Food Business License and Selling Food Online in China: Permits, Labels and CBEC Rules

Selling food online in China requires a food business license online china in most cases, but three major exemptions exist: prepackaged-only sellers file a free 5-working-day dengji, 37 cities host bonded CBEC warehouses, and imported prepackaged food must carry Chinese labels. Getting the pathway right determines whether you launch in weeks or stall for months.

Quick Facts

Do You Need a Food Business License to Sell Food Online in China?

Most online food sellers need a food business license, but Decree No. 78 carves out four exemptions that cover a surprising share of foreign entrants. The rules come from the Measures for the Administration of Food Business Licensing and Filing (SAMR Decree No. 78), which took effect December 1, 2023 and repealed the 2015 licensing measures (SAMR Decree No. 17).

You will typically NOT need a license if you fall into one of these four categories (Article 4 of Decree No. 78):

1. Selling edible agricultural products (fresh produce, unprocessed grains).
2. Selling only prepackaged food — handled by filing, not licensing (see next section).
3. Medical institutions or drug retailers selling specific full-nutrition formula foods.
4. Food producers selling their own output from their premises or online.

If none apply, you apply for a food business license covering one of three project categories: food sales, catering services, or food business management (Article 11). Note two special rules: only central kitchens may apply for semi-finished product sales, and "simple preparation" activities (thawing, simple heating, brewing, assembly, plating, washing and cutting) qualify for simplified licensing — but raw-food, cold-processed pastry and cold-meat categories do not (Article 14).

How Does the Prepackaged-Only Filing (beian) Work?

If you only sell prepackaged food online, China replaced the old license with a filing system — a lighter, faster, typically free route. Under Decree No. 78, you file with the market regulation authority at or above county level in your place of business.

Key mechanics:

1. Timing: Existing entities file within 5 working days of starting sales; new entities typically file as part of business registration.
2. Number format: "YB" + 14 digits encoding business type (1 = wholesale, 2 = retail), province, city, county, a 6-digit sequence and a check digit.
3. Public disclosure: The authority publishes your filing within 5 working days.
4. Changes: Update within 15 working days of any change.
5. Automatic invalidation: Your filing lapses if your business entity terminates, or if you later obtain a license for an activity requiring one.

Beijing offers a "multi-certificate-in-one" convenience: if your business license states "food business (prepackaged food sales only)," you may operate without a separate filing certificate (Beijing SAMR Notice). Other cities may still require a standalone filing document — verify locally. Beijing's filing form also lists "online food seller" as a recognized business format, confirming that pure e-commerce operators fit the filing route.

What Does a Food Business License Cost and How Long Does It Last?

The license itself carries no statutory fee in most regions, and validity runs 5 years — but confirm both points against local guidance before budgeting. The Decree No. 78 text sets no administrative fee, and most municipal service guides reflect CNY 0; a few localities may charge a nominal certificate production cost. If you lose your certificate, a replacement is issued within 10 working days of acceptance, with the original number retained (Article 37).

What Label Rules Apply to Imported Prepackaged Food?

Every imported prepackaged food must carry a Chinese label stating origin and the domestic importer's or agent's name, address and contact details — without it, the product cannot clear customs. This is a hard rule under Food Safety Law Article 97.

The GB 7718-2025 official Q&A adds operational detail:

1. Correspondence: Mandatory Chinese content must correspond one-to-one with foreign-language text (exceptions: trademarks, foreign producer name/address, website URLs). Anything Chinese law requires but the original label omits must appear in Chinese.
2. Country of origin: If the product is wholly produced in one country, that country is the origin; with multi-country involvement, the origin is the country where the last substantive transformation occurred.
3. Missing production date: If the original label lacks one, calculate it from the shelf-life or best-before date and add it by sticker or printing.

Remember the two-track distinction: these label and registration rules apply to general-trade imports. The CBEC bonded channel follows different rules, covered below.

How Does Cross-Border E-Commerce (CBEC) Change the Rules?

