HK Electronic Extract of Information: Fee, Search & Uses

An Electronic Extract of Information is an official PDF document from Hong Kong's Inland Revenue Department (IRD) confirming a business's current registration details on the Business Register. It's the digital, uncertified version of a public search.

This is the standard way anyone can verify whether a business is properly registered in Hong Kong, and what its registered particulars are.

This document comes up constantly in practice: opening a business bank account, verifying a supplier before signing a contract, or checking a counterparty during a dispute. This guide explains what it actually contains, how it differs from the other business register documents IRD offers, and how to apply for one.

What Is an Electronic Extract of Information?

An Electronic Extract of Information shows the current registered particulars of a business — its name, business registration number, address, nature of business, and the operator or owner behind it, where applicable. It's delivered entirely online as a PDF, through GovHK.

This document is issued under the Business Registration Ordinance (Cap. 310), specifically the public search provisions under sections 19, 19A, and 19B. Legally, it exists to let any person confirm whether a business is properly registered and what particulars are on file, rather than to serve as formal legal proof of anything beyond that.

Why "Uncertified" Matters

The electronic extract is explicitly an uncertified document. It reflects a snapshot of what's currently on the Business Register, but IRD doesn't independently verify the accuracy of that information before issuing it — it's a summary check, not a formal audit.

This is an important distinction from the certified version of the same document, covered next, which carries more legal weight for situations where that matters.

Electronic Extract vs Other Business Register Documents

IRD actually offers 4 distinct documents under the same public search service, and it's easy to request the wrong 1 without realising the difference.

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The 2 BRC options work the same way as each other, just in different formats. A certified copy is a paper document with formal certification, while a duplicate is simply an electronic reproduction — useful when you just need a valid copy on hand rather than a certified original.

When Each Document Makes Sense

• Use the electronic extract for quick, everyday verification — confirming a supplier is registered, checking a business address, or general due diligence.
  
• Use the certified extract when you need a document with legal standing, such as evidence in a court case or a formal dispute over a business's registration history.
  
• Use a certified copy or duplicate of the BRC specifically when you need proof the certificate itself is valid, rather than proof of the underlying registered particulars.
  

What Information Does the Extract Include?

The electronic extract covers the core particulars every registered business must keep on file with IRD.

• Business name, in Chinese and/or English, exactly as registered.
  
• Business registration number, the unique identifier assigned at registration.
  
• Registered address, the official business address on file.
  
• Nature of business, a brief description of what the business does.
  
• Date of commencement, when the business started operating.
  
• Operator or owner details, where applicable — this varies depending on whether the business is a sole proprietorship, partnership, or limited company.
  

For sole proprietorships and partnerships, this can include the proprietor's or partners' names, which is exactly why a privacy safeguard was introduced in 2021, covered in the next section.

IRD publishes a specimen of the electronic extract on its website, which is worth reviewing before your first application so you know exactly what to expect in the delivered PDF. The layout is consistent across applications, showing each field in a standard, easy-to-read format regardless of the business type being searched.

The 2021 Privacy Declaration Requirement

Since 1 November 2021, applying for an electronic extract of a sole proprietorship or partnership requires an extra step that doesn't apply to limited companies.

Applicants must provide their own particulars and declare 2 things: that the information will only be used to ascertain whether the business is properly registered and what its particulars are, and that any personal data obtained will be handled consistent with the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486).

This requirement exists because sole proprietorship and partnership extracts can reveal an individual's name directly, unlike a limited company extract, which reflects the company as a separate legal entity rather than its individual owners.

How to Apply for an Electronic Extract

Before You Start

You'll need the business registration number and the exact registered business name to apply. If you don't know the business registration number, IRD's Business Registration Number Enquiry service (also via GovHK) can look it up using the full business name and general location.

Note that this is a public search service, so you don't need to own or be connected to the business you're searching for.

The Application Process

• Go to GovHK (www.gov.hk/br) and select the business registration documents service.
  
• Enter the business registration number and business name to identify the target business.
  
• Complete the privacy declaration if the target is a sole proprietorship or partnership.
  
• Pay the prescribed fee — HKD 27 for the electronic extract — through the available payment methods on the platform.
  
