This article covers the main points on registering a company in China. Read on for details on China’s requirements, procedures, and the estimated timeline to register a company.

Zegal: FREE COMPANY INCORPORATION

Minimum Setup Requirements to Register a Company in China

There are several different business structures to choose from in China when setting up a business. The process is a complicated and requires careful attention to the various steps.

Directors – 3 to 13
Chairman – 1
Deputy Chairman – at least 1
Address of place of business
Legal Representative of Company

Registration Timeline

The entire process takes approximately 2-3 months to complete as China requires comprehensive documents for the full application.

Step 1: Pre-register your Chinese Business Name

There are many businesses in China and it is therefore suggested to have in preparation at least 6 proposed business names when applying for the pre-registration process.

To get the company name, you should seek approval from the local district Administration of Industry and Commerce (AIC) to ensure that your name does not conflict with others in operation.

Approval can take between two and fifteen days depending on where you want to open your business.

You will have to decide the official place of business, i.e. the district and official business address.

Step 2: Certificate of Approval

Once the business name has been registered, you must apply for the certificate of approval issued by the district-level AIC.

As mentioned, it requires much documentation. Therefore, it is important to prepare beforehand in order for it to be as smooth and hassle-free as possible.

The main documents required are:

Approved business name
A valid office address
Identification details of the company’s legal representative
Identification details of the company’s supervisor
Description of business scope
Shareholder information
Official notary documents of the shareholders
Articles of Association
Amount of registered capital and total investment
A feasibility study. This is to prove to the authorities that the company is feasible and needs to include a comprehensive business plan and a budget.

All of the above documents must be prepared beforehand to be submitted in order to receive the Certificate of Approval.

Step 3: Obtain Business Licenses

This is the most important step in incorporating your company. This step has also been streamlined to a one-stop, “5-in-1” registration application process. This application when approved by the district-level AIC, will issue out 5 business licenses which basically bring your company into official existence. You should prepare the same documents as in Step 2 as the AIC might call for selected documents depending on the type and scope of your business.

The licenses issued are:

Business License
Organisation Code/ Organisation Registration Certificate
Tax Registration Certificate
Social Security Registration Certificate
Statistical Registration Certificate

Step 4: Creating your Company Stamp

After obtaining the licenses, it is crucial to also have an official company stamp created. The company stamp will be used on all official documentation. In order to register for a company stamp, several documents like certificate of approval and business licenses need to be prepared.

Accounting

All financial statements and business tax returns must be filed monthly in the Chinese language. All companies must submit the annual report from the year before to the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). The period to do so is from 1st January to 30th June.

Corporate Tax Requirements

China’s tax structure for companies depends on the type of business activities. On average, the standard tax rate is 25% but if it qualifies under the China government business scheme, it can be reduced to 15%.

Annual General Meeting

All China-registered companies must hold their Annual General Meeting for each financial year. The period it should be held depends according to the type of company structure it adopts.

For private companies or companies limited by guarantee, it must be held within 9 months after the end of its accounting year.

For any other company falling outside of the above category, it must be held within 6 months after the end of its accounting year.

This article does not constitute legal advice.

The opinions expressed in the column above represent the author’s own.

Start managing your legal needs with Zegal today

MORE IN THIS SERIES: Company Incorporation: Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, New Zealand, Australia,Taiwan, Macau , China , Philippines, BVI, Vietnam,Thailand, Indonesia, Cayman Islands, United Kingdom