Internet information services related to news, publishing, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other industries require corresponding pre-approval procedures. This topic introduces the categories of industries that involve pre-approval and the approving authorities. If your internet information service requires pre-approval, refer to this topic to contact the relevant local departments for processing.
Usage notes
If your organization name, business scope, or internet services involve activities that require pre-approval documents, please first obtain the necessary approvals from the relevant provincial authorities in your locality. Otherwise, your Internet Content Provider (ICP) filing may not be approved.
If you are unable to obtain the required pre-approval documents, we recommend modifying your organization name, business scope, or service information to avoid triggering the pre-approval requirement before submitting the filing.
If you have already consulted with the relevant authorities and confirmed that no pre-approval is necessary, you should provide explanatory notes or submit a statement during the filing process as proof. For more information, see Provide remarks or submit a description.
If you are unsure whether your activities require pre-approval for ICP filing, you can use the Industry Qualification License Intelligent Judgment tool in the Filing Management System to check, or submit your application for review directly. If additional documentation is required, the staff will contact you via the phone number provided for the designated filing contact person.
Industries involving pre-approval and approving authorities
According to the table below, you can find the corresponding pre-approval authority based on your industry and obtain the necessary approval documents. Before uploading these documents, please complete the ICP filing information up to the website or app information section. During this process, select the correct pre-approval type, enter the approval number, and upload the approval documents.
If the pre-approval information or documents you provided are incorrect, you can make changes based on the following scenarios.
ICP filing not yet submitted for initial review: Modify the information on the Edit Website Information page via the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system on PC.
ICP filing already submitted for initial review: Wait for Alibaba Cloud review. If the reviewer finds errors in your pre-approval information, your application will be rejected. After rejection, you can update the information on the Edit Website Information page via the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system on PC.
Industry | Authority | Required pre-approval document | Remarks |
Provincial, Municipal, and District Education Administrative Departments | N/A | None. | |
Provincial Cybersecurity and Informatization Committee Office | Internet News Information Service License | None. | |
Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department and Provincial Press and Publication Radio Film and Television Bureau | Internet Publishing Service License | None. | |
Provincial Food and Drug Administration (for pesticide and chemical production enterprise approval) |
Internet Pharmaceutical Information Service Qualification Certificate Note The Information Service Qualification Certificate for chemical drugs is issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). | None. | |
Provincial Culture and Tourism Department | Network Culture Operation License | None. | |
Provincial Party Committee Propaganda Department and Provincial Press and Publication Radio Film and Television Bureau | Information Network Transmission of Audio-Visual Programs License | Regulatory authorities still require this license; otherwise, ICP filing will not be approved. | |
Traffic Management Committee of the registered location of the company | Online Ride-Hailing Taxi Operation License | None. | |
| N/A | None. | |
Provincial or Above Government Religious Affairs Department | Internet Religious Information Service License | Regulatory authorities still require this license; otherwise, ICP filing will not be approved. |
Off-campus Training
According to the Opinion on Further Reducing the Homework and Off-campus Training Burden for Students in the Compulsory Education Stage issued by the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council, companies whose business involves off-campus training (including online, offline, remote, and other forms) must provide pre-approval documents from the provincial, municipal, or district education department before applying for ICP filing. This requirement does not currently apply to vocational training. For example, the pre-approval number for an educational license is typically the license certificate number.
If you are unsure whether your training falls under vocational training, follow the requirements of the review personnel.
News
Internet News Information Services involve the online publication of news (including reports and commentary on political, economic, military, and diplomatic affairs, as well as social emergencies), provision of political electronic bulletin services, and sending political communications to the public.
1. Services that publish news beyond their own generated content, provide political electronic bulletin services, and send political communications.
2. Non-news service entities that reprint news, provide political electronic bulletin services, and send political communications.
3. News organizations publishing only their own previously published news content.
Publishing
Internet Publishing refers to the online dissemination of works created by the service provider or others, after selection and editing, for public browsing, reading, use, or download. These works primarily include officially published books, newspapers, journals, audio-visual products, electronic publications, and other publicly released content that has been edited in literature, art, natural sciences, social sciences, and engineering technology.
