Rule 83 of the Rules of Procedure provides that every Member should furnish to the Clerk to the Legislative Council ("LegCo"), in a registration form approved by the President of LegCo, particulars of his or "registrable interests" which include: (a) remunerated directorships of companies, public or private; (b) remunerated employments, offices, trades, professions or vocations; (c) clients; (d) election donations/ financial sponsorships; (e) overseas visits; (f) payments, benefits and advantages received from any Government or organization of a place outside Hong Kong or from any person who does not qualify as a "Hong Kong permanent resident"; (g) land and property; and (h) shareholdings.

Rule 83(4) provides that the Clerk to the LegCo should maintain a Register of Members' Interests ("the Register") for public inspection. Since January 2001, an online Register has been made available on the LegCo website. Upon receipt of any Member's update on his registrable interests, the LegCo Secretariat will upload the updated form onto the online Register, usually within 2 working days.

The main purpose of the Register is to provide information of any pecuniary interest or other material benefit which a Member receives which might reasonably be thought by others to influence his or her actions, speeches or votes in the LegCo, or actions taken in his or her capacity as a Member of the LegCo. Members are required to have this general purpose in mind when determining what interests should properly be declared.