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China Company Registration: Documents, Steps and Timeline

A practical guide for foreign founders on registering a company in mainland China: the documents you need, the steps from name approval to bank account, and realistic timelines for each stage.

Setting up a company in mainland China is a process with a clear sequence, but it is also one where small errors in paperwork can cost weeks. This guide walks foreign founders through the typical documents, steps and timelines for registering a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE), the most common vehicle for foreign investors who want to control and operate a business onshore. It is general information only and is not legal or tax advice; requirements vary by city, industry and company type, so confirm details with a licensed local adviser before you commit.

First, decide what you are registering

Most foreign founders choose between a WFOE (a limited liability company owned entirely by foreign investors) and a joint venture with a Chinese partner. Some industries also allow representative offices, but a rep office cannot generate revenue, so it rarely suits founders who plan to sell or hire. Your choice affects the document set, the capital requirements and the timeline.

Two early decisions shape everything else:

• Registered address. You need a physical address in the city where you register. Many founders use a serviced office or an incubator that provides a lease and address documentation accepted by the local authority.
• Business scope. This is a written list of permitted activities. It must match the official catalogue, and some activities require pre-approval or a post-registration licence.

Documents you will typically need

Exact checklists differ by city, but the core set for a WFOE usually includes:

Corporate and investor documents

• Certificate of incorporation (or equivalent) of the foreign parent company, notarised and legalised, or apostilled where the Hague Apostille Convention applies.
• Articles of association of the foreign parent, often required alongside the certificate.
• Passport copies of the legal representative, directors, supervisors and shareholders (for corporate shareholders, the corporate documents above).
• Bank reference letter or proof of funds for the investor, requested in some cities.
• Translated versions of foreign-language documents, stamped by a qualified translation agency.

China-side documents

• Lease agreement for the registered address, plus the landlord's property certificate or a permitted sublease document.
• Articles of association for the new China company, drafted to local templates and signed by the investor.
• Appointment documents for the legal representative, directors, supervisor and general manager.
• Name reservation application with several proposed Chinese names.
• Application forms for the market supervision administration (the business registration authority).

Notarisation and legalisation are usually the slowest document step. Start them early, and check whether your country's documents need consular legalisation or can use an apostille.

The registration steps, in order

1. Name approval

Submit several candidate Chinese names to the market supervision administration. Names follow strict rules on structure and cannot imitate existing registered names. Approval is often same-day or a few working days where the system allows online submission.

2. Draft and confirm the articles of association and business scope

Your adviser or local registration agent prepares the articles and the business scope. This is where mismatches with the official catalogue get caught. Allow a few days for drafting and revision.

3. Submit the establishment application

File the application package, including investor documents, lease, articles and appointment papers, with the market supervision administration. Many cities accept online filing with original documents submitted or verified afterwards. If the package is complete, approval commonly takes around three to ten working days, though this varies by city and by whether any activity needs extra review.

4. Receive the business licence

On approval you receive the business licence, which carries the unified social credit code. This is the anchor document for everything that follows.

5. Carve the company seals

Order the official seals, typically the company seal, legal representative seal, finance seal and contract seal, from an approved seal-making shop. Seals are registered and are legally significant in China; keep them controlled. This usually takes one to three working days.

6. Bank account opening

Open the basic RMB account with a bank. Banks vary in their onboarding requirements for foreign-invested companies and may ask for the full corporate document chain, lease and explanations of business activity. Expect one to three weeks in many cases, and note that capital contribution rules require foreign currency capital to enter through a designated account.

7. Tax and social insurance registration

Register with the tax authority and complete the initial tax reporting setup. Register for social insurance and housing fund accounts if you will employ staff. These steps are usually handled online and take a few days once the bank account exists.

8. Foreign exchange and capital account setup

If you will bring in registered capital or handle cross-border payments, set up the foreign exchange registration and the capital account with your bank. This is often the step founders underestimate.

9. Sector licences, if applicable

Restaurants, education, logistics, healthcare and many other activities need additional licences after the business licence. These can add weeks or months depending on the sector and city.

Realistic timeline

For a straightforward WFOE in a services sector, with documents ready and a suitable address, founders commonly see the following:

• Document preparation and notarisation/legalisation: two to six weeks, depending on your home country and how quickly the parent company signs.
• Name approval and filing: one to three weeks.
• Business licence: roughly three to ten working days after a complete filing.
• Seals, bank account, tax and forex setup: two to five weeks in total.

In practice, a well-prepared WFOE often reaches an operating bank account in six to ten weeks from the start of document work, and longer where licences, unusual business scopes or slow legalisation are involved. Treat any specific promise of a fixed number of days with caution; local practice and your own document readiness drive the outcome.

Practical tips to avoid delays

• Confirm the registered address is acceptable before signing a lease, and ask the landlord for the exact documents the local authority requires.
• Match the business scope to the official catalogue wording; vague descriptions get rejected.
• Keep names and passport details consistent across every document, including translations.
• Decide early who will be the legal representative, since that person carries legal responsibilities and must sign multiple documents.
• Budget for ongoing compliance after registration: monthly or quarterly tax filings, annual reporting and, for foreign-invested companies, the annual foreign investment information report.

Registration is only the first milestone. Plan the compliance calendar, the capital contribution schedule and the employment setup before you open the doors, and work with a licensed local adviser who can confirm current requirements in your chosen city. This article is general information and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice.