The BHU Ordinance's certification fee isn't a simple "register = free, skip = $3,000" binary — it's a 3-tier structure based on registration timing. The longest tier (a) window closed on 31 August 2026. Registering now puts you in tier (b), where the certification fee is still fully waived until 29 February 2028, then half price at $1,500 for a year.
Registration itself is currently free — it's a filing step, not full certification. See the 3-tier table below.
WhatsApp Us About RegistrationWe usually reply within one business day
The certification application fee (per subdivided unit) depends on both your grace period registration date and your certification application date. Here is the complete official 3-tier structure — check which tier you fall into, rather than just asking "did I register or not."
| Grace period registration | Certification application timing | Certification fee / unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier (a) Early-bird 1 Mar – 31 Aug 2026 (first 6 months) |
1 Mar 2026 – 28 Feb 2029 | $0 | This page's target tier — longest full-waiver window, nearly 3 years |
| After 1 Mar 2029 | $3,000 | Reverts to standard fee | |
| Tier (b) Second half 1 Sep 2026 – 28 Feb 2027 (still within grace period) |
1 Sep 2026 – 29 Feb 2028 | $0 | Still fully waived, but window is one year shorter than tier (a) |
| 1 Mar 2028 – 28 Feb 2029 | $1,500 | Half fee | |
| After 1 Mar 2029 | $3,000 | Reverts to standard fee | |
| Tier (c) No grace period registration at all |
Any time | $3,000 | No waiver whatsoever — full standard fee |
To be direct about it: tier (a) has closed and cannot be recovered. But registering now still carries a real waiver — the certification fee is free until 29 February 2028, one year less runway than tier (a) had. What actually matters now: miss 28 February 2027 without registering and you fall into tier (c), where certification costs the standard $3,000 at any time, with no waiver at all. Register now and you keep the free window; skip it and you lose it outright — that's the real argument, not an inflated "limited-time deal."
You declare to the Housing Bureau "I have an existing subdivided unit." This is paperwork — it doesn't require the unit to already be fully compliant. Registration applications made between 1 March 2026 and 28 February 2027 all cost $0. This is the action our 28 February 2027 deadline refers to — registration only, not certification.
An Authorized Person conducts an on-site inspection to confirm the unit meets all 8 minimum standards (toilet, ventilation, fire safety, etc.) before you can apply. Only this step incurs the $0 / $1,500 / $3,000 certification fee described above, determined by the combination of your registration timing and certification application timing.
In other words, completing Step 1 (registration) by 28 February 2027 already locks in tier (b)'s fee-free level. Step 2 (certification) can be completed any time before 29 February 2028 and still be fully waived. A common misconception is that "everything must be finished by the deadline" — it isn't.
Your unit must have had at least one valid residential tenancy on or within 3 months before 3 October 2025 to qualify for grace period registration.
Registration itself is free — it's a paperwork step. This is what determines whether you land in tier (a) or tier (b).
After registering, you have nearly 3 years to arrange renovation and certification while the certification fee remains fully waived.
No. The 28 February 2027 deadline refers only to completing grace period registration (a free filing step), not full certification. Landlords in tier (b) still get the full HKD 3,000 certification fee waiver as long as they apply for certification any time before 29 February 2028.
No. Registering between 1 September 2026 and 28 February 2027 (tier b) still qualifies for a waiver — the free window is just shorter (through February 2028), then drops to a half-fee of HKD 1,500 from March 2028 to February 2029. Only landlords with no grace period registration at all by 28 February 2027 always pay the standard HKD 3,000.
No. The grace period registration application fee is HKD 0 throughout the entire registration window (1 March 2026 to 28 February 2027), regardless of whether you register in the first or second half. What actually varies by timing is the later certification application fee — HKD 0, 1,500, or 3,000.
Yes, and we recommend it. Grace period registration is simply a declaration that you have a subdivided unit — it does not require the unit to already be fully compliant. Registering early locks in the better certification fee tier; renovation and certification can follow.
Our grace period registration service starts at HKD 3,000 (final price depends on unit count and documentation, confirmed after assessment) — this is our service fee, separate from the government's HKD 0 registration fee and the HKD 0/1,500/3,000 certification application fee.
A full decision guide comparing the two paths and the factors landlords often overlook.
A full breakdown of fees from assessment through certification, including renovation and service costs.
From HKD 3,000 — a team of fellow landlords handles your registration end to end.
WhatsApp us for a free assessment of whether your unit qualifies for grace period registration, and to learn the registration process.
WhatsApp Us Now+852 5192 7907 · info@owl2coliving.com