Servers placed in China must be registered; ISPs must hold a value-added telecom license

4. Servers placed in China must be registered; ISPs must hold a value-added telecom license

Cost: There is no fee for registration. It is submitted together with the server application at the service provider’s end, and usually takes several days to weeks to process. Checking whether a provider holds the required license takes just ten minutes.

In plain terms: If you host a server inside China, you must register it before launching your website. Registration itself costs nothing and is handled alongside the server setup at your provider; it generally takes a few days to weeks. Failure to register results in a mandatory deadline to rectify the issue, followed by a fine of 10,000 RMB; continued non-compliance leads to site shutdown. Additionally, failing to display the registration number on your homepage incurs a penalty ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 RMB.

Benefit: The regulation explicitly states: “Without prior registration, no entity may provide non-commercial internet information services within the People’s Republic of China.” This means even websites that do not charge users must register first if they are hosted domestically. Non-compliant sites face the same penalties: a deadline to rectify the issue and a 10,000 RMB fine, with persistent violations resulting in site closure. The same rules apply to your service provider: it is prohibited from offering internet access services to any organization or individual that has not completed registration or obtained the necessary license. The same restriction applies to payment processors. The regulation further clarifies that such providers cannot offer access or payment processing services to entities lacking either a valid license or proper registration. In other words, legitimate providers cannot host sites that lack both a license and registration. Moreover, data center hosting and cloud hosting services fall under the category of “Internet data center services” under the law, while broadband access is classified as “Internet access services”; both categories require a separate license from providers. Finally, sites that fail to display their registration number on their homepage must rectify the issue and face fines between 5,000 and 50,000 RMB nationwide.

Evidence grade: A

Notes: Before negotiating terms with a provider, verify first whether it holds the required license. Use the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s Telecom Services Market Comprehensive Management System at tsm.miit.gov.cn to check by company name or license number. For website registration status, consult beian.miit.gov.cn. If you choose a data center without the proper license, you will have no recourse in case of disputes. Hosting servers overseas does avoid the registration requirement, but if your users and revenue are based in China, you remain subject to all obligations outlined in sections 5 through 10 of this chapter, plus additional costs related to cross-border data transfers.

Sources: Ministry of Information Industry (2005). Measures for the Registration and Management of Non-commercial Internet Information Services (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China Order No. 33, revised in 2024 by Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China Order No. 68, Articles 5, 13, 18, and 22). <https://www.miit.gov.cn/gyhxxhb/jgsj/cyzcyfgs/bmgz/xxtxl/art/2024/art_84a0cfa0ebd049bbbe751dca9a008e56.html>; Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (2017). Measures for the Administration of Telecommunications Business Licenses (Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China Order No. 42 No. 20, Article 24). <https://www.gov.cn/gongbao/content/2017/content_5240090.htm>; Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of China (2015). Telecommunications Business Classification Catalog (2015 Edition, B11, B14, B21, B25). <https://www.miit.gov.cn/zwgk/zcwj/wjfb/tg/art/2020/art_e98406cd89844f7e92ea1bcf3b5301e0.html>