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Overseas Supplier Check Report · Guide

How do I check a Chinese supplier's business licence?

Ask the supplier for a clear scan of its business licence, then check that the company name, 18-character unified social credit code, address and business scope match its store page and invoice. Then search the name or code in China's National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (gsxt.gov.cn) to confirm the company exists and is still in operation.

Step-by-step licence check

  1. Get the full licence, not a crop. Ask for a scan or photo of the whole licence page. It should show the Chinese company name, the unified social credit code, company type, legal representative, registered capital, date of establishment, address and business scope.
  2. Check the code has 18 characters. The unified social credit code is 18 characters of digits and capital letters. For an ordinary company it usually starts with 91, and characters 3 to 8 are a region code that should be consistent with the city in the address.
  3. Match the Chinese name, not just the English. The licence shows only the Chinese name. Ask the supplier for its Chinese name in writing and confirm it matches the licence, the invoice and the bank account holder.
  4. Search the national registry. Go to gsxt.gov.cn, the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System, and search by the Chinese name or the code. The site is in Chinese and uses a picture captcha, so a browser translation tool helps.
  5. Read the status and the lists. Confirm the status shows the company is in operation, not deregistered (注销) or revoked (吊销). Check whether it appears on the abnormal operations list (经营异常名录), which can mean missed annual reports or an unreachable address.
  6. Compare the establishment date with the sales pitch. If the store says the factory has run for decades but the licence shows the company was formed recently, ask why. A new entity can be legitimate after a restructure, but you want an explanation.
  7. Read the business scope. Look for production terms such as 生产, 制造 or 加工 if the supplier claims to manufacture. A scope listing only sales, wholesale and import and export (销售, 批发, 进出口) points to a trading company.

What registered capital does not tell you

Registered capital is the amount the owners have committed to contribute, and it is not necessarily paid in yet. Do not read it as a measure of company size or ability to deliver.

When a done-for-you pack helps

If you cannot read the licence or want the checks written up, our report reads the licence you send, checks the structure of the unified social credit code, compares names, code, address and payee across the licence, store page and invoice, and quotes and translates the business scope. It then searches public US import summaries, US federal court dockets and complaints. We do not look the company up in China's registry for you; we give you the steps to do that yourself.

US$59 all-in, one-time.
No subscription and no extra fees. Delivered by email within 48 hours of your order. Covers one supplier in mainland China.
See the Overseas Supplier Check Report · US$59

Questions

Can a business licence image be faked?

Yes. A licence image is easy to edit, which is why the registry search matters. Confirm that the name and code on the image return the same company, address and legal representative on gsxt.gov.cn. If the registry shows different details, or nothing at all, ask the supplier to explain before you pay anything.

Is a Hong Kong company licence checked the same way?

No. Hong Kong companies are not in the mainland system and do not use the 18-character code. They are registered with the Hong Kong Companies Registry, which has its own search. Many mainland factories sell through a Hong Kong trading entity, so ask how the Hong Kong company relates to the mainland factory.

What if the supplier will not send its licence?

Treat it as a serious warning sign. A licence is a basic document every registered Chinese company holds, and legitimate exporters send it routinely to buyers. Refusal, or sending only a partial or blurred image, is a good reason to pause and look for another supplier before sending a deposit.

Sources

Checked 2026-10-26. Policies change, so read the current version before you act.

Contact

Email james@bucket3.ai. We reply within one business day.
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