COMPANIES REGISTRYREGISTRY FOR TRUST AND COMPANY SERVICE PROVIDERS

Contact us

Unit 1208, 12th Floor, One Kowloon, 1 Wang Yuen Street,Kowloon Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
2867 2600
enq@tcsp.cr.gov.hk
3586 9987
www.tcsp.cr.gov.hk
October 2022

TCSP PAM 02E

Statutory Requirement to apply for a licence
A person who carries on or wishes to carry on a trust or company service
business in Hong Kong is required to apply for a licence under the Anti-Money
Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615) (“the AMLO”).
Any person who carries on a trust or company service business in Hong Kong
without a licence commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of up
to HK$100,000 and imprisonment up to 6 months.

What is a trust or company service?
A trust or company service means the provision in Hong Kong by a person, by
way of business, of one or more of the following service to other persons
Providing a
registered office,business address,
correspondence oradministrative
address
Acting as, or arranging

Forming
corporations
or otherlegal persons

for another person to act
as a director / secretaryof a corporation /partner of a partnershipor in a similar position in
relation to other legal
persons

Acting as, or arranging
for another person toact as◆ a trustee of an express
trust; or◆ a nominee shareholder
for a person other than acorporation whose
securities are listed
on a recognizedstock market

Persons exempted from the licensing requirements
An authorized institution (as defined in the Banking Ordinance (Cap. 155))
A licensed corporation (as defined in the Securities and Futures Ordinance (Cap. 571))◆ An accounting professional (i.e. a Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”) as defined in
the Professional Accountants Ordinance (Cap. 50) or a CPA (practising), a corporate
practice or a CPA firm as defined in the Accounting and Financial Reporting Council
Ordinance (Cap. 588))◆ A legal professional (i.e. a solicitor or a foreign lawyer as defined in the Legal
Practitioners Ordinance (Cap. 159))◆◆

How to apply for a licence?
iRead guidelines

Complete and sign forms

Available for download at ourwebsite◆i◆

Form TCSP1 – Application for a Trust or Company
Service Provider Licence◆ Form TCSP4 – Statement as regards Fit and Proper
Criteria (For applicant / ultimate owner / partner /director – individual)◆ Form TCSP5 – Statement as regards Fit and Proper
Criteria (For partner / director – corporation)◆◆◆

Available for download at ourwebsite
One Form TCSP4 for eachindividual subject to the fit andproper test
One Form TCSP5 for eachcorporation subject to the fit andproper test

Prepare all supporting documents requiredi◆

Deliver forms and pay fees◆

Please refer to the information pamphlet “Servicesof the Registry for Trust and Company ServiceProviders” for more information◆◆

If the application is successful,a licence will be granted
Applicationin hard copy form

Application
submitted electronicallyCollect licenceat our officeDownload licenceat our website

Fees payable◇
Application fee – HK$3,440◇
Additional fee for each person
subject to the fit and proper
test – HK$975
The Registrar of Companies (“theRegistrar”) may request for
additional information and / ordocumentary evidence whenevernecessary
The Registrar may invite relevant
persons to attend interviews toobtain further information

iIf the Registrar decides not to granta licence
Applicant will be notified in writingof the decision and the reasons forthe decision

TCSPlicence●

Valid for 3 years●

Contains the name and business address oflicensee●

The Registrar of Companies (“the Registrar”)
may impose conditions on granting a licence

Comply with●the requirements of the AMLO and the guidelines
issued by the Registrar (including the customer due
diligence and record-keeping requirements)●

the licensing conditions imposed by the Registrar

Revocation /Suspensionof licence

Ongoing
obligations oflicenseeLicence may be revoked or suspended if theRegistrar is no longer satisfied that thelicensee or its ultimate owner / partner /director is fit and proper for carrying on or,
to be associated with, a trust or company
service business.

Guidelines
Please refer to the “Guideline on Licensing of Trust or
Company Service Providers” and the “Guideline on
Compliance of Anti-Money Laundering and CounterTerrorist Financing Requirements for Trust or Company
Service Providers” for more information.