Legal name · 名称
Use the Chinese company name to identify the entity. An English brand, marketplace account or translated name may not be its registered name.
China company verification · buyer checklist
How to Verify a Chinese Business License
A business license is a starting point for checking a supplier—not proof that a particular seller, factory, payment account or shipment is trustworthy.
This practical guide separates company registration, transaction identity and actual production capability so you know what to compare before placing an order or paying a deposit.
Why check the company?
Registration is one part of supplier due diligence
China's Unified Social Credit Code (统一社会信用代码) generally uses 18 characters to identify a registered legal entity. A supplier may also use an English trading name or brand that differs from the legal Chinese name; do not assume they refer to the same entity without evidence.
A business license image and a live public registration record are different forms of evidence. Read the license fields, look up the identifiable entity in the National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (国家企业信用信息公示系统, GSXT), and compare the record with the specific company asking you to sign the contract or send money.
Access to government systems can involve identity verification, login, captcha or regional interface differences. The absence of an accessible search result is a reason to clarify—not evidence by itself that a license is forged.
Five practical steps
How to check a Chinese business license
Keep a record of what you observed, where it came from, and what you could not confirm.
Ask for a legible license and Chinese legal name
Request the current business license (营业执照), full name in Chinese characters, Unified Social Credit Code and explanation of the English trade name. Request names and codes as text as well as a clear image.
Identify the entity in the government register
Where access permits, search GSXT by exact Chinese name or credit code. Confirm that the record corresponds to your intended counterparty, not a similarly named entity.
Compare the record and current status
Review the visible name, identifier, registered address, registration status and available business-scope details. Record the check date and source.
Match the seller across transaction documents
Compare the identified entity with the quotation, proforma invoice, contract, marketplace seller and payment beneficiary. A mismatch may be explainable, but needs clarification.
Resolve gaps before making a payment decision
Request supporting explanations where names, payees, addresses or factory relationships differ. For significant risks, consider separate legal, financial, factory or product checks.
What the document says
Six license fields buyers commonly misunderstand
Readable fields help you compare entities. The existence of a field does not certify the claimed business relationship or competence.
Unified Social Credit Code · 统一社会信用代码
This is normally an 18-character identifier. Compare every character; a plausible-looking code on a document is not independent proof of authenticity.
Registered address · 住所
The registered address may differ from a factory or warehouse. It does not prove ownership, site control or continuing access.
Legal representative · 法定代表人
The person listed may differ from the salesperson or commercial signatory.
Registered capital · 注册资本
Registration figures are not a measure of available cash, current solvency, revenue or creditworthiness.
Business scope · 经营范围
Stated activities help interpret a claim but do not prove the company owns the production line or possesses every necessary license.
What deserves follow-up
Four mismatches worth resolving
A discrepancy may have an ordinary explanation; it should not be silently ignored or automatically labelled fraud.
Registered company, different payment beneficiary
The entity exists in the public record, but payment instructions name another company. Clarify the contracting, invoicing and receiving entities before transferring funds.
Legitimate trader, separate factory
A trading company can be an appropriate seller. Its legal registration does not establish who manufactures the goods; verify the actual site relationship if it matters.
No reliable registry match
Check spelling, complete Chinese characters, code transcription and portal access before interpreting the result. Record an inconclusive check as unresolved.
License and public record show different details
Names, addresses and representatives can change over time. Ask for current documents and explainable revision history rather than assuming fraud or validity.
Before asking for assistance
Supplier information to collect
Share only the information relevant to the intended transaction and agreed verification scope.
- Readable business license (营业执照) and Chinese legal name
- Unified Social Credit Code shown on the license and supplied as text
- Supplier website, marketplace profile and English trading name
- Quotation or proforma invoice identifying the intended seller
- Draft contract or purchase order with the company named
- Payment beneficiary details from trusted commercial documents
- Claimed factory address and company–factory relationship
- Specific discrepancies you need resolved before payment
What a license cannot establish
Company identity is not product or factory quality
A valid registration record does not establish that a seller owns the factory, controls the production line, can meet the specification or will deliver an order. If the factory itself is in question, consider an independent factory audit. For products already made, consider product inspection.
YiwuQC's supplier verification service focuses on an agreed comparison of company information, documents, stated relationships and observable evidence. It is not an official registration authority, a forensic document laboratory, a law firm or a provider of fraud guarantees.
Before payment, the buyer should independently resolve legal, bank-beneficiary and financial questions with appropriate professional support. A commercial release decision always remains with the buyer.
Primary public references
Official sources for registration questions
These government sources explain the underlying identification system. They are not endorsements of YiwuQC or proofs about any particular supplier.
Questions from buyers
Chinese business license verification FAQ
Can I verify a Chinese supplier with only an English company name?
An English name is not a reliable legal identifier. Ask for the full Chinese legal name and Unified Social Credit Code so the intended entity can be compared with an official record.
Does an active business license mean the supplier is safe to pay?
No. Registration can support identification of a legal entity. It does not guarantee honesty, solvency, product quality, delivery or a secure transaction.
Does a business license prove the supplier owns the factory?
No. A manufacturer, trader and production subcontractor may be different entities. Confirm the facility relationship with appropriate documents or a separate factory audit.
What if the bank account name differs from the Chinese legal name?
Do not assume fraud, but do not ignore the discrepancy. Confirm the purpose and legitimacy of the difference with independently verified parties and appropriate professional advice.
Is YiwuQC a government registry or legal-verification authority?
No. YiwuQC can discuss a scoped comparison of supplied supplier information and observable evidence. Official authentication, legal opinions, financial investigations and fraud guarantees are not implicit in a routine verification request.
Does company verification replace product inspection?
No. Company identity and transaction records do not show that finished goods meet your specifications. A separate factory audit or product inspection may be appropriate.
Supplier information comparison
Have a Chinese company to check before placing an order?
Send the Chinese legal name, supplied business license, quotation, trading name, stated factory relationship and specific concerns. We can discuss an appropriate supplier-verification scope, limits and quote before agreeing work.