According to the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), all websites hosted in Mainland China are required by law to obtain an ICP license. Applying for an ICP license is therefore a legal requirement if you wish to deploy a website in Mainland China powered on Alibaba Cloud products.

CAUTION: If you don’t have an ICP number, your website can be shut down by the hosting provider with no notice.

What is ICP?

ICP stands for internet content provider. ICP must be issued for all websites that are hosted on servers located in mainland China. There are two types of ICP issued by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) at the provincial level: ICP Filing and ICP license.

Who issues the ICP?

The ICP is issued by China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT), usually at the provincial level through the local communication administration.

Which type of ICP do I need?

ICP license — for example, 沪ICP证XXXXXXXX号 — is used for commercial (operational) websites. This applies to any website that allows a customer to purchase goods or services online.

ICP filing — for example, 沪ICP备XXXXXXXX号 — is used for non-commercial (informational) websites. This applies to websites that don’t include direct sales.

Where is the ICP number displayed?

A website’s ICP number is usually found at the bottom of the home page.

What does an ICP cost and how long does it take to get one?

Registration for an ICP is free, but domestic partner may charge a fee for their services.

The average time for obtaining an ICP is around 5-20 days.

How to get a new ICP?

Applications can be made on the MIIT website. Or you may entrust a domestic Partner to help you apply.

Learn more about MIIT License Registration at http://www.miibeian.gov.cn (in Chinese).

Are there any alternatives?

If you want to advertise on Baidu and implement tailored Asia SEM strategies, you can host your site outside of mainland China – in abroad countries or zeven from Hong Kong.However, you need to be aware that this will slow down page loading times, as China-based sites are given preference.

Another option is to partner with a Chinese internet company which allows you to make use of their licence.

According to the latest requirement by 2016, after procuring the ICP filing or commercial ICP License, it is mandatory for you to submit the application to PSB (Public Security Bureau) for the another filing within 30 days after you open up your website.

Update your website after receiving your ICP number

At the bottom of your website’s home page:

Add the ICP number.

The Benefits of Having an ICP

Getting a valid ICP is your website’s ticket to guarantee online visibility in China. Also, the fact that your website operates in Mainland China itself means it will load faster, with less lost packets. You reach your target Chinese audience in the most optimal way possible, and at the same time, It assists Chinese customers and to trust your business and enables you to promote your website in mainland China.

What Zhuyun can help you?

Zhuyun assists businesses in all aspects of marketing in China, and we can make it easier to obtain an ICP licence by looking after the process on your behalf. We prepare and file the application to the Chinese MIIT. We also undertake ongoing care and maintenance of the ICP and .cn domain name with Chinese authorities. We act as your IT partner and guide you through web hosting set-up in China. Our goal is to provide you with a hassle-free solution that guarantees your business a China-friendly website.