How Do I Verify a Chinese Supplier's Business License in 2026?

What is a Chinese business license and the Unified Social Credit Code?

A Chinese business license (营业执照) is the company's legal registration document. Since the nationwide “three-in-one” registration reform, every registered entity carries a single 18-character Unified Social Credit Code (统一社会信用代码) under national standard GB 32100-2015 — the final character is a check digit, so a malformed code is an immediate red flag. The license also shows the registered Chinese company name, legal representative, registered capital, establishment date, registered address, and — critically — the business scope. Ask the supplier for a clear scan of the physical license; the English name on their website is marketing, not the legal entity. Slot it into a full supplier evaluation scorecard.

Where do I verify a China supplier's license for free?

The official source is the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System at gsxt.gov.cn, run by China's State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR). Enter the company's exact registered Chinese name or its 18-character credit code, clear the slider check, and the public record returns the registration status, capital, scope, and filing history at no cost. The portal is in Chinese, so have the supplier's Chinese legal name ready — not the English trade name. Confirm the registration status reads active (存续 / 在业); a status of 喉销 (revoked) or 注销 (deregistered) means the company is not legally trading. Run this in parallel with CMH's own verification process.

What should I check on the license besides the company name?

Status, scope, and a few sanity checks matter more than the name. First, confirm the entity is active and not flagged on the Business Operation Abnormality List (经营异常名录) — companies that skip annual filings or cannot be reached at their registered address are listed there. Second, read the registered capital with caution: under China's subscription system the figure is a commitment, not cash in the bank, so a large number proves intent to capitalize, not actual funds. Third, check the establishment date against the experience the supplier claims; a firm registered last quarter claiming two decades in the trade deserves a second look. The on-site companion checks live in the China factory audit checklist.

Does the business scope tell me if it is a real factory or a trading company?

Often, yes — the registered business scope (经营范围) is the single most useful line on the license. A genuine manufacturer's scope lists production verbs — 生产, 制造, or 加工 — tied to specific product categories. A trading company's scope reads 销售, 批发, or 货物进出口 (sales, wholesale, goods import-export) with no manufacturing language at all. If a “factory” you are quoting shows only trade in its scope, you are likely talking to a middleman, which changes your pricing and quality-control assumptions. Walk through the full test in how to tell a real factory from a trading company.

Is a valid business license enough to trust the supplier?

No — a clean license is necessary but never sufficient. It proves legal existence, ownership, and registered scope; it says nothing about production capacity, quality systems, or whether the company makes the goods rather than buying them in. Pair the license check with a video walkthrough, a paid sample, market-relevant certifications, and ideally an independent audit before any large deposit moves. That layered approach — paper, then people, then product — is the standard behind CMH's verified manufacturer directory.