Hong Kong business credit reports

Information to prepare for your Hong Kong company check

• Registered English and Chinese names, where present
• Business Registration Number and any older company reference
• Registered office and the address used in commercial correspondence

Include the identifiers you have. If the legal entity is uncertain, ask our team before ordering. Do not substitute your billing details for the subject company’s details.

Hong Kong company identification

The Companies Registry uses the Business Registration Number as its Unique Business Identifier following its implementation in December 2023. Older paperwork can still contain previous company references. Send the current number and any older references together so they can be reconciled with the intended legal entity.

Source: Hong Kong Companies Registry: business identification (opens in a new tab).

A private company’s annual return is not its accounts

The Registry’s annual-return guidance says a private company with share capital does not deliver financial statements with its annual return. Public and guarantee-company requirements differ. Consequently, an annual return should not be assumed to contain private-company financial statements. Ask about obtainable accounts and ownership details for your particular company report.

Source: Companies Registry: annual return questions (opens in a new tab).

Separate the Hong Kong seller from the factory

A importer may pay a Hong Kong company while goods are manufactured in mainland China or Vietnam. Start with the seller named on the contract. If your procurement review also requires factory-company research, provide that entity’s registered name and jurisdiction as a separate subject.

What can the report include?

Depending on the company and available sources, a report may cover registration, ownership, financial statements, payment information, public records, and a credit assessment. Information is not equally available in every market. Check the company identity, source dates, and qualifications in the delivered report.

View sample report PDFs to explore the format, or read what an international business credit report includes.

Will a Hong Kong report also cover a mainland Chinese factory?

Do not assume that it will. Identify each legal entity involved and ask about separate reports where needed. A relationship or shared brand does not make the trading company and manufacturer one report subject.

Use your report in a company review

Explore international company verification and company reports for due diligence, or compare report pricing worldwide.

For your next market, return to International Credit Reports or browse the country directory.