|---|
Online search | |||
Register user | |||
download |
HKD 21 |
HKD 16 |
HKD 12 |
Online reading |
HKD 26 |
HKD 21 |
HKD 9 |
Non-registered user | |||
download |
HKD 23 |
HKD 18 |
HKD 13 |
Online reading |
HKD 29 |
HKD 23 |
HKD 10 |
Users present at the Registry Search Center | |||
Get printed copy |
HKD 35 |
HKD 30 |
HKD 20 |
Tighten company search measures
For all documents registered after October 2022, the Companies Registry will not provide the directors' "usual residential address" and "complete identification number" for public inspection. After December 2023, some old documents that have provided "usual residential address" and "complete identification number" will not be available for public inspection by the Companies Registry. Welcome to contact the 中天企業事務所 professional team to learn about search and company secretarial, company establishment and corporate accounting and auditing services.
