Which return fits which business
| Business | Return |
|---|---|
| Limited company or other corporation | BIR51, Profits Tax Return, Corporations |
| Partnership business | BIR52, Profits Tax Return, Persons Other Than Corporations |
| Business 100% owned by one individual | Part 5 of BIR60, Tax Return, Individuals |
| Non-resident person chargeable to profits tax in your name | BIR54 |
| Year a sole proprietorship becomes a partnership, or the reverse | BIR52 for the whole year of the change |
The rule in one line
If a business is not solely owned by you for the full year, it is reported on a BIR52 for that business, not in Part 5 of your BIR60[3]. If you carry on business as a corporation or partnership, or a non-resident is chargeable in your name, you report on a profits tax return; profits from a sole proprietorship go in the BIR60[1].
What the two forms share
- Both are normally issued on the first working day of April each year[1].
- The notice on a BIR51 requires it to be filed within 1 month from its date of issue[5], and the block extension dates for represented taxpayers cover the returns of corporations and partnership businesses alike[6].
- A business with any gross income in the basis period must submit supporting documents, including financial statements and a tax computation; small corporations and businesses with gross income not over HK$2,000,000 can no longer file without them[7].
- Every item must be completed, with "0" where nil, and amounts are entered without cents[4].
- Supplementary forms must be submitted electronically for any year of assessment from 2020/21 to 2026/27, whatever the filing mode of the return[2].
Where they differ
The item numbers differ. The two-tiered rates question is Item 2.3 on the BIR51 and Item 1.6 on the BIR52[4]. On the 2025/26 paper returns, the new question on mandatory e-filing status is Items 3.9 and 3.9.1 on the BIR51 and Items 2.8 and 2.8.1 on the BIR52, and the foreign tax credit claim is Item 10.20 on both[6]. Individual partners who want Personal Assessment say so in Item 6.2 of the BIR52[6].
The supporting documents differ in one respect. The documents required with either return are a certified copy of the balance sheet and profit and loss account, an auditor's report where the law requires one or one has been prepared, and a tax computation[6]. A corporation with gross income is expected to submit audited financial statements, unless it is a dormant company within the Companies Ordinance or is incorporated where the law does not require an audit[6].
The rates behind each form
A BIR51 filer pays the corporation rates: 8.25% on the first HK$2,000,000 of assessable profits and 16.5% above. A BIR52 filer pays the unincorporated rates of 7.5% and 15%[8]. In a partnership with a corporate partner, that partner's share of the profits is taxed at the corporation rates[9].
If no return arrives
If a return has been lost or not received, you can ask the IRD for a duplicate[1]. A person who becomes chargeable to tax without having received a return must notify the IRD in writing not later than 4 months after the end of the basis period[1].
Form numbers and item numbers change from year to year, so the return the IRD actually issues you and its notes override anything on this page.