Register Your Company in China

Compliant, fast, fully guided entity setup — from name approval and business licence to bank account, tax, and chop registration. Choose the right structure with our comparison, then follow the step-by-step process.

All-in-One China Setup Package — $1,500

One fixed price to be fully registered, compliant, and operational in China for your first year — with no surprise add-ons. Built for foreign founders and small teams who want to start clean.

$1,500 one-time setup fee

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Company registrationWFOE / Representative Office set up end-to-end — business licence, company chops, and tax registration included.
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1-year office space leaseA compliant registered address plus workspace for your first 12 months.
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1-year bookkeeping & accountingMonthly bookkeeping, VAT / fapiao handling, and tax filing handled by our accountants.
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Foreign work-visa processingWork permit notification, work permit card, and residence permit for you and your team.

Get This Package

Fixed, transparent fee. Government charges and third-party costs (e.g. document apostille, rent deposit) are billed at cost. Informational only — not legal advice; subject to current Chinese regulations.

Compare

Which entity fits your goal?

Feature	WFOE	Rep. Office	Joint Venture
Legal status	Independent entity	Extension of parent (not separate)	Separate entity (shared)
Foreign ownership	100%	100%	Shared (≥25% foreign)
Issue VAT fapiao	Yes	No	Yes
Hire directly	Yes	No (HR agency)	Yes
Generate revenue	Yes	No — liaison only	Yes
Setup time	2–4 months	1–2 months	3–6 months
Best for	Services, trading, manufacturing	Market research / liaison	Negative-list or partner sectors

WFOE

Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise — the default choice

A WFOE is the most common vehicle for foreign companies that need to invoice, hire directly, and operate with full ownership. Governed by the Foreign Investment Law and Company Law; registration handled through the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR).

Three phases & realistic timeline (2026)

Strategic prep — scope, capital, address

Confirm Chinese business-scope wording, registered capital, and city/registered address. Getting scope right avoids re-filing later.

1–2 weeks

Document apostille & name reservation

Shareholder corporate docs apostilled in your home country (China joined the Apostille Convention Nov 2023) and translated; name reserved with SAMR (3 options).

3–5 weeks

Business licence issued

Registration package filed with SAMR; licence issued for clean files.

5–10 working days

Post-licence registrations

Tax bureau, customs (if trading), social insurance, SAFE foreign-exchange, and company chops with the Public Security Bureau.

1–2 weeks

Corporate bank account

Often the longest single step — it unlocks capital injection, payroll, and invoicing.

4–8 weeks

End-to-end: a service/trading WFOE typically takes 2–4 months; manufacturing adds 4–8 weeks for environmental review.

Required documents — 2026 checklist

From the foreign shareholder

Document	Note
Certificate of incorporation	Apostilled
Register of directors / members	Apostilled
Bank reference letter	From home-country bank
Passport copies (legal rep & UBO)
Power of Attorney	Notarised

From the China side

Document	Note
Lease agreement + property code	25-digit real-estate code
Articles of Association (Chinese)	Drafted & signed
Capital declaration	RMB amount & schedule
Name reservation certificate	From SAMR
Chinese scope wording	Aligned to local catalogue

Key requirements to know

Registered capital: no statutory minimum for most WFOEs, but under the 2024 Company Law it must be fully paid in within 5 years. Set a realistic amount (often USD 50k–200k for consulting/trading).
Naming: only the Chinese name is legally binding; format is “Name + Business Nature + City + Limited”. “China” is restricted.
Governance: Executive Director or Board, a General Manager, a Legal Representative, and a Supervisor.
Scope: a WFOE may only operate within its licensed business scope — design it before filing.

Representative Office

A liaison presence for market research, promotion, and QC — it cannot invoice or sign contracts, and staff are usually engaged via an HR agency. Choose this only if you do not yet need to generate revenue.

Parent docs & lease

Notarised parent-company documents and a registered address.

1–2 weeks

RO registration & chops

~2–4 weeks

Bank & tax

Open RMB account and complete tax registration.

1–2 weeks

Typical total: 1–2 months. Limited to liaison activities — no direct revenue.

Joint Venture

A separate entity co-owned with a Chinese partner. Needed for sectors on the Foreign Investment Negative List, or where a local partner brings licenses, land, or market access. We structure the JV contract, contribution terms, and governance.

Partner & structure design

Define ownership %, contribution, and control.

JV contract & AoA

Draft and notarise the joint-venture contract and articles.

2–4 weeks

Approval & registration

File with SAMR and sector regulators as needed.

3–6 months total

Ready to get started?

Book a free, no-obligation consultation. An English-speaking advisor replies within one business day.

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