The CBEC retail-import channel — bonded warehouse model (customs code 1210) and direct purchase — treats goods as personal-use items, exempting them from first-import registration and licensing requirements that general trade demands. Under Customs Announcement No. 194 of 2018, effective January 1, 2019:

1. Goods must appear on the Cross-Border E-Commerce Retail Import Positive List, be for personal use, and meet tax-policy conditions.
2. The 1210 bonded model operates in 37 cities/regions.
3. Consumers may not resell CBEC purchases — a critical constraint on your business model.
4. Returns must reach the original supervised site within 30 days of customs release, in original condition.

Two caveats matter. First, the registration/licensing exemption does not apply to goods from epidemic regions or items flagged as major risks. Second, under the Biosecurity Law, positive-list categories involving plants, animals or high-risk biological factors must still satisfy import-access conditions before sale (Harbin Customs response). Annual personal purchase limits exist under the 2018 policy framework, but confirm current thresholds with official sources before planning unit economics.

General Trade Import vs. CBEC Bonded: Which Path Fits Your Food Product?

Choose general trade if you plan broad distribution, offline channels or B2B sales. Choose CBEC if you want to test demand without Chinese labeling and special-food registration costs — accepting the personal-use-only constraint and list restrictions.

What Compliance Duties Apply When Selling Food Through Chinese E-Commerce Platforms?

Operating online adds obligations under the Measures for the Administration of Network Transactions (SAMR Decree No. 37):

1. Live-streaming records: If you sell via live-stream, retain the video for at least 3 years from broadcast end (Article 20).
2. Platform marking: Platforms must prominently distinguish registered from unregistered business operators (Article 27) — expect platforms to verify your license or filing during onboarding.
3. Display obligations: Online sellers must display license information or filing numbers as platforms integrate them into storefronts.

In practice, platforms such as Tmall Global and JD Worldwide require a food business license online china or a prepackaged filing number before approving food categories — check each platform's current seller rules, which sit outside this article's scope.

Step-by-Step: Securing Your Food Business License Online China Pathway

1. Classify your product. Determine whether it is prepackaged food, edible agricultural product, or requires catering/production licensing — this decides license vs. filing (Decree No. 78, Art. 4).
2. Choose your channel. General trade (license + Chinese label + possible registration) or CBEC bonded (positive list + personal-use constraint) — the choice drives everything downstream (Announcement No. 194).
3. Establish or designate a local entity. Foreign sellers typically need a Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise (WFOE) or a Chinese partner; the license or filing attaches to the local entity.
4. File or apply. For prepackaged-only sales, submit the filing within 5 working days of commencing sales; otherwise apply for the food business license under the correct project category (Article 11).
5. Prepare labels. For general trade, commission a GB 7718-compliant Chinese label covering origin, importer details and mandatory correspondence rules (GB 7718-2025 Q&A).
6. Verify positive-list status. For CBEC, confirm your product sits on the Positive List and clears any biosecurity access requirements.
7. Set up platform compliance. Prepare to display your license/filing number, and build live-stream record-keeping (3-year retention) into operations if you use that channel (SAMR Decree No. 37).

What to Watch Out For

1. Mixing the two tracks. The "no registration/licensing" benefit applies only to the CBEC bonded and direct-purchase channels. General-trade imports always need Chinese labels and, for special foods, registration — confusing the two is the most common compliance failure.
2. Biosecurity blind spot. Positive-list membership alone is insufficient for products involving animals, plants or high-risk biological factors; import-access conditions still apply (Harbin Customs).
3. Resale prohibition. Structuring a CBEC business around buyer resale violates Announcement No. 194 — design your model around genuine personal use.
4. Regional variation. Beijing's multi-certificate convenience does not automatically extend elsewhere; some cities issue standalone filing certificates (Beijing SAMR).
5. License validity clause. The 5-year validity figure should be verified against the exact article of Decree No. 78 before it appears in investor materials.
6. Label date gaps. Products whose original labels lack production dates need calculated dates added by sticker or printing — plan this into repackaging logistics (GB 7718-2025 Q&A).

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need a food business license online china to sell imported snacks through a Chinese platform?

A: If you sell only prepackaged food, you typically need a filing (beian) rather than a full license — submitted within 5 working days of starting sales under SAMR Decree No. 78. The filing number follows the "YB" + 14-digit format and is publicly disclosed within 5 working days.

Q: How much does a Chinese food business license cost?

A: Most regions charge CNY 0 for both the license and the prepackaged filing, as Decree No. 78 sets no administrative fee. A few localities may impose a nominal certificate cost, so verify with your local market regulation authority before budgeting.

Q: Can I sell food on Chinese platforms without any Chinese entity?

A: Generally no for the domestic channel — the license or filing attaches to a locally registered entity, and platforms verify credentials during onboarding. The CBEC bonded channel still requires a Chinese-registered e-commerce enterprise per Customs Announcement No. 194, so plan for local establishment either way.

Q: Does my imported food need a Chinese label if sold via CBEC bonded warehouse?

A: No Chinese retail label is required because 1210/direct-purchase goods are supervised as personal-use items and exempted from first-import requirements, per Announcement No. 194. However, products from epidemic regions or flagged major-risk goods are excluded from this exemption.

Q: What is the Cross-Border E-Commerce Retail Import Positive List?

A: It is the official catalog defining which goods may enter China through CBEC retail channels, limited to personal-use items meeting tax conditions. Your product must appear on the list, and categories involving animals, plants or high-risk biological factors must additionally satisfy Biosecurity Law import-access conditions.

Q: How long can Chinese consumers wait to return CBEC food purchases?

A: Returns must reach the original customs-supervised site within 30 days of release, in original condition, under Announcement No. 194. Build this window into your returns policy and warehouse planning, since food products may face additional condition requirements.

Q: Can buyers resell products purchased through CBEC channels?

A: No. Announcement No. 194 explicitly prohibits consumers from reselling CBEC retail imports, restricting them to personal use. Any business model premised on buyer resale — grey-market distribution, for instance — violates the rule and risks supply-chain disruption.

Q: What records must I keep if I sell food via live-streaming?

A: Under SAMR Decree No. 37, Article 20, live-stream sellers must retain broadcast videos for at least 3 years from the end of each stream. Platforms must also prominently mark whether operators are registered businesses, so expect credential checks during onboarding.

Q: How long is a Chinese food business license valid?

A: The license is valid for 5 years under the Decree No. 78 framework, though you should confirm the exact article before citing it in formal documents. Replacements are issued within 10 working days of acceptance, retaining the original license number.

Q: Can CnBusinessHub help me decide between general trade and CBEC for my food product?

A: Yes. CnBusinessHub can help you evaluate both pathways — comparing labeling costs, positive-list eligibility, entity requirements and timelines — and coordinate with qualified local professionals for the filing or licensing itself. Most clients reach a channel decision within two to three weeks of initial assessment.

Conclusion

Three takeaways for US food brands entering China:

1. Match the pathway to the product. Prepackaged-only sellers can use the lightweight filing system (5 working days, typically CNY 0), while broader food businesses need the full license under Decree No. 78.
2. CBEC trades labeling costs for constraints. The 37-city bonded channel exempts you from Chinese labels and first-import registration — but binds you to the Positive List, personal-use-only sales and a 30-day return window.
3. Labels are non-negotiable for general trade. Food Safety Law Article 97 blocks any imported prepackaged food without a compliant Chinese label; GB 7718-2025 details the correspondence, origin and date rules.

For personalized guidance on your China e-commerce licensing pathway, contact the CnBusinessHub advisory team at consult@CnBusinessHub.com to book a consultation.

Written by the CnBusinessHub Advisory Team, China market-entry advisors since 2019 — 1,500+ foreign enterprises guided across 16+ cities.

Last updated: 2026-10-11 | Next review: April 2027

Sources

1. Measures for the Administration of Food Business Licensing and Filing (SAMR Decree No. 78) — Ministry of Justice
2. Customs Announcement No. 194 of 2018 — General Administration of Customs
3. Measures for the Administration of Network Transactions (SAMR Decree No. 37) — Ministry of Justice
4. GB 7718-2025 Official Q&A — National Health Commission
5. Beijing Notice on Prepackaged Food Business Filing — Beijing Municipal Market Regulation Authority
6. Food Safety Law Article 97 Guidance — Customs (Guangdong)
7. CBEC Positive List and Biosecurity Access Response — Customs (Harbin)
8. Decree No. 78 Release Report — Chaoyang County Government

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