Launch your website and grow your business in Mainland China with an ICP license

What is an ICP license and why do I need it?

ICP (Internet Content Provider) license is a permit issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of China that allows websites to operate in China. All websites delivering content from servers in Mainland China are legally required to have an ICP license. Thus in order to deliver content in Mainland China using China CDN, you will need an ICP license. The ICP license numbers for Chinese websites can often be found on the bottom of the front webpage. The ICP numbers typically look like 京ICP证123456号 or 京ICP备12345678号

Which ICP license do I need?

Two types of ICP licenses are issued by MIIT:

• ICP Filing (for non-commercial websites) - Also known in Chinese as “ICP Bei’An”, an ICP filing is required for websites that are purely informational and do not engage in online retail activities. If you want to sell goods via your website, then you will need the commercial ICP license (see below).
• ICP License (for commercial websites) - Also known as “ICP Zheng” in Chinese, an ICP license is required for websites that engage in online retail activities. This license allows you to sell goods and accept online payment from users in Mainland China.

Please note that you will have to first receive approval for your ICP filing before you can apply for an ICP license.

In addition to an ICP filing or ICP license, you will also need a separate license called the PSB Bei’An (not to be confused with the ICP Bei’An above). You should procure a PSB Bei’An by submitting an application to the Public Security Bureau.

ICP application process and required documents

Your ISPs in Mainland China will submit the ICP license application to MIIT. It takes about 20 business days to process the application.

Requirements - You will typically need the following for the application process.

You need to appoint a web representative who should meet the following criteria:

• Employee of your office in Mainland China that is applying for the ICP license
• A citizen of the People's Republic of China
• Must have a valid ID (passport or state-issued ID)
• Must be able to communicate in Mandarin fluently

As part of the application process, you need:

• Domain for ICP Bei’An
• Business entity’s registered name (in Chinese) and license number
• Web representative’s ID number and contact information
• Print out of a domain certificate, which is essentially a ‘proof of ownership’ document for your domain. Please contact your domain name registrar if you need this certificate.
• Photocopies of business license, legal representative’s ID, and web representative’s ID

The ICP Bei’An application form varies by ISP, so please contact your ISP to start the application process. Please contact us if you need recommendations on determining the appropriate local ISPs.