Any entity providing online services such as e-reading, e-publications, audio-visual products, internet books, internet newspapers, internet magazines, mobile publications, academic publications, art publications, educational publications, and maps on the internet or mobile web must apply for an Internet Publishing Service License from the relevant authorities.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices
According to the Measures for the Administration of Internet Pharmaceutical Information Services, Internet Pharmaceutical Information Services refer to activities that provide drug (including medical device) information to internet users.
Culture
According to the Interim Provisions on the Administration of Internet Culture, Internet Cultural Products refer to cultural products produced, distributed, and circulated via the internet, such as music, animation, games, and live streams.
Radio, Film, and Television programs
This type of online content refers to video and audio programs captured using cameras, recorders, and other audio-visual equipment, consisting of continuous moving images or listenable sounds, such as video content and live streaming internet services.
Online Ride-hailing Services
Within the administrative region of the city, entities providing or managing Online Ride-hailing Services must obtain an Online Ride-Hailing Taxi Operation License. This service involves using internet technology to build a platform that matches supply and demand, offering reservation-based taxi services with qualified vehicles and drivers (essentially providing Online Ride-hailing Services via an internet platform).
Financial Services
For ICP filing, companies whose names, business scopes, internet service names, or service contents involve financial terms such as exchanges, financial centers, asset management, wealth management, funds, investment management, equity investment funds, online lending, P2P, equity crowdfunding, internet insurance, and payments must provide special approval documents from financial regulators. Rules vary by province, so the above keywords are for reference only; specific requirements are subject to review results.
For existing internet services, Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing will periodically verify compliance. Any service found to be improperly conducting financial activities will have its filing revoked.
Departments for pre-approval documents (for reference):
Internet Payment Services: Consult the People's Bank of China.
Online Lending (P2P, online microloans): Consult the Provincial Financial Services Office or CBIRC.
Internet Insurance Services: Consult CIRC.
Internet Trust and Consumer Finance Services: Consult CBIRC.
Equity Crowdfunding, Internet Funds, Fund Sales, Financing, Financing Guarantees: Consult CSRC. For ICP filing in Jiangsu Province involving financing or guarantee terms, consult the Economic and Information Commission.
Private Equity Fund Services: Consult the China Association of Securities Investment Funds. In Jiangsu, provide approval documents from financial regulators allowing submission for financial ICP filing.
Special cases (for reference):
Foundations (Charitable, Non-Profit): Some authorities require uploading an approval letter from civil affairs departments and a pledge not to engage in financial activities.
If internet services do not involve financial activities, users must change their company name or business scope; otherwise, filing will not be approved.
Religion
To publish, promote, or conduct any religion-related information and activities online, you must obtain an Internet Religious Information Service License, approved by religious affairs departments of provincial-level or higher governments. Regulatory authorities still require this license; otherwise, ICP filing will not be approved.
Explanatory notes or statements to be provided
If the authority of a pre-approval industry confirms that you do not need pre-approval, you can proceed to fill out and submit the ICP filing information for initial review. During the initial review, provide explanatory notes or a statement as required by the reviewer. The content and submission method for these materials are outlined in the table below.
Material | Content | Submission method |
Explanatory notes | The explanatory notes should include the name of the approval authority contacted, the landline telephone number (with area code), and the confirmation result. | When filing for website/App ICP filing through the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing Management System, please correctly fill out all details up to the “Fill in Internet Information Service” stage. At this stage, locate the Explanatory Notes box in the website/App Basic Information section and enter the notes. |
Statement | The statement should include:
| During the ICP filing initial review, if the reviewer requests a statement, they will note this in their feedback or notify you by email. Send the statement to the email address provided by the reviewer. |
If the authority does not accept explanatory notes or statements, you must obtain pre-approval documents.
If your internet service name or content requires pre-approval, you must either obtain pre-approval documents or modify the service name and content accordingly.