Licenses, Permits & Approvals in China

Business License and Permit Support for Your China Company

Your company receives its ordinary Business License through incorporation, but regulated activities can require additional industry licenses, permits or approvals. YOUYI reviews your proposed activities, identifies the likely regulatory route and coordinates the application process within the agreed scope.

Review My License Requirements See How the Review Works

Activity & scope review
Permit applicability assessment
Regulatory route
Application coordination

A business professional reviewing a business license and permit document in a Shanghai office overlooking the Pudong skyline

Two Different Things

Your Business License Is Not the Same as a Special Permit

Most questions we receive start from mixing these up, so we separate them first.

The ordinary Business License

A company's ordinary Business License is issued as part of company incorporation. It is handled through company registration, not through this page.

Separate licenses, permits and approvals

Some regulated activities may require separate industry licenses, permits, filings or approvals before the company can legally carry out those activities. Whether one applies depends on the actual activity.

Where business scope fits

The registered business scope describes the company's approved business activities. It does not replace a separate license or permit where one is legally required.

Not every company needs a special permit. We review your activities to find out whether yours does.

The Service

What YOUYI Reviews Before You Apply

We work through your business step by step and tell you whether a separate license, permit or approval may apply, what it involves and how to reach it. Requirements vary by activity, city and district, and we confirm them against your case before you commit.

Business activity review

We review your actual planned products, services and operating model.

Business-scope review

We check whether the planned registered business scope matches your actual activities. Business scope does not replace a separate permit.

License / permit applicability assessment

We identify whether separate licenses, permits, filings or regulatory approvals may be required for your activities.

Regulatory route identification

We identify the likely regulatory route, and whether a specialist license process is involved.

Premises, personnel & operating conditions

We review whether the activity may require specific premises, personnel, systems, or technical or operational conditions. Which conditions apply depends on the activity.

Application document preparation

We prepare or organize the required application materials within the agreed scope.

Application coordination

We coordinate submission, communicate on the process and track progress within scope.

Supplemental & corrective follow-up

Where the authority asks for supplemental documents or corrections, we follow up on them.

YOUYI does not grant licenses or permits. Within the agreed service scope, YOUYI prepares the application materials, coordinates submission, tracks progress and follows up on supplemental requirements. The relevant authority decides each application.

Regulated Activity Routing

Where Your Review Leads

For the activities below we run the first review here and route you to the specialist page for the detailed process.

Food

Food-Related Activities

Food production, food sales, catering or other food-related activities may require additional regulatory review and approvals depending on the actual activity.

View Food Business Licensing → Chemicals

Dangerous Chemicals

Businesses involving regulated chemicals may require a separate licensing or regulatory route depending on the chemical, activity, storage model and premises.

View Dangerous Chemicals Licensing → Trade

Import / Export & Customs Setup

Ordinary import-export capability involves customs and related registration and setup, while regulated products may require separate product-specific permits or approvals.

View Import-Export Setup →

Other

Other Regulated Activities

Some sectors may require additional licenses, permits, filings, inspections or approvals depending on the exact activity and location. We review the proposed business first and identify the likely regulatory route.

Situations

When You Should Check License Requirements

These are moments when a review is worth doing. A review does not mean a license will be required.

You are about to incorporate a company with regulated activities
You plan to add a new business activity to an existing company
You are about to sign a lease for regulated operations
You plan to launch a food-related business
You plan to trade regulated chemicals
You plan to import or export products that may be regulated
The business scope and the actual operations may not align
Several regulated activities are planned under one company

Client and YOUYI

You Tell Us What the Business Will Do. YOUYI Maps the Regulatory Route.

You do not need every detail at the start. We tell you what is missing and why we need it.

You Provide

Planned products and services
Business model
Operating location
Intended business scope
Premises information
Shareholder and company information
Existing licenses or registrations
Technical or operational information

YOUYI Handles

Business activity review
Business-scope review
Permit applicability assessment
Regulatory route identification
Requirement and gap list
Application document checklist
Application preparation within scope
Submission coordination and progress tracking
Supplemental-document follow-up
Routing to the specialist page

Deliverables

What You Receive From the License Review

The outputs are practical working documents. They are not an approval certificate, and they do not guarantee a permit.

