A business license is a certificate issued by the industrial and commercial administration authority to industrial and commercial enterprises and individual traders allowing them to engage in certain production and business activities. Its format is uniformly stipulated by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.

The registration matters are: name, address, person in charge, amount of funds, economic composition, business scope, business method, number of employees, business period, etc. The business license is divided into original and duplicate, both of which have the same legal effect. The original copy shall be placed in a conspicuous place at the company's residence or business premises, and the business license shall not be forged, altered, rented, lent or transferred.

Extended information:

Starting from March 1, 2019, a new version of business license will be launched nationwide. Various market entities that have been approved by the registration authority to establish, change registration, and reissue business licenses will be issued a new version of the business license. Various market entities that previously existed can continue to use the original business license or apply for a new version of the business license.

The new version of the business license will be printed with the national emblem, border, title (business license), the website of the National Enterprise Credit Information Disclosure System, the official seal of the registration authority, the year, month and day, supervision by the State Administration for Market Regulation, etc., and the printing will be unified Social credit codes and numbers, names and contents of recorded matters, QR codes, etc., with copies printed face-to-face with annual report reminders.