Hong Kong TCSP License Portal Guide | Generated by AI
Question: What is this site — https://www.tcsp.cr.gov.hk/tcspls/index — and what is it for?
Answer:
This is the official portal of the Registry for Trust and Company Service Providers (TCSP), run by Hong Kong’s Companies Registry. It’s the licensing system for anyone carrying on a “trust or company service” business in Hong Kong, operating under the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance (Cap. 615).
What “TCSP” means in practice: if a business, as a service to other people, forms companies, acts as a company secretary/nominee director/nominee shareholder, provides registered office addresses, or acts as a trustee — it must hold a TCSP licence. The licensing regime exists because these services are a classic money-laundering vector (shell companies, nominee structures), so HK regulates the providers.
What the site offers:
Online services include applying for a TCSP licence, renewing it, getting approval to become an ultimate owner/partner/director of a licensee, reporting changes in particulars, and reporting cessation of business. There’s also a public searchable register of licensees, searchable by name or licence number — useful for due diligence on any company-secretary firm you’re about to hire. The site also hosts licensing guidelines, AML/CFT compliance guidelines for licensees, application forms (TCSP1 and its supplementary sheets), and UN sanctions updates.
Relevance to your HK expansion: you almost certainly do not need a TCSP licence — you’re doing AI consulting, not corporate services for third parties. Where this site matters to you:
- Vetting your incorporation agent. When you register your HK entity, you’ll likely use a company-secretary/formation firm (every HK company legally needs a local company secretary and registered address). That firm must be TCSP-licensed. Use the register search on this site to verify their licence number before paying anyone — plenty of scam formation agents target mainland founders.
- Understanding the KYC you’ll face. The AML guidelines here explain why your agent will demand passport copies, proof of address, source-of-funds declarations, and beneficial-ownership details. It’s regulatory, not them being difficult.
For actually incorporating your company, the site you want is the parent Companies Registry and its e-Services portal — incorporation there is ~HK$1,545 + business registration fee, typically done in about an hour online.
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