Submission of Profits Tax Return

Advantages of electronic filing

• A secure service operating day and night
• An additional extension of 1 month upon application
• Neat and convenient completion of return
• Integrity and confidentiality of data preserved
• Instant transmission of data and no queuing or postage required
• Immediate acknowledgement of receipt to you and others nominated by you
• Efficient processing of returns

The return that is suitable for electronic filing

You can file the “Profits Tax Return – Corporations” and “Profits Tax Return - Persons Other Than Corporations” for the years of assessment 2022/23 and 2023/24, and attach the required supplementary forms, other forms, financial statements and tax computation* electronically.

The above criteria specified by the Commissioner of Inland Revenue were published in Government Gazette.

*The data files for the supplementary forms and other forms must be in XML format, while the data files for financial statements prepared in accordance with full Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standards / Hong Kong Financial Reporting Standard for Private Entities / Small and Medium-sized Entity Financial Reporting Framework and Financial Reporting Standard must be in inline eXtensible Business Reporting Language (iXBRL) format and in accordance with the IRD Taxonomy Package.  In other cases, financial statements in PDF format could be accepted where the taxonomies for financial statements in the IRD Taxonomy Package are unsuitable for use.  In any event, the data files for tax computations must be in iXBRL format and in accordance with the IRD Taxonomy Package.

To use the “Submission of Profits Tax Return” service

Profits Tax return of a corporation/business can be signed and submitted electronically via the “Submission of Profits Tax Return” service by a personal eTAX Account holder in one of the following capacities:

For Profits Tax Return – Corporations (BIR51)

• Director
• Secretary
• Manager
• Investment Manager (only applicable to a corporation that is an open-ended fund company)

For Profits Tax Return – Persons Other Than Corporations (BIR52)

• Precedent partner
• Proprietor (only if it was changed from a partnership to a sole proprietorship during the basis period for the year of assessment)
• Executor of the deceased person
• Agent / Manager (only if there is no resident proprietor or partner in Hong Kong)
• General partner in the limited partnership fund (“LPF”)
• Authorized representative as defined in section 2 of the Limited Partnership Fund Ordinance (Cap. 637)
• Investment manager of the LPF
• Principal officer of the body of persons

Authorized signer should sign the return using eTAX Password, MyGovHK Password, personal digital certificate issued by a recognized certification authority or “iAM Smart” account with digital signing function.

Profits Tax return may also be signed and submitted by the service provider for or on behalf of the taxpayer.  The service provider must have obtained “Confirmation for Engagement of Service Provider to Furnish Return” (IR1476) from the taxpayer stating that all information contained in the return, any required supplementary forms and other forms and the Supporting Documents is correct and complete to the best of the taxpayer’s knowledge and belief. Other than the aforesaid signing methods, the service provider may use an organizational certificate issued by a recognized certification authority.

If you wish to sign by personal eTAX Account but do not have one, go to eTAX Account to open one.

As an alternative to signing the return online, you can print the return for signature and submission in paper form under the semi-electronic filing mode.  Any person appointed by the corporation/business can use the Submission Service to print the Profits Tax return of the corporation/business for signing by inputting the Profits Tax File Number and Return Identification Number (RIN). The printed return must be signed by authorized signer.