How to find a company's BRN or CR number
Hong Kong companies carry two different identifiers, and they are easy to mix up. This guide explains the difference between the CR number and the Business Registration Number, where each one appears, and how to recover a number you don't have by searching on the company's name.
CR number versus BRN
The CR number is a 7-digit identifier the Companies Registry assigns to a company when it is incorporated. It identifies the corporate legal entity and never changes, even if the company is renamed or moves office.
The Business Registration Number (BRN) is an 8-digit number the Inland Revenue Department issues to a business for tax purposes. For an incorporated company the BRN is the first 8 digits shown on its Business Registration Certificate. The two numbers are distinct: the CR number identifies the company, the BRN identifies the registered business.
Where each number appears
The BRN is printed on the Business Registration Certificate, which every business must display at its place of business, and it typically appears on invoices, official letters, and tax correspondence. The CR number appears on the Certificate of Incorporation and on documents filed with the Companies Registry, such as annual returns and the incorporation form (NNC1).
Non-Hong Kong companies registered to do business locally are given a CR number prefixed with the letter F (for example, F0012736). If you see an F-prefixed number, you are looking at an overseas company registered under Part 16 of the Companies Ordinance rather than a company incorporated in Hong Kong.
Recovering a number from the name
If you only have a company's name, search for it in a company directory. The result page shows both the CR number and the BRN alongside the company's status and incorporation date, so you can copy whichever identifier you need and confirm you have the right company at the same time.
If the name search returns several similar entities, use the incorporation date or registered address to tell them apart before trusting a number — a common name may be shared by dormant, dissolved, and active companies at once.