Activity & Scope Review Summary

What you plan to do and how the scope fits

License / Permit Applicability Assessment

Which licenses, permits or approvals may apply

Regulatory Route Summary

The likely route and the authorities involved

Required-Condition / Gap List

The conditions to meet and where you stand

Required-Document Checklist

The materials each application needs

Specialist Service Routing

Where a specialist page or service takes over

Application Coordination Plan

Who does what, and in what order

Follow-Up Requirements

What to expect after submission

Review Workflow

How the License Review Works

Which stages apply depends on your activity. Timing depends on the license involved, the local authority and how quickly the materials are ready, and we do not promise a fixed period.

Business Activity Review

Review the planned products, services and operating model.

Business-Scope Review

Check whether the planned scope matches the actual activities.

Applicability Assessment

Identify whether separate licenses, permits or approvals may apply.

Regulatory Route Identification

Identify the likely route and whether a specialist process is involved.

Condition Review

Review premises, personnel and operating-condition requirements.

Document Preparation

Prepare or organize the required application materials.

Submission Coordination

Coordinate application and submission within the agreed scope.

Follow-Up

Follow up on supplemental documents or corrections the authority requests.

Completion & Handoff

Confirm completion and hand off to ongoing-compliance coordination.

After a license or permit process, the business may also need ongoing accounting and tax compliance, operational compliance, and renewal or update monitoring. Our accounting and tax compliance service can take that work over.

Scope and Fee

What Determines the Scope of the License Review?

The scope depends on your business, so we quote after the first conversation instead of publishing one price. The main drivers are below.

Business activity — what the company will actually do
Number of regulated activities — how many are involved
Products and services — what is sold or provided
City and district — where the business operates
Premises conditions — where and how it operates
Personnel and operating conditions — who and what the activity requires
Number of applications — how many are needed
Current company status — where the company stands today
Existing licenses — what is already held
Specialist review — whether specialist review is needed
Supplemental work — additional work the authority requests

What you receive

A defined review scope

After the first conversation we return:

the applicability assessment
the requirements
the regulatory route
the document list
the service scope and a quotation

Review My License Requirements

Company Registration and Business Scope

Need the company itself established? The ordinary Business License is handled through company incorporation. This page focuses on the additional licenses, permits and approvals that may apply to regulated activities.

Company Registration in Shanghai

Incorporation and the ordinary Business License. View service

Business Scope Planning Guide

Business scope is important, but it does not replace a separate permit where the activity is regulated. View guide

Buyer Questions

Questions About Business Licenses and Permits in China

These answers describe how our service works in general. Requirements depend on the activity and the location.

Is a China Business License the same as an industry license or permit?

No. The ordinary Business License is issued as part of company incorporation. Separate industry licenses, permits or approvals are different, and they apply only where the company's activities require them.

Does every company in China need a special license?

No. It depends on the company's actual activities. Many companies do not need a separate permit, and others do. That is what the review establishes.

Does adding an activity to the business scope mean we can legally operate it?

No. The business scope describes the company's approved activities, but it does not replace a separate license or permit where one is legally required.

Can YOUYI tell us which license or permit may apply?

Yes. We review the proposed activity and identify the likely regulatory route, then confirm the requirements against your case.

Can we register the company before obtaining a special permit?

The sequence depends on the activity and the applicable regulatory requirements. YOUYI reviews whether any permit, filing or operating condition needs to be addressed before, during or after incorporation.

What documents or operating conditions may be required?

This depends on the specific license, the activity and the local requirements. Depending on the case, it can involve premises, personnel, systems, technical or operational conditions, and supporting documents. We list the conditions and documents that apply to your activity.

Does YOUYI guarantee license approval?

No. We do not grant licenses or permits, and we do not guarantee approval, acceptance or timing. The relevant authority reviews and decides each application.

Can YOUYI coordinate the application process?

Yes, within the agreed scope. We prepare the application materials, coordinate submission, track progress and follow up on supplemental requirements.

Find out which licenses or permits your China business may need

Send Us the Planned Activities. We'll Map the Regulatory Route.

Send us the planned activities, the operating location, the intended business scope and any existing licenses or registrations. We return the applicability assessment, the requirements, the regulatory route, the document list, the service scope and a quotation.

Review My License Requirements

ShanghaiActivity & scope reviewRegulatory routingApplication coordination

License & Permit Enquiries