Business Registration Fee Increased Again? Check the Waiver Conditions Now!

Starting from 1 April 2026, the Business Registration fee together with the levy will increase to a total of $2,350. For small business owners, this may seem like a fixed cost that must be paid every year. However, if certain conditions are met, you may be eligible to apply for a waiver of the Business Registration fee and levy, which means you may legally avoid paying this amount.

If you are running a sole proprietorship or partnership, or if your business is relatively small in scale, it is worth checking as early as possible whether you meet the requirements. Very often, the issue is not that people cannot save this money. It is simply that they do not know a waiver can be applied for.

This time, Amy from Maxi Consultant will briefly explain these 3 key points:

1. Under what circumstances can the Business Registration fee be waived?
2. If you meet the requirements, will the waiver be granted automatically?
3. What should you pay attention to before applying for a waiver?

Under what circumstances can the Business Registration fee
be waived?

Not every business must always pay the full Business Registration fee.

According to information from the Inland Revenue Department, if your business mainly provides services and your average monthly turnover or income does not exceed $10,000, you may be eligible to apply for a waiver of the Business Registration fee and levy. For other types of businesses, the average monthly turnover limit is $30,000.

As long as the relevant conditions are met, you may apply for a waiver of the Business Registration fee and levy.

In other words, if you are running a small sole proprietorship or partnership and your income is not high, it is worth checking whether you meet the application threshold. In particular, from 1 April 2026, the total fee for a one year Business Registration Certificate, including the levy, will be $2,350. If you are actually eligible but do not apply, you may end up paying this amount unnecessarily.

If you meet the requirements, will the waiver be granted automatically?

Of course not.

Even if you meet the application requirements, the government will not automatically waive the Business Registration fee for you. The Inland Revenue Department clearly states that the applicant must submit the waiver application on their own. It will not be deducted automatically when you renew your certificate, nor will it be approved automatically.

This is also something many people easily overlook. Some business owners assume that if their income is low, the system will naturally know that they qualify. In reality, if you do not apply on your own initiative, you may still have to pay the full Business Registration fee even though you were eligible for a waiver.

So, what really matters is not only whether you roughly meet the conditions, but also whether you submit the application within the required time and whether the information provided is complete and accurate. Otherwise, even if you are technically eligible, your application may not be approved smoothly.

What should you pay attention to before applying for a waiver?

Before applying, the most important thing is to first confirm whether your business actually meets the threshold. This includes the nature of your business and whether your average monthly turnover falls within the relevant limit.

Second, you must pay close attention to the application deadline. According to the Inland Revenue Department, if you apply in person or by post, an existing business should generally submit the application at least 1 month before the new Business Registration Certificate takes effect. If you apply online through GovHK, the deadline is later, but it still does not mean you can wait until after the expiry date. In other words, if you only remember to apply after receiving the renewal notice, it may already be too late.

Third, you should understand that what may be waived is not just the Business Registration fee itself, but the officially stated Business Registration fee and levy. For example, for a one year Business Registration Certificate valid from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, the fee is $2,200 and the levy is $150, making a total of $2,350. If you are eligible but miss the application, you will still need to pay the full amount.

Understand your situation clearly before applying

If you are not sure which category your business falls under, or if you do not know how to calculate your average monthly turnover, do not rely on guesswork alone. Instead of finding out after submission that your information does not match the requirements, it is better to contact Amy from Maxi first, understand your situation clearly, and then proceed with the application. This can help you avoid paying the Business Registration fee and levy unnecessarily because of incorrect information or a late application.

We can help you:

✔ Check whether you meet the waiver requirements
✔ Help determine whether the $10,000 or $30,000 threshold applies to you
✔ Assist in calculating the turnover requirement
✔ Provide guidance on the application direction
✔ Help you avoid missing the application deadline

👉 For enquiries about the waiver of the Business Registration fee, click here to contact us.

📲 WhatsApp / WeChat: (852) 5236 2580

☎️ Enquiry Hotline: 2761 0139

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