How to read a Hong Kong company record

At the top of a record are the company's identifiers — its CR number and BRN — and its names. A Hong Kong company may have an English name, a Chinese name, or both. Companies also frequently change their name over their lifetime, so a record may list former names alongside the current one; a name search that includes past names will find a company under any name it has held.

The status tells you whether the company is still on the register (Active) or has left it (Dissolved, Ceased Registration, or Amalgamated). Separate lifecycle flags may add detail — for example that a company is dormant, in winding-up, or on the Registrar's watch list.

The entity type describes the legal form. Most records are a private company limited by shares, but you will also see companies limited by guarantee, public companies, unlimited companies, and registered non-Hong Kong companies. The ownership (private or public) and liability (limited by shares, limited by guarantee, or unlimited) together define the form.

The incorporation date is when the company came into existence; a dissolution date, if present, is when it left the register. The registered office address is the company's official address for service — where legal notices are sent — and a record may show earlier addresses the company used over time.

Finally, a record lists the documents filed with the Companies Registry, such as annual returns and incorporation papers. These filings are the primary evidence behind everything else on the record, and copies of most of them can be ordered from the Registry.