• Download the PDF instantly once payment is confirmed, or return within 7 calendar days to view and re-download it.
  

What Applicants Should Know

Newly incorporated companies aren't available immediately. Extracts for companies registered under the 1-stop company and business registration service are normally only available 2 working days after incorporation, or 2 working days after a particulars change is recorded.

Applying Through the Tax Portals

IRD's business registration electronic services now run through eTAX at GovHK, following the launch of new tax portals in mid-2025. Businesses use the Business Tax Portal (BTP), while individuals use the Individual Tax Portal (ITP), and tax representatives have their own Tax Representative Portal (TRP).

For most people applying for a 1-off electronic extract, a full portal account isn't necessary — the public search application via GovHK works independently of these portals.

Businesses managing their own registration on an ongoing basis, however, benefit from setting up BTP access, since it also unlocks the free BR e-Monitoring Service, which sends an alert whenever changes are recorded against your own business's particulars.

Key Challenges and Drawbacks

The electronic extract is genuinely useful, but it has specific boundaries worth understanding before relying on it for something important, particularly if the situation involves any legal or financial risk.

• Information is for reference only. Since new entries and changes are only summarily checked rather than fully verified, IRD explicitly states the Business Register should be treated as a reference, not a guaranteed-accurate legal record.
  
• It won't show businesses ceased for 10 years or more. The Business Register doesn't retain that historical data indefinitely, so very old, deregistered businesses may not appear at all.
  
• It's a static snapshot, not a live feed. If the business's particulars change the day after you download the extract, your copy won't reflect that — you'd need to re-apply to see the update.
  
• Recently registered businesses may not appear yet. The 2-working-day lag after incorporation means very new companies won't be searchable immediately.
  

Common Reasons Businesses and Individuals Request This Extract

The public search service exists for a range of practical situations, not just abstract compliance.

• Verifying a supplier or business partner before signing a contract or extending payment terms.
  
• Confirming an employer's registration status when pursuing an unpaid wage claim, since this is explicitly recognised as a valid public search purpose.
  
• Due diligence during onboarding, whether by a bank opening a business account or another business conducting its own KYB (Know Your Business) checks.
  
• Checking a landlord or tenant's registered business details before entering a commercial lease.
  
• General reference checking when a business name or address looks inconsistent with other documentation received.
  

Business Register vs Companies Registry: Don't Confuse the Two

A common point of confusion is treating IRD's Business Register and the Companies Registry as the same system. They aren't, even though they're closely linked.

2 Different Registers, 2 Different Purposes

• The Business Register, maintained by IRD, records every registered business in Hong Kong — sole proprietorships, partnerships, and companies alike — for tax and business registration purposes.
  
• The Companies Registry, a separate government department, records incorporation details specifically for limited companies — directors, shareholders, articles of association, and statutory filings.
  

A limited company appears in both registers, since it must hold both a Business Registration Certificate from IRD and a Certificate of Incorporation from the Companies Registry. A sole proprietorship or partnership, by contrast, only appears in IRD's Business Register.

Why the Distinction Matters for Verification

If you need director names, shareholding structure, or incorporation documents, the Electronic Extract of Information won't have it. That level of detail sits with the Companies Registry's own search system (ICRIS), not IRD's Business Register.

The 2 systems are synchronised for shared data like company name and address, but each retains its own additional layer of detail.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I get an extract for a company that closed years ago?

Only if it ceased operating within the last 10 years. The Business Register doesn't retain records for businesses deregistered longer than that.

What if I don't know the business registration number?

Use IRD's Business Registration Number Enquiry service via GovHK, which can look up the number using the full registered business name and general location.

Can I use an Electronic Extract as proof in a legal dispute?

Generally no, since it's explicitly uncertified. For anything requiring formal legal standing, the certified extract is the appropriate document instead.

Do I need to own the business to request an extract for it?

No. It's a public search service, so anyone can apply for an electronic extract of any registered business, regardless of their connection to it.

Does the extract show company directors or shareholders?

No. Director and shareholder details sit with the Companies Registry's own records, not IRD's Business Register, so an electronic extract won't include that information.