How to read a Chinese business licence
Read the Chinese original, then use its 18-character unified social credit code to find the company on the official register. Compare the registered identity with the invoice, contract and receiving bank account before paying. A matching licence does not prove factory capability. China-side checks can be handled by Cambridge China Bridge.
Start with the original licence and complete code
Ask for a complete, readable Chinese business licence and the company name and unified social credit code as copyable text. Shanghai’s tax authority describes the code as 18 characters using digits or English letters. Copy it unchanged from the original, then compare the supplied text character by character.
Use the code to identify the supplier record, rather than relying on an English trading name or logo. Keep the Chinese original with your order documents. For checking an English version against it, use our translated business licence comparison guide.
Read the fields as checking prompts
Guangzhou’s market regulator lists the company name, legal representative, registered capital, registered address and business scope among the information generally displayed. Use the labels below to read your supplier’s copy, without assuming every licence has an identical layout.
Record unclear or missing wording as a question for the supplier. Preserve the complete capital entry and business scope, including units and qualifiers. Do not use registered capital as your buying budget or assume the registered address is where your goods will be made.
| Chinese label | English meaning | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| 名称 | Company name | Keep the complete Chinese name as the identity to match. |
| 法定代表人 | Legal representative | Record the named person; ask separately who handles your order. |
| 注册资本 | Registered capital | Preserve the amount, currency and unit; do not treat it as cash available. |
| 经营范围 | Business scope | Read the complete wording and compare it with the activities claimed. |
| 住所 | Registered address | Record it separately from the claimed production site. |
Check the company on the official register
Open the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System. Search using the complete code or Chinese company name, as described in our supplier verification guide. Follow the current site prompts, open the matching company record and compare its name, code, registration status, address and business scope with the supplied licence.
Guangzhou’s regulator also directs users to this system to look up business scope. Save the record you reviewed and note when you checked it. If access fails or no result appears, check the copied text and try again; leave verification unresolved rather than treating the failed search as proof of fraud or approval.
Resolve invoice, contract and bank-name mismatches
Before paying, the invoice seller, contract supplier and receiving bank account holder must match the verified company identity. Treat this as a purchasing check. Compare complete Chinese names where available, and ask for documents connecting any English bank name to the Chinese registered name. Our proforma invoice guide covers the payment document.
A spelling difference, changed company name or proposed payment to another business needs explanation and supporting documents. Pause payment while you establish who sells the goods and who receives the money. Request corrected documents where needed, and confirm bank details through an established contact. A mismatch is a reason to investigate, not automatic proof of a scam.
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Connect the registered company to the actual factory
A matching record does not show that the supplier operates the production line offered to you. Ask which site will make your goods and check that site’s equipment, work in progress and inspection arrangements. Use our factory or trading company guide for the capability checks that follow identity verification.
Cambridge China Bridge’s own staff in China can compare supplier documents, follow up discrepancies and arrange factory verification and inspections. For this work, factory audits and inspections are usually included in the quote; complex checks that need a third party are charged separately and agreed in advance. Third-party testing is extra and agreed before booking. Send the licence and purchasing documents to Cambridge China Bridge.
Frequently asked questions
How many characters are in a unified social credit code?
Shanghai’s tax authority describes it as 18 characters using digits or English letters. Copy the complete code from the Chinese original; its length alone does not verify the supplier.
Can I check a Chinese company using its English name?
Ask for its complete Chinese registered name and unified social credit code. An English trading name can be ambiguous. Match the official record to the original licence.
What if the supplier’s bank account name is different?
Pause payment. Ask for evidence connecting the account holder to the verified supplier and corrected purchasing documents where needed. Confirm details through an established contact before proceeding.
Does a Chinese business licence prove it is a factory?
No. Check the production site and its ability to make your goods separately. Document comparison and China-side supplier checks can be handled by Cambridge China Bridge.