Who this helps
- - SFC licence applicants
- - Responsible officer candidates
- - Representatives
- - Fund manager founders
- - Securities career starters
First decision
Decide whether the work is dealing, advising, asset management, corporate finance, fund marketing, research, or a mix before choosing HKSI papers or drafting an SFC application narrative.
Role tracks
Dealing or advising representative
Licensing question
Does the person conduct Type 1 dealing, Type 4 advising, or both for securities or funds?
Exam or qualification check
Start with HKSI LE Paper 1 and then map activity-specific papers before assuming a paper pass is enough.
Register check
Use the SFC public register to see the person's regulated activities, licence status, and accredited principal.
Asset manager or responsible officer
Licensing question
Does the business exercise investment discretion, manage a fund, or operate a managed-account strategy that points toward Type 9?
Exam or qualification check
Use the Type 9 exam route and Paper 12 study map as evidence planning, not as a substitute for experience and responsibility evidence.
Register check
Check comparable Type 9 firms and responsible officers on the SFC register before drafting key-person roles.
Founder preparing an SFC application
Licensing question
Which entity performs each regulated activity and which responsible officers can supervise it in Hong Kong?
Exam or qualification check
Check paper exemptions, local regulatory framework knowledge, experience evidence, and responsible-officer time commitment early.
Register check
Review SFC register entries for similar firms, but do not copy route conclusions without matching your actual activity facts.
Starter steps
Days 1-7
Activity vocabulary
- - Read the SFC licence trigger page and list every activity in plain words.
- - Separate Type 1, Type 4, Type 6, Type 9, research, marketing, and custody facts.
- - Open the SFC register and inspect three comparable firm or individual records.
Days 8-30
Exam and people evidence
- - Map HKSI papers to the role, then note which papers are only evidence and which SFC approvals still remain.
- - Draft competence, regulatory history, authority, supervision, and time-commitment notes for each named person.
- - Use the key-person readiness checker before committing a person to an application narrative.
Days 31-90
Application readiness
- - Build the business workflow, responsible-officer map, compliance controls, AML/CFT notes, financial resources, and outsourcing register.
- - Use the timeline estimator and application pack pages to identify bottlenecks.
- - Prepare a source-linked adviser question list before filing through the official SFC process.
Evidence to start
- - Activity map by Type 1, Type 4, Type 6, Type 9, or adjacent activity.
- - Responsible officer and representative CV, exam, experience, and availability evidence.
- - Entity ownership, governance, compliance, AML/CFT, capital, outsourcing, and complaints notes.
- - SFC register check log for comparable firms and people.
What to verify
- - Whether the role is representative, responsible officer, manager-in-charge, or director/controller evidence.
- - Whether dealing, advice, asset management, and fund marketing require separate activity analysis.
- - Whether the current SFC forms, licensing handbook, and HKSI paper requirements have changed before submission.
Common mistakes
- - Buying HKSI exam prep before deciding the regulated activity.
- - Treating Type 9 as a performance label instead of an activity, people, and controls route.
- - Leaving responsible-officer availability and supervision evidence until the end.
Disclaimer
Information on LicenseCompare is for general educational purposes only and does not constitute legal, regulatory, financial, tax, investment, or professional advice. Licensing requirements depend on facts and change over time. Always consult official regulator materials and qualified professional advisers.