Company setup in China

Start with the right structure

Explore legal entity forms and registration sources for China. Use the local terminology below when discussing your application with the relevant authority.

Detailed foreign-investor rules for this jurisdiction have not yet been independently reviewed here. The registry sources below are the starting point for confirming the available formation route.

Company & entity types

Listed forms include commercial companies and other legal entities. A listing is not confirmation that a foreign founder can establish that form. Local names are preserved to avoid misleading legal translations.

Find a legal form or sub-jurisdiction

37 legal forms listed

外国常驻新闻机构

wai guo chang zhu xin wen ji gou

ChinaELF 1IWK

基金会

ji jin hui

ChinaELF 2M6Y

军队事业单位

jun dui shi ye dan wei

ChinaELF 5A9K

村级集体经济组织

cun ji ji ti jing ji zu zhi

ChinaELF 5GXA

宗教院校

zong jiao yuan xiao

ChinaELF 6KC0

律师执业机构

lv shi zhi ye ji gou

ChinaELF 6NSC

外国在华文化中心

wai guo zai hua wen hua zhong xin

ChinaELF 8XAW

事业单位

shi ye dan wei

ChinaELF B5UZ

编办直接管理机构编制的群众团体

bian ban zhi jie guan li ji gou bian zhi de qun zhong tuan ti

ChinaELF BDTI

其他（外交）

qi ta（ wai jiao ）

ChinaELF C38B

其他（中央军委改革和编制办公室）

qi ta（ zhong yang jun wei gai ge he bian zhi ban gong shi ）

ChinaELF CYV6

乡镇级集体经济组织

xiang zhen ji ji ti jing ji zu zhi

ChinaELF DLEK

民办非企业单位

min ban fei qi ye dan wei

ChinaELF E4FG

港澳台地区旅游部门常驻内地(大陆)代表机构

gang ao tai di qu lv you bu men chang zhu nei di ( da lu ) dai biao ji gou

ChinaELF E4YV

公证处

gong zheng chu

ChinaELF E88S

企业

qi ye

ChinaELF ECAK

其他（农业）

qi ta（ nong ye ）

ChinaELF ESZ8

社会团体

she hui tuan ti

ChinaELF GGZ5

其他（文化）

qi ta（ wen hua ）

ChinaELF GPHT

机关

ji guan

ChinaELF I39S

基层法律服务所

ji ceng fa lv fu wu suo

ChinaELF IBEM

有限合伙企业

youxian hehuo qiye

ChinaELF J7SF

其他（适用于无登记机构的的情况）

qi ta（ shi yong yu wu deng ji ji gou de de qing kuang ）

ChinaELF LURL

其他（司法行政）

qi ta（ si fa xing zheng ）

ChinaELF NWJX

基层工会

ji ceng gong hui

ChinaELF OH9O

其他（旅游）

qi ta（ lv you ）

ChinaELF OMUD

其他（工会）

qi ta（ gong hui ）

ChinaELF R3O0

个体工商户

ge ti gong shang hu

ChinaELF RV48

司法鉴定机构

si fa jian ding ji gou

ChinaELF S9UH

其他（机构编制）

qi ta（ ji gou bian zhi ）

ChinaELF SH05

其他（宗教）

qi ta（ zong jiao ）

ChinaELF T0KK

外国旅游部门常驻代表机构

wai guo lv you bu men chang zhu dai biao ji gou

ChinaELF TBG2

农民专业合作社

nong min zhuan ye he zuo she

ChinaELF UMCR

仲裁委员会

zhong cai wei yuan hui

ChinaELF V251

组级集体经济组织

zu ji ji ti jing ji zu zhi

ChinaELF V816

其他（民政）

qi ta（ min zheng ）

ChinaELF WEUX

宗教活动场所

zong jiao huo dong chang suo

ChinaELF YXJ5

Source: GLEIF ELF v1.6, February 2026 ↗. Active codes only; language variants grouped by code. The source is not an exhaustive list of all available legal forms.

What to confirm before applying

These are planning questions, not verified China requirements.

Foreign ownership & activity

Ask whether your nationality, ownership percentage and proposed business activity require investment approval, a local partner or a sector licence.

Directors & local presence

Confirm the required directors, shareholders, registered office, local representative and any residency or company-secretary rules.

Capital & incorporation costs

Obtain the current minimum capital, filing fees, notarisation costs, translations and annual renewal or service charges for the selected legal form.

Tax & ongoing compliance

Verify corporate tax, VAT or sales tax, withholding, beneficial-ownership reporting, accounting, audit and annual-return obligations.

Banking & immigration

Check bank onboarding and source-of-funds evidence separately. Company registration should not be treated as approval for banking, residence or work permission.