Websites hosted on servers in the Chinese mainland are required to complete ICP filing with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) of the People's Republic of China. Those hosted outside the Chinese mainland do not need to do so but must complete the Public Security Bureau (PSB) filing. This topic lists common questions about the filing process across various scenarios.
Is ICP filing required if I only purchase a cloud server without using a domain name?
Is it mandatory to purchase an Alibaba Cloud server for ICP filing on Alibaba Cloud?
Can the ICP filing entity be a company if the domain holder is an individual?
When is adding Alibaba Cloud as a service provider required?
Is ICP filing required for the domain name?
ICP filing with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) is required when the domain name resolution points to a server in the Chinese mainland and a web service is activated. If the domain name resolution points to a server outside the Chinese mainland (e.g., Hong Kong or other regions), MIIT ICP filing is not required, but PSB filing must be completed.
Does ICP filing involve any charges?
ICP filing itself does not incur any charges. However, to complete ICP filing, you need to purchase a cloud server that supports the filing process, which involves costs.
ICP filing requires a domain name and a server located in the Chinese mainland that meets the filing requirements. You must submit the ICP filing application through your server provider. If you plan to file your domain name through Alibaba Cloud, you need to first purchase an ECS instance. Then, log in to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing Management System via a PC or download the Alibaba Cloud app to submit the ICP filing application on a mobile device.
For specifications and requirements of cloud servers for ICP filing, see Check the filing server. You can choose a suitable server and proceed with the purchase on the buy page.
What are the differences between ICP filing scenarios?
The major differences include the geographic location of servers, service type, domain usage, and entity qualification requirements.
The filing of general websites follows the requirements of server location.
Government websites must use a ".gov.cn" domain for filing.
Enterprises registered outside the Chinese mainland need to provide a representative office document.
The filing for cloud services, such as OSS, CDN, WAF, and Anti-DDoS, depends on service access in the Chinese mainland.
Corporate email filing is related to binding custom domain.
For website building products, such as CloudWebsite and CloudWebdesign, apply for a service identification number from Alibaba Cloud Marketplace.
Is ICP filing required if I only purchase a cloud server without using a domain name?
No. ICP filing is only required when the domain name resolution points to a server in the Chinese mainland and a web service is activated.
Is ICP filing required for subdomains?
If the primary domain has already completed ICP filing with Alibaba Cloud, the corresponding subdomains do not need to undergo ICP filing again.
If the primary domain has an ICP filing number but the filing was not completed through Alibaba Cloud, you need to transfer the ICP filing information of the primary domain to Alibaba Cloud (a primary domain can be associated with multiple service providers).
If the primary domain does not have an ICP filing number, according to MIIT regulations, a domain without ICP filing cannot activate website access. You must first submit the primary domain for ICP filing, and once the filing is successfully completed, the subdomain can be used normally.
Is it mandatory to purchase an Alibaba Cloud server for ICP filing on Alibaba Cloud?
If your domain is a Wangpu (storefront) or corporate official website domain, you can simply select Wangpu or corporate official website during the product verification step of the ICP filing process. There is no need to purchase an additional Alibaba Cloud server.
If your domain is not a Wangpu or corporate official website domain, you must purchase an Alibaba Cloud server that meets the ICP filing requirements. During the product verification step, you will need to select the corresponding server instance for verification. For server requirements for ICP filing, see Check the filing server.
Can the ICP filing entity be a company if the domain holder is an individual?
ICP filing requires the information of the domain holder to match that of the ICP filing entity. However, there are two special cases where the domain holder is an individual, but the ICP filing entity can be a company:
Domain holder is the legal representative of the company:
In some provinces and cities, the ICP filing entity can be the company represented by the legal representative, and no proof materials are required during the ICP filing process. The rules for each provincial Communications Administration can be reviewed by clicking on the corresponding province in ICP filing regulations of the MIIT for different regions.
Domain holder is a shareholder, key officer, or senior manager of the company:
In some provinces and cities, the ICP filing entity can be the company associated with a shareholder, key officer, or senior manager. During the ICP filing process, relevant supporting documents must be uploaded to the filing system to complete the ICP filing. The rules for each provincial Communications Administration can be reviewed by clicking on the corresponding province in ICP filing regulations of the MIIT for different regions.
When is the initial ICP filing required?
If the entity (individual or company) and the domain have never undergone ICP filing before, you must complete the initial ICP filing through the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing Management System before activating web access services.
When is adding Alibaba Cloud as a service provider required?
After the entity and domain have already successfully completed ICP filing with another service provider, you can switch the service provider to Alibaba Cloud or add Alibaba Cloud as an additional service provider for the website.
When is an additional website ICP filing required?
If your ICP filing entity has already successfully completed ICP filing with another service provider, and you now purchase an Alibaba Cloud server and need to file a new website domain with Alibaba Cloud, you need to apply for an additional website filing (original filing not on Alibaba Cloud).
If your ICP filing entity has already successfully filed with Alibaba Cloud and you now want to host a new website on an Alibaba Cloud server, you need to apply for an additional website filing (original filing on Alibaba Cloud).
When is a change of ICP filing required?
If your website already has an ICP filing number from Alibaba Cloud and there are subsequent changes to the filing entity or website information, you need to promptly update the entity or website information in Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing Management System to ensure your ICP filing information is up-to-date.