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Hong KongSFC notification for a business address change
A licensed corporation or registered institution must notify the SFC at least seven business days before an intended change of business address.
More key points
- For a registered institution, the notification also goes to the HKMA.
- An associated entity has a different deadline: it notifies the SFC within seven business days after the change.
- Use the category that matches the firm.
On this page4 sections
A firm moves offices, updates its mailing address, or changes where it conducts business. Start with the entity type. The notification deadline depends on whether it is a licensed corporation, a registered institution, or an associated entity. Classification drives timing. A director, an LC, and an AE do not all report the same event on the same schedule.
| Entity | Regulator to notify | Timing for a business-address change |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed corporation (LC) | SFC | At least seven business days before the intended change. |
| Registered institution (RI) | SFC and HKMA | At least seven business days before the intended change. |
| Associated entity (AE) | SFC | Within seven business days after the change. |
Licensed corporations give advance notice
A licensed corporation should not wait until it has moved to report the new business address. The SFC’s current ongoing-obligations table says notice is due at least seven business days before the intended change. “At least” sets the minimum lead time; an earlier notice is allowed.
The rule is tied to an intended business-address change. A question may mention a head office, branch, or premises used for regulated activity. Read the event carefully and follow the SFC’s current notification process; do not substitute a general postal-forwarding update for regulatory notice.
Registered institutions also notify the HKMA
A registered institution is an authorized financial institution regulated for specified securities or futures activities. The SFC and HKMA share responsibilities for this category. The SFC’s ongoing-obligations guidance says a registered institution’s notification should be made to both regulators, and its table assigns the advance business-address deadline to registered institutions as well as licensed corporations.
This dual-regulator step is a useful exam clue. When the facts identify a bank or another registered institution, do not answer “SFC only” just because the question is about licensing or an SFC rule.
Associated entities have a different deadline
An associated entity is not the same status as a licensed corporation or registered institution. For an associated entity, the SFC table lists notification of a business-address change within seven business days after the event. The direction of the deadline changes: before the move for an LC or RI, after the change for an AE.
LC and RI: advance notice. AE: notice after the change. First classify the entity, then choose the timing.
How to answer a timing question
- Identify the entity named in the scenario: licensed corporation, registered institution, or associated entity.
- For an LC or RI, count backward from the intended change and allow at least seven business days.
- For an RI, include both the SFC and HKMA as recipients.
- For an AE, count forward from the change and notify the SFC within seven business days.
- Use the SFC’s current WINGS-LIC process and check the applicable rule if the scenario contains another event.
Other changes have their own deadlines. A director change, a cessation of business, and a change in a person’s role are not automatically governed by the address-change row. Match each event to the correct entry in the current SFC notification table.
Common questions
How early must a Hong Kong licensed corporation notify the SFC about a business-address change?
At least seven business days before the intended change, according to the SFC’s current ongoing-obligations table.
Does a registered institution notify only the SFC?
No. The SFC says a registered institution should notify both the SFC and the HKMA.
When does an associated entity notify the SFC about an address change?
Within seven business days after the change. This is an after-the-event deadline, unlike the advance notice for a licensed corporation or registered institution.
Are all SFC notifications due within the same period?
No. Deadlines depend on the event and the regulated entity. Check the current SFC table for each type of change rather than applying the address deadline to everything.