An Internet Content Provider (ICP) filing ensures compliance with the regulations in Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services and Registration Administration Measures for Non-Commercial Internet Information Services. The People's Republic of China mandates an ICP filing system for non-commercial Internet information services and an ICP licensing system for commercial Internet information services. If you have not applied for and obtained an ICP filing or a commercial ICP license for your website, you cannot provide non-commercial or commercial Internet information services by using the website. You can apply for an ICP filing, modify ICP filing information, cancel an ICP filing, and claim ICP filing information in the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system.

What happens if you do not have an ICP filing?

As stipulated by the preceding measures, if you want to provide an Internet service by using a domain name that is resolved to a server deployed in the Chinese mainland, you must obtain an ICP filing. For example, an ICP filing is required if you want to run a website, a mailbox service, or an application, or provide a program API.
  • You must obtain an ICP filing and resolve your website domain name to an Alibaba Cloud instance that is deployed in Mainland China. If the preceding requirements are not met, the Alibaba Cloud monitoring system suspends your website and asks you to obtain an ICP filing.
  • If you have obtained an ICP filing from another service provider and you want to resolve your website domain name to an Alibaba Cloud instance that is deployed in Mainland China, you must add Alibaba Cloud to your ICP filing information as a service provider. If the preceding requirements are not met, the Alibaba Cloud monitoring system suspends your website and asks you to add Alibaba Cloud to your ICP filing information as a service provider.

Overview of the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system

The following figure shows how to properly build a website that can provide services. To build a website, you must specify the instance and access information, website information, and entity information. To apply for an ICP filing, you must submit the preceding information to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) so that it can verify the authenticity and security of the services provided by your website. You can access the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system on a PC or the Alibaba Cloud app. The Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system allows you to apply for an ICP filing, modify ICP filing information, cancel an ICP filing, and claim ICP filing information.
  • Apply for an ICP filing

    If you need to apply for an ICP filing for a website, you can purchase an Alibaba Cloud instance that is deployed in Mainland China and log on to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system on a PC or the Alibaba Cloud app. Then, you can apply for an ICP filing in the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system.

    For more information about the procedure and ICP filing types, see the ICP filing application overview topic in the ICP filing documentation on the Alibaba Cloud China site (aliyun.com). For more information about how to apply for an ICP filing on a PC, see the ICP Filing for the first time topic in the ICP filing documentation on the Alibaba Cloud China site (aliyun.com). For more information about how to apply for an ICP filing on the Alibaba Cloud app, see the Get started with ICP filings on the Alibaba Cloud app topic in the ICP filing documentation on the Alibaba Cloud China site (aliyun.com).

  • Modify ICP filing information and cancel an ICP filing
    • Modify ICP filing information

      Modify ICP filing information: After you have obtained an ICP filing, you can submit a request to modify ICP filing information from the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system on a PC or the Alibaba Cloud app. For example, you can submit a request to modify the entity or website information.

    • Remove Alibaba Cloud from the service provider list or cancel an ICP filing

      After you have obtained an ICP filing, you can log on to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system on a PC or the Alibaba Cloud app to remove Alibaba Cloud from the service provider list or cancel an ICP filing. The procedure on the Alibaba Cloud app is the same as that on the PC.

      • Remove Alibaba Cloud from the service provider list: After you remove Alibaba Cloud from the service provider list in the ICP filing information, the ICP filing information is dissociated from Alibaba Cloud. We recommend that you add a new service provider to the ICP filing information before you remove Alibaba Cloud from the service provider list.
        Warning If you remove the current service provider before a new one is added, the ICP filing of your website may become invalid. Therefore, you must add a new service provider at the earliest opportunity.
      • Cancel an ICP filing: If you no longer need to use the website that has obtained an ICP filing in the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system, you must cancel the ICP filing by deleting the website or entity information.
  • Other services
    Note You can import or claim ICP filing information only on a PC. These operations are not supported on the Alibaba Cloud app.

    Import or claim ICP filing information: You can determine whether to import or claim your ICP filing information to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system. For more information, see the Determine whether to import or claim the ICP filing information section in the ICP filing documentation on the Alibaba Cloud China site (aliyun.com).

Considerations

When you apply for an ICP filing in the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system, take note of the following limits, requirements, and regulations:
  • Prerequisites

    Pay attention to the limits when you apply for an ICP filing in the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system. For example, you can apply for an ICP filing only for a domain name, but not an IP address. For more information, see Limits.

  • Requirements for domain names and instances

    Before you apply for an ICP filing, you must verify that your website domain name and the instance that hosts your website meet the ICP filing requirements. For more information about the requirements, see Prepare and check the domain name and Prepare and check the instance and access information.

  • Regulations

    The MIIT has regulations on the content and format of ICP filing information, required materials, modifications of ICP filing information, and changes in the service provider. These regulations vary among provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities. Before you apply for an ICP filing, we recommend that you read and understand the ICP filing regulations of MIIT in your region, and prepare the ICP filing materials as required. For more information, see the ICP filing regulations of MIIT in different regions topic in the ICP filing documentation on the Alibaba Cloud China site (aliyun.com).