What the law requires
A school under the Education Ordinance is any establishment which provides for 20 or more persons during any one day or 8 or more persons at any one time any educational course[1]. Every school shall be registered or provisionally registered[1]. The Education Bureau states plainly that all private schools offering non-formal curriculum, the category tutorial centres fall into, are required to register, and that exempted schools are not exempt from school registration[2].
No official page uses the word licence for a tutoring centre. The Fire Services Department describes the Education Bureau as the licensing authority for schools and says it will not approve registration until all fire requirements are met[3].
What happens without registration
An owner or teacher in a school that is not registered or provisionally registered, or anyone who manages it, is liable on conviction to a fine of $250,000 and to imprisonment for 2 years[1]. The Permanent Secretary may by order in writing close the premises of an unregistered school, and inspectors may enter premises suspected of being used for one[1]. If a centre is found operating without registration, the Fire Services Department will inform the Education Bureau[3].
What the exemption order changes
Tutorial schools usually operate under the Education (Exemption) (Private Schools Offering Non-Formal Curriculum) Order, Cap. 279F. It relieves them of requirements in five areas, fees, employment of teachers, teachers' qualifications, principals and holidays, if they comply with its conditions[2].
| Requirement | Without the exemption | With the exemption |
|---|---|---|
| School registration | Required | Still required |
| Fees | Only fees approved by the Permanent Secretary, with the fees certificate on display | No fee approval and no fees certificate, if all conditions are met |
| Teachers | Registered teachers or permitted teachers only | New teachers reported within one month after they start teaching |
An exempted school must also pay a refund not later than one month after the pupil has requested it[2]. A school that breaks a condition loses the exemption, and the Bureau may consider prosecution or cancelling the registration of its manager or the school[2].
What parents are told to look for
The Bureau's leaflet for parents says every school is required to be registered, that the school should display its courses and inclusive fees, including monthly fees and the number of instalments, in a conspicuous place, and that students should not pay course fees in a lump sum by any means[5]. Parents can check those points on a visit, so set up your fee schedule to match before you open.
The other registration you need
A tutoring business is a business, so it also needs business registration with the Inland Revenue Department. A sole proprietorship or partnership applies within one month of starting[6]. For certificates starting from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, a 1-year certificate costs a fee of 2,200 plus a levy of 150, a total of HK$2,350[7]. Failing to apply is an offence with a fine of $5,000 and imprisonment for 1 year[6].
Rules, forms and figures can change, and the official pages listed below are the authority wherever this summary differs from them.