Individually-Owned Businesses May Now Register Locally

The State Administration for Industry and Commerce issued a set of opinions on the administration of decentralising the registration of individually-owned businesses in April this year, allowing individually-owned businesses to register at the local industry and commerce administration offices from now on.

According to the opinions, industry and commerce administration bureaus at city level may designate qualified local industry and commerce offices to handle and approve the establishment and the alteration and cancellation of registration of individually-owned businesses.

Industry and commerce administration bureaus at city level must report their designation to the industry and commerce administration authorities at the next higher level for the record. Designated industry and commerce administration offices should publicly display at their offices the rules, scope, conditions and procedures of registration, list of documentation to be submitted, and standards and basis of charges in respect of the registration of individually-owned businesses. Applicants that submit all the required materials in the correct format will be registered immediately. There is no need to issue acceptance notice and registration notice to those that are registered and issued business licences on the spot.