Any person who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones in Hong Kong and engage in any transaction(s) (whether making or receiving a payment) with total value at or above HKD120,000¹ in Hong Kong is required to register with the Commissioner of Customs and Excise.

There are two categories under the registration regime as follows:

1. Any dealer who intends to engage in non-cash transaction(s) with total value at or above HKD120,000 in the course of business is required to register as a Category A registrant.
2. Any dealer who is seeking to engage in cash transactions with total value at or above HKD120,000 and non-cash transactions with total value at or above HKD120,000 in the course of business is required to register as a Category B registrant. A Category B registrant is subject to AML/CTF supervision.

1 The HKD120,000 threshold includes an equivalent amount in another currency

• Transitional period

  To facilitate existing dealer's migration to the Regime, precious metals and stones dealers who have been in operation before commencement of the Regime are allowed to apply for registration within 9 months after commencement of the Regime (i.e. Apr – Dec 2023). Any person, who would like to start up a precious metals and stones business after commencement of the Regime and plan to carry out specified transactions and/or specified cash transactions, is required to register before carrying out any specified transactions and/or specified cash transactions.

• Penalty

  Any person, other than a registrant, carries out a specified transaction or a specified cash transaction, claims to be authorized to carry out a specified transaction or a specified cash transaction, or claims to be a registrant, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for 6 months.

• Guide

  Registration Guide
  This Registration Guide is provided for any dealer to determine whether the dealer shall apply for a registration, which category of registration is appropriate and understand the respective application details.

• Forms

  Application Form of Category A Registration
  Form 1A(BR) (Business Registration Holder)	Application for a Dealer in Precious Metals and Stones Category A Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 1A(H) (Hawker's Licence Holder)	Application for a Dealer in Precious Metals and Stones Category A Registration Guidance Notes

  Application Form of Category B Registration and Proforma
  Form 1B(BR) (Business Registration Holder)	Application for a Dealer in Precious Metals and Stones Category B Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 1B(H) (Hawker's Licence Holder)	Application for a Dealer in Precious Metals and Stones Category B Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 3A (Individual)	Form 3A (Individual) - Fit and Proper Person Declaration Form (for sole proprietor/partner/director /ultimate owner) Guidance Notes
  	Form 3A (Individual) - Fit and Proper Person Declaration Form (for licensed hawker) Guidance Notes
  Form 3B (Corporate)	Form 3B (Corporate) - Fit and Proper Person Declaration Form (for corporate partner/corporate director) Guidance Notes
  Descriptions of Precious Metals and Stones Business & Anti-Money Laundering and Counter Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) Measures (Proforma)

  Other Forms and Guidance Notes
  Form 4	Application for Approval in respect of Persons Proposing to become Registrant's Partners / Directors / Ultimate Owners Guidance Notes
  Form 5	Advance Notification for obtaining Branch Certificate(s) for New Branch(es) or Temporary Booth(s) Guidance Notes
  Form 6A(BR) (Business Registration Holder)	Notification of Changes in Particulars for Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 6A(H) (Hawker's Licence Holder)	Notification of Changes in Particulars for Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 6B(BR) (Business Registration Holder)	Notification of Changes in Particulars for Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 6B(H) (Hawker's Licence Holder)	Notification of Changes in Particulars for Registration Guidance Notes
  Form 7	Notification of Cessation of Precious Metals and Stones Business/ Temporary Suspension of Hawker Licence Guidance Notes
  Application for a certified copy or uncertified copy of an entry in or extract from the Register of Precious Metals and Stones Registrants
  Application for a Certificate on the Register of Precious Metals and Stones Registrants

What is DPMS iPASS?

DPMS iPASS is an online self-assessment tool launched by the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED). It enables any person, who is seeking to carry on a business of dealing in precious metals and stones in Hong Kong, to perform a quick and simple self-assessment on whether he or she is required to apply for registration, the appropriate category of registration, and his or her eligibility and readiness to apply for registration.

How it works?

Registration is granted to dealers in precious metals and stones with due consideration of various factors, including but not limited to the items listed in DPMS iPASS.

Participants will take about 5-10 minutes to answer all questions set out in this self-assessment. Before taking the assessment, participants are strongly advised to study the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing Ordinance, Cap. 615 (AMLO) and the C&ED's publications related to the registration regime for dealers in precious metals and stones. The assessment results will indicate the participants as "Registration is not required", or "Registration of Category A / B registration is required" and show the readiness level as "High readiness and eligibility", "Medium readiness and eligibility" or "Not yet ready / ineligible". For details, please visit the website of the C&ED or the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Registration System.

Start DPMS iPASS (Self Test)

For further enquiries, please contact the Dealers in Precious Metals and Stones Supervision Bureau by sending email to dpms_enquiry@customs.gov.hk or calling the hotlines at 3580 1483 (Chinese) or 3580 1484 (English).

A non-Hong Kong precious metals and stones dealer is a person who deals in precious metals and stones in Hong Kong where—

1. the person—
   1. either—
      1. is an individual who does not ordinarily reside in Hong Kong; or
      2. is a legal person, other than an individual, that is incorporated or established outside Hong Kong and is not a registered non-Hong Kong company as defined by section 2(1) of the Companies Ordinance (Cap. 622); and
   2. does not have a place of business in Hong Kong; and
2. the total number of days on which the person's precious metals and stones business is carried on in Hong Kong does not exceed 60 days in a calendar year.

Obligations of a non-Hong Kong precious metals and stones dealer

A non-Hong Kong precious metals and stones dealer must file a cash transaction report which shall include travel information and particulars of the dealer and/or the person acting on behalf of the dealer (as appropriate), particulars of the customer and transaction details to the Customs and Excise Department for any specified cash transactions carried out within 1 day after the transaction, or the earliest time when the dealer or the person acting on behalf of the dealer leaves Hong Kong, whichever is earlier.

• Penalty

  Any non-Hong Kong precious metals and stones dealer fails to report a specified cash transaction commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for 3 months.

• Forms

  Cash Transaction Report
  Non-Hong Kong Precious Metals and Stones Dealer can download the above cash transaction report and submit the completed form in person or by fax.