Chinese Website ICP Registration Explained: 10 Interview Questions & Answers

Q1: What is ICP filing and how does it differ from an ICP license?

Key differences :

Full name : ICP filing (网站备案) vs. ICP license (增值电信业务经营许可证)

Nature : filing is a non‑approval registration; the license is an administrative approval.

Applicable objects : filing applies to all mainland websites; the license applies only to commercial internet services.

Legal basis : "Internet Information Service Management Measures" for filing; "Telecommunications Regulations" for the license.

Approval department : Provincial Communications Administration for both.

Processing time : 1–20 work days for filing; 30–60 work days for the license.

Identifier : filing number (e.g., 京ICP备12345678号); license number (e.g., 京ICP证12345678号).

ICP filing = required for all mainland sites (both non‑commercial and commercial)
ICP license = required only for commercial sites (e‑commerce, ads, paid services)

Q2: Briefly outline the development history and legal basis of China’s filing system.

2000 – State Council issues "Internet Information Service Management Measures" establishing the filing system.

2005 – MIIT releases "Non‑Commercial Website Filing Management Measures" refining procedures.

2009 – Electronic filing is introduced.

2012 – Mobile apps (e.g., WeChat) are brought under the system.

2017 – Cybersecurity Law clarifies legal liability for unfiled sites.

2019 – "Streamlining administration and delegating power" reforms further simplify filing.

2023 – Access‑provider management is strengthened, making providers the primary reviewers.

Legal references: "Internet Information Service Management Measures", "Non‑Commercial Website Filing Management Measures", "Cybersecurity Law", and the "Computer Information Network International Security Management Measures".

Q3: Which authorities manage ICP filing and public security filing, and what are their purposes?

ICP filing : Managed by the Provincial Communications Administration; purpose is to confirm website identity for management.

Public security filing : Managed by the public security (network supervision) department; purpose is website safety supervision and crime prevention.

Platforms: ICP filing uses the access‑provider filing system; public security filing uses the national internet security management platform.

Timing: ICP filing is completed before site launch; public security filing must be done within 30 days after ICP filing.

Identifiers: ICP number (e.g., 京ICP备12345678号) displayed at the bottom of the site; public security number (e.g., 京公备11010502030405号) displayed alongside it.

ICP filing → 30 days later: public security filing → both numbers shown at site footer

Q4: Advantages and disadvantages of personal vs. enterprise filing.

Subject : Personal (ID card) vs. Enterprise (business license).

Site name : Personal cannot contain terms like "enterprise" or "mall"; enterprise can include corporate information.

Content : Personal – blogs, journals; Enterprise – corporate showcase, e‑commerce.

Trust level : Personal lower, enterprise higher.

Required materials : Personal – ID card; Enterprise – business license + responsible person’s ID.

Can conduct commercial activities : Personal – no; Enterprise – yes (requires ICP license).

Q5: Complete ICP filing process and approximate duration for each step.

① Domain real‑name authentication – upload ID or business license – immediate.

② Purchase mainland server – obtain IP – immediate.

③ Prepare materials (ID, photos, backdrop) – 1–2 days.

④ Fill in information on the access‑provider filing system – 30 minutes.

⑤ Access‑provider preliminary review – 1–2 days.

⑥ Provider submits to the communications authority – automatic.

⑦ SMS verification – within 24 hours, immediate.

⑧ Authority review – 1–20 work days.

⑨ Filing success – receive filing number.

⑩ Public security filing – complete within 30 days.

Total typical time : 3–10 work days (varies by province).

Q6: Do sub‑domains need separate filing?

Generally no, provided the primary domain is already filed and the sub‑domains share the same server or access‑provider.

example.com (filed)
├─ www.example.com → no separate filing
├─ blog.example.com → no separate filing
└─ api.example.com → no separate filing

Exceptions:

Primary domain not filed.

Sub‑domain uses a different access‑provider.

Different top‑level domains (e.g., .com vs .cn) require separate filing.

Q7: Can overseas servers avoid filing, and what are the risks?

ICP filing : Required for mainland servers; not required for overseas servers.

Access speed : Mainland – fast; overseas – higher latency.

Stability : Mainland – high; overseas – affected by international routes.

Legal risk : No filing on mainland leads to blockage; overseas no filing may result in IP being blocked.

Applicable scenario : Mainland servers for domestic users; overseas servers for overseas users.

Risks of using overseas servers without filing:
1. Slow access (100‑300 ms latency)
2. Unstable connections (packet loss)
3. Potential IP blocking
4. CDN unavailable in China
5. Domestic cloud services (OSS, SMS) may be inaccessible

Q8: How to handle filing information changes after site launch?

Change of responsible person : Update filing information; requires re‑uploading ID and facial verification.

Adding a new domain : Submit a separate review for the new domain.

Server change : New access‑provider must re‑review.

Company rename : Provide business change certificate.

Website owner change : Cancel old filing and re‑file if the entity changes completely.

Filing change flow:
Access‑provider system → filing info change → fill change details → upload documents → provider review → authority review → change completed

Q9: Common reasons for filing rejection and how to improve approval rate.

Unclear document photos – ensure good lighting.

Domain not real‑name authenticated – complete domain authentication first.

Non‑compliant site name – follow naming rules.

Homepage contains prohibited content – keep content compliant.

Backdrop photo not qualified – use provider‑supplied backdrop.

Phone number mismatch – use the same real‑name phone.

Responsible person info mismatch – verify consistency.

Pre‑submission checklist :

Domain real‑name authentication passed.

Clear, valid ID photos.

Site name follows regulations.

Backdrop meets requirements.

Phone number matches real‑name record.

Responsible person holds clear ID photo.

Homepage free of illegal content.

Q10: Migrating a site from Alibaba Cloud to Tencent Cloud – does filing information get lost?

No. The filing number and subject remain unchanged; only the access‑provider information is updated.

Current state:
- Domain example.com filed on Alibaba Cloud ✓
- Server: Alibaba Cloud ECS

Target state:
- Domain example.com filed on Tencent Cloud ✓
- Server: Tencent Cloud CVM

Migration steps:
1. In Tencent Cloud filing system, select "Add New Access".
2. Fill filing info identical to the original.
3. Upload required documents.
4. Tencent Cloud preliminary review.
5. Submit to authority (1‑20 work days).
6. Access succeeds; filing number unchanged.

Key notes: filing number (e.g., 京ICP备12345678号) stays the same; filing subject stays the same; only the access‑provider changes; the site remains operational during review.