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China Company Registration: Documents, Steps and Timeline

A practical guide for foreign founders on registering a company in mainland China: the documents you need, the steps from name approval to bank account, and realistic timelines for each stage.

General information only. This article describes common practice for foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) in mainland China. It is not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules vary by city, by industry and over time, and local practice can differ from the national framework. Confirm every detail with a licensed local adviser before you commit funds or sign documents.

First, decide what you are registering

Most foreign founders choose one of three vehicles:

• Wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) — a limited liability company owned entirely by foreign investors. The default choice for businesses that want full control and the ability to invoice Chinese customers.
• Joint venture (JV) — a limited liability company shared with a Chinese partner. Still used where a local partner brings licences, distribution or land.
• Representative office (RO) — a liaison office that cannot sign contracts or earn revenue. Useful for market research only.

Your choice affects the documents, the registered capital and the timeline. The rest of this article assumes a WFOE, since that is the most common path.

Where to register: city and zone

Registration happens with the local Administration for Market Regulation (AMR) in the district where your registered address sits. Free trade zones (FTZs) and economic development zones often run streamlined desks and may offer faster processing, but incentives differ by zone and by year — verify current terms locally rather than relying on older marketing material.

You will need a real registered address. This can be an office you lease or, in many cities, a serviced address or incubator space that is approved for company registration. Ask the provider to confirm in writing that the address can be used for an FIE in your business scope.

Documents to prepare

Investor and corporate documents

• Passport copies of all foreign individual shareholders and the legal representative (clear, colour, full page).
• If the shareholder is a company: certificate of incorporation, articles of association, and a register of directors or equivalent, plus proof of the ultimate beneficial owner.
• These corporate documents usually need notarisation and legalisation — apostille where the Hague Apostille Convention applies to the issuing country, otherwise consular legalisation — plus a Chinese translation. Requirements vary by city, so confirm with your adviser before you courier originals.

Company formation documents

• Proposed Chinese company name (three to five alternatives) and an English name.
• Articles of association (can often be based on a local template).
• Business scope wording, drafted to match the standard catalogue used by the AMR.
• Registered capital amount and contribution schedule. Capital can generally be contributed in cash or in kind; check whether your industry sets a minimum.
• Appointment documents for the legal representative, supervisor and, where required, the board.
• Lease agreement or address-use certificate for the registered office.

People and signatures

Signatures must usually be original and may need to be witnessed or notarised. Expect to sign in person at a Chinese consulate if you are abroad, or before a notary in your home country, depending on what the local AMR accepts. Budget time for courier rounds — this is often the slowest part of the process.

The registration steps, in order

1. Name pre-approval

Submit proposed names to the AMR. Names follow a fixed structure (region + trade name + industry + company type) and must not conflict with existing registrations or use restricted words. Many cities now allow online submission. Typical time: 1–5 working days.

2. Foreign investment information reporting

Most FIEs file through the national foreign investment information reporting system, either at setup or shortly afterwards, depending on the city. Some sectors also require a filing or approval from the commerce authority; restricted sectors require more. Typical time: a few working days, often run in parallel with step 3.

3. Business licence

Submit the full application package to the AMR. If accepted, you receive the business licence, which carries the unified social credit code used for everything afterwards. Typical time: 3–10 working days once the file is complete.

4. Company chops (seals)

Order the official seals — company chop, legal representative chop, finance chop and, if needed, contract and invoice chops. Seals are made by approved providers and must be registered. Typical time: 1–3 working days.

5. Bank account

Open the basic RMB account. Banks apply their own know-your-customer checks, which can include site visits, source-of-funds questions and interviews with the legal representative. This is frequently the longest step for foreign founders. Typical time: 1–4 weeks, and longer if documents need re-issuing.

6. Tax and social insurance registration

Register with the tax authority, sign the tripartite tax-payment agreement with your bank, and set up social insurance and housing fund accounts if you will employ staff. Typical time: 1–2 weeks.

7. Capital contribution

Inject registered capital according to your articles and the schedule agreed at registration. Keep bank receipts and remittance advice — they will be needed for later capital verification and for repatriating profits. Note that cross-border remittances are checked against the purpose declared, so the paperwork must be consistent.

8. Sector-specific licences

If your business is regulated — food, education, logistics, medical devices, certain software services — you need additional permits before you can trade. These can add weeks or months depending on the sector and city.

Realistic timeline

• Document preparation and notarisation: 2–6 weeks, driven mainly by courier and consular queues.
• Name approval to business licence: 1–3 weeks if the file is clean.
• Seals and tax registration: 1–2 weeks.
• Bank account: 1–4 weeks.
• Sector licences: variable — plan for several weeks at minimum.

A straightforward WFOE in a major city often reaches "ready to invoice" in six to ten weeks from a complete document set. Delays usually come from notarisation, address problems, bank compliance questions or a business scope that needs re-drafting, not from the licence stage itself.

Practical tips

• Draft the business scope carefully. It is easier to include permitted activities up front than to amend later.
• Make sure the English and Chinese versions of every document say the same thing.
• Pick a legal representative who can travel to China if needed; banks and authorities may want to see them.
• Keep a single, consistent set of scanned originals for banks, tax and customs.
• Check whether your home country has an apostille arrangement with China before paying for consular legalisation you may not need.
• Budget for ongoing compliance: annual reporting, bookkeeping and tax filings begin as soon as the licence is issued.

Registration is the easy part to describe and the harder part to execute remotely. The founders who move fastest are those who line up a reliable local address, a responsive adviser and a complete, consistent document set before the first submission.

Again, this is general information. Engage a licensed professional in your target city for advice on your specific structure, sector and tax position.