Basic Information You Need Before Registering a Company
Author: Junanda ConsultingReviewed by: Junanda Service Team2026-09-19
Setting up a company is not in itself a complicated piece of administrative work. What genuinely takes the time is turning up with information that is incomplete and having to supply materials over and over. Many applications are returned not because the applicant fails to qualify, but because the name is similar to an existing one, the address documentation does not meet the standard, a proposed officer is subject to a restriction on holding office, or the wording of the business scope is not standard.
Getting the basic information set out below in order in one go will usually shorten the process considerably.
1. The Name: Prepare Three to Five Alternatives
An enterprise name is generally made up of an administrative division, a trade name, an industry description and an organisational form. The trade name is the core element, and it is also the part most likely to clash with an existing name or to run into difficulty.
Prepare three to five alternative trade names, ranked in order of preference, so that a rejection for similarity does not mean starting again at the back of the queue.
Avoid similarity: a name that is highly similar in trade name to an already registered name in the same industry, that sounds the same, or that is close in written form, is likely to be judged similar.
Avoid prohibited and restricted wording: the name must not contain anything harmful to the state or to the public interest, or anything likely to mislead the public; wording that could make the public think the entity is connected with a state organ or an international organisation should not be used.
Use a standard industry description: it should match the company's main business, and should use the industry wording set out in the registration standards rather than something invented.
If the trade name touches on another party's registered trademark or a well-known brand, there may be a risk of infringement even if the name registration goes through. It is worth carrying out a trademark search in advance.
2. Registered Capital and Shareholders' Contribution Ratios
Settle the amount of registered capital, and each shareholder's subscribed amount, contribution ratio and form of contribution (cash, or non-monetary property that can be valued and transferred in accordance with the law).
Settle the timing of each shareholder's contribution, and reflect it in the articles of association.
Where non-monetary property is contributed (for example intellectual property or equipment), the property must be valued and title transferred, which takes longer, so the valuation materials should be prepared in good time.
Registered capital is