Provisions on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration (2020 Revision)

Provisions on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration (2020 Revision)

Order of the State Council of the People's Republic of China

(No. 734)

The Provisions on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration, as revised and adopted at the 118th executive meeting of the State Council on December 14, 2020, are hereby issued, and shall come into force on March 1, 2021.
Li Keqiang, Premier
December 28, 2020
Provisions on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration
(Issued by Order No. 7 of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce of the People's Republic of China on May 6, 1991, revised for the first time in accordance with the Decision of the State Council to Amend and Repeal Certain Administrative Regulations on November 9, 2012, revised and adopted at the 118th executive meeting of the State Council on December 14, 2020)

Article 1 These Provisions are developed in order to regulate the administration of enterprise name registration, protect lawful rights and interests of enterprises, maintain social and economic order, and optimize the business environment.

Article 2 The market regulatory authorities of people's governments at or above the county level (hereinafter collectively referred to as the "enterprise registration authorities") shall be responsible for the administration of enterprise name registration of enterprises established within the territory of China.
The market regulatory authority of the State Council shall be in charge of the administration of enterprise name registration nationwide and responsible for developing specific regulations on the administration of enterprise name registration.
The market regulatory authority of the people's government of a province, autonomous region, or municipality directly under the Central Government shall be responsible for establishing an enterprise name application system and an enterprise name database unified in its administrative area, accessible to the public.

Article 3 An enterprise registration authority shall continuously improve the standardization and facilitation of administration of enterprise name registration, and provide efficient and convenient services for enterprises and the public.

Article 4 An enterprise may register only one enterprise name, which is protected by law.

Article 5 An enterprise shall use standard Chinese characters in its name. The enterprise, if in an ethnic autonomous area, may also use the ethnic language commonly used in the ethnic autonomous area.

Article 6 An enterprise name shall be composed of an administrative division name, a business name, industry or operating characteristics, and the form of organization. Its name is not required to include the name of the administrative division, in the case of an enterprise operating across provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, or the industry or operating characteristics, in the case of an enterprise operating comprehensively across industries.

Article 7 An administrative division name in an enterprise name shall be the name of the local administrative division at or above the county level where the enterprise is located. The name of a municipal district used in an enterprise name shall begin with the administrative division name of the districted city to which it belongs. The name of a development zone, reclamation area, or any other area, when used in an enterprise name, shall be used together with the administrative division name rather than alone.

Article 8 The business name in an enterprise name shall consist of not less than two Chinese characters.
Neither the name of a local administrative division at or above the county level nor industry or operating characteristics shall be used as business name, unless it otherwise means.

Article 9 The industry or operating characteristics in an enterprise name shall be specified in accordance with the enterprise's main business and the standards for industrial classification for national economic activities. If the standards for industrial classificati......