If you plan to host a website inside mainland China, you will run into the ICP requirement almost immediately. Most of what’s written about it in English is second-hand and out of date. We are a web team based in China that handles filings as part of our client work — here is how it actually works.
What is ICP, in plain terms
ICP (Internet Content Provider) registration is a legal requirement for any website hosted on a mainland China server. No valid ICP, no hosting inside China — hosting providers enforce this at a technical level, not as a formality. Two different things share the name:
- ICP filing (ICP备案) — the baseline registration required for any China-hosted site. This covers ordinary company websites that present information without selling directly online.
- Commercial ICP license (ICP经营许可证) — a stricter license required when the website itself is a revenue-generating internet service (e-commerce platforms, paid content, online marketplaces). Much harder to obtain, and generally requires a Chinese-registered company with specific qualifications.
Most foreign companies entering China only need the first one — and most of the horror stories you read online come from confusing the two.
Who can apply
The filing is tied to a legal identity in mainland China. In practice that means one of:
- Your China-registered entity (WFOE, joint venture, or representative office with proper registration)
- A Chinese partner or distributor who files under their entity — workable, but the filing then legally belongs to them, which matters if the relationship ends
A purely foreign company with no China entity cannot file in its own name. That’s not a paperwork problem you can push through; it’s the design of the system.
The process, step by step
- Choose a mainland hosting provider — the filing is submitted through the hosting provider’s system, so hosting and filing are linked from day one.
- Prepare documents — business license of the China entity, the legal representative’s ID, domain certificate, and photos/verification of the responsible person. Requirements vary slightly by province.
- Submit through the host, reviewed by provincial authorities — the provider pre-checks and forwards to the provincial communications administration.
- Wait for approval — a few weeks is a realistic expectation in our experience; complex cases take longer. The domain must not resolve to the China server until approval.
- Display the ICP number — once approved, the filing number goes in your website footer, linked to the official record. Hosting can then go live.
Don’t qualify? Your realistic options
- Host in Hong Kong or Singapore — no ICP needed, and for many business sites the performance inside China is acceptable. This is the standard route when there’s no China entity yet.
- Test the market first — launch on nearby hosting, validate demand, and file properly once you establish an entity. Filing is not the first step of market entry; it’s a milestone in it.
Common questions
Does a .cn domain require ICP? The requirement is triggered by where you host, not the domain ending. A .cn domain on a Hong Kong server needs no filing; a .com on a Shanghai server does. (Registering a .cn domain has its own real-name verification, which is separate.)
Can I use a CDN to avoid it? CDN nodes inside mainland China are subject to the same rules — providers require your ICP before enabling mainland nodes. A CDN with only overseas nodes doesn’t need ICP but won’t give you mainland-level speed either.
Will my site be slow in China without mainland hosting? It varies more than people assume. A lean, well-built site on Hong Kong hosting often performs acceptably; a heavy site on US hosting usually doesn’t. Test from real mainland locations before deciding.
If you’re weighing up China hosting, filing eligibility, or the Hong Kong route for your specific situation, that’s exactly what our Chinese website services cover — or describe your situation and we’ll give you an honest read before you spend anything.