Audit & Accounting in Hong Kong
Every active Hong Kong company must keep proper books and file audited accounts with its profits tax return. We manage the full cycle — and match you with the right CPA firm from our partner network.
Audit is not optional in Hong Kong — getting it right is
Hong Kong runs one of the world’s most respected company registers, and that reputation rests on a simple rule: every active company must keep proper accounting records and have its annual financial statements audited by an independent, locally-licensed Certified Public Accountant. Unlike many jurisdictions, Hong Kong offers no small-company audit exemption — if your company trades, it is audited.
Those audited accounts are not just a formality. They support the Profits Tax Return filed with the Inland Revenue Department (IRD), they are presented to your shareholders, and they are the document your bank, investors and counterparties rely on to trust your numbers. Get the cycle right and compliance is effortless; get it wrong and you risk penalties, enquiries and banking friction.
Intergroup manages the entire accounting and audit cycle for you — from day-to-day bookkeeping to the signed audit report and filed tax return — so you can focus on running your business, not chasing deadlines.
Two-tier profits tax rate on corporations
Annual statutory audit by a Hong Kong CPA
Minimum accounting-record retention period
Until your first profits tax return is issued
Request a quote
Tell us about your company and we’ll match you with the right auditor and a clear, fixed fee.
+852 5803 1008How accounting & audit works in Hong Kong
Here is what the law expects of every Hong Kong company — and exactly where we step in.
Keep proper books of account
The Companies Ordinance requires every company to maintain accurate accounting records that explain its transactions and financial position, and to retain them for at least seven years.
Prepare annual financial statements
Each financial year, directors must prepare financial statements that give a true and fair view, in line with Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards (HKFRS) or the SME-FRS for smaller entities.
Mandatory independent audit
Those statements must be audited by a Hong Kong CPA holding a practising certificate. There is no audit exemption for active companies — only dormant companies may qualify for relief.
File the Profits Tax Return
The audited accounts and a tax computation accompany the Profits Tax Return submitted to the IRD. The first return is usually issued around 18 months after incorporation, then annually.
Choose your financial year-end
Companies commonly set their year-end at 31 March or 31 December, which fall under the IRD block-extension scheme and allow more time to file. We help you pick the optimal date.
Two-tiered profits tax
Assessable profits are taxed at 8.25% on the first HK$2 million and 16.5% thereafter. Genuine offshore profits may be exempt under Hong Kong’s territorial system, subject to an offshore claim.
We work with a network of CPA firms, auditors and accountants
Intergroup is not a single in-house audit desk — and that works in your favour. We work in partnership with several independent Certified Public Accountant (CPA) practices, qualified accountants and auditors in Hong Kong. Instead of pushing every client through one team, we assess your business — its industry, transaction volume, complexity and banking needs — and match you to the firm best suited to audit and keep the books of your company. We coordinate the entire relationship on your behalf, and are glad to select the right auditor to carry out your Hong Kong accounting and audit.
- Several partner CPA practices, accountants and auditors — not a one-size-fits-all team
- We match you to the firm that fits your industry, size and complexity
- A single point of contact — we coordinate the auditor, the books and the filing
- Independent, locally-licensed auditors whose reports banks and the IRD accept
What we handle for you
A complete, joined-up accounting and audit service — from the first invoice to the filed tax return.
Bookkeeping & management accounts
Accurate, up-to-date records maintained monthly, quarterly or annually — whatever your business needs — with management reports so you always know where you stand.
Financial statements preparation
We prepare HKFRS- or SME-FRS-compliant financial statements, fully audit-ready, so the audit runs quickly and without surprises.
Audit coordination
We appoint and liaise with the right CPA auditor from our partner network, answer their queries and manage the process from start to finish.
Profits tax computation & filing
We prepare the tax computation, file the Profits Tax Return and the Employer’s Return, and manage IRD correspondence and deadlines.
Offshore profits claims
Where your profits are genuinely earned outside Hong Kong, we help assess and support an offshore tax-exemption claim with the IRD.
Catch-up & clean-up accounting
Behind on your books or facing an overdue audit? We bring historical accounts up to standard and clear backlogs before they turn into penalties.
Why clients trust Intergroup with their numbers
The right auditor, matched to you
Our partner network means you get a CPA firm suited to your business — not whoever happens to be in-house.
One point of contact
You deal with us; we manage the auditor, the bookkeeping and the IRD. No juggling multiple providers.
Deadline-safe
We track your year-end, filing windows and extension dates so nothing is ever missed.
Bank- & IRD-ready reports
Audited accounts prepared to a standard that satisfies banks, investors and the tax authority alike.
Tax-efficient & compliant
We keep you fully compliant while making sure you benefit from two-tier rates and legitimate offshore claims.
Transparent, fixed quotes
Clear fees agreed up front based on your real volume — no surprise bills after the audit.
How we work with you
Review & scope
We review your company, transaction volume and records, then give you a clear fixed quote for bookkeeping, audit and tax.
Bookkeeping & statements
We maintain your books and prepare audit-ready financial statements under the correct reporting standard.
Match & audit
We appoint the right CPA auditor from our network and manage the audit through to a signed report.
File & stay compliant
We file your Profits Tax Return with the IRD and keep you on track for every future deadline.
What determines your fee
Accounting and audit fees in Hong Kong depend on the real work involved, not a flat sticker price. We quote transparently once we understand these factors:
Transaction volume
The number of invoices, bank entries and transactions per year is the single biggest driver of bookkeeping and audit effort.
Business complexity
Multiple currencies, subsidiaries, inventory or intercompany dealings all add to the work involved.
State of the records
Clean, organised records cost less to audit than a backlog that first has to be reconstructed.
Scope of services
Whether you need bookkeeping only, audit only, or the full cycle including tax filing and offshore claims.
Tell us a little about your company and we will come back with a clear, fixed quote — and the right partner firm for the job.
Request a quote
Tell us about your company and we’ll match you with the right auditor and a clear, fixed fee.
Frequently asked questions
Does my Hong Kong company really need an audit?
Yes. Every active Hong Kong company must have its financial statements audited each year by a locally-licensed CPA. There is no exemption based on size or turnover — only genuinely dormant companies may qualify for relief.
Do you perform the audit yourselves?
We are not the audit firm — and that is deliberate. An audit must be performed by an independent Hong Kong CPA practice. We prepare your accounts, then appoint and coordinate the right auditor from our partner network, so your audit is both independent and efficient.
When are my first audit and tax return due?
The IRD usually issues a company’s first Profits Tax Return around 18 months after incorporation, covering the first accounting period. After that, returns are issued annually. We track every deadline for you.
Can I reduce my Hong Kong tax?
Hong Kong taxes profits at a two-tier rate of 8.25% / 16.5%, and taxes only profits sourced in Hong Kong. Where your income is genuinely earned offshore, we can help you assess and support an offshore exemption claim.
My books are behind — can you still help?
Absolutely. We regularly bring overdue and disorganised accounts up to standard, complete catch-up bookkeeping and clear audit backlogs — often before penalties or IRD enquiries escalate.
Let us find the right auditor for your Hong Kong company
From bookkeeping to a signed audit report and filed tax return, Intergroup manages your entire accounting and audit cycle — and matches you with the ideal CPA firm from our partner network. Talk to us today.