Hong Kong company search: official access, free checks and documents

Where is the official Hong Kong company search?

Use the Companies Registry’s e-Services Portal for the official register. Older instructions may refer to ICRIS or the Cyber Search Centre; start from the current portal rather than an old screenshot. ClariRecord is an independent document service. This guide explains the process and does not run a live company search.

Write down the question before searching: are you identifying the entity named in a contract, or obtaining its original incorporation filing? The first task starts with a name search; the second also needs a document selection. Avoid ordering a historical document bundle before you know what it must answer.

Companies Registry: e-Services Portal ↗Companies Registry: obtaining company information ↗

What is free, and what needs payment?

The official fee schedule lists company-name and document-index searches as free. An index helps you choose a filing; it is not the filing image itself. Company Particulars Reports and document images are separate paid products.

At the source-check date, Company Particulars Search costs HK$22 per company. The schedule lists downloads of annual returns and specified incorporation forms including NNC1 at HK$16 for registered users and HK$18 for non-account users. Online viewing, certification and other document categories have different charges. Confirm the selected product and amount before paying.

Scroll sideways to see all columns; focus the table and use arrow keys on a keyboard.

Companies Registry: main service fees ↗

A practical company-name search workflow

Where similar English or Chinese names appear, compare identifiers and register details before choosing a result. The sequence below is a working method; follow the portal’s current menu labels and payment instructions.

1. Copy the exact company name, any identifier and the source-document date. Do not substitute a translated name.
2. Open the official portal and use Company Name Search to identify the legal entity.
3. If your source has only a former CR number, use CR No. / BRN Mapping to check the corresponding identifier.
4. For a PDF, inspect the document index and select the type, date and version before ordering.
5. Save the search date, selected identifier, document description and original so a colleague can retrace the search.

Companies Registry: obtaining company information ↗Companies Registry: Unique Business Identifier guide ↗

What if the search or comparison fails?

Return to the original document. Check whether you copied a brand or group name instead of the legal name, confused O with 0, or used a former CR number in a BRN field. Record unsuccessful searches. Do not fill a gap using a different company with a similar name.

Fictional example: a supplier list says “Example Trading”, while the contract says “EXAMPLE TRADING LIMITED”. Obtain the full legal name or identifier before selecting a company. When historical and current records differ, retain both sources and dates rather than silently overwriting one.

Companies Registry: Unique Business Identifier guide ↗

When does document assistance help?

For one company and a clear question, the official self-service route may be enough. Assistance becomes useful for a company list, particular historical filings or structured delivery in Excel, JSON or XML. Registry charges and a provider’s retrieval, preparation and review charges are different things.

For a ClariRecord enquiry, specify company names or identifiers, document types, dates, existing files and the delivery format. We agree scope and price first. A register search by itself is not a credit assessment, a complete background investigation or verification of beneficial ownership.

Frequently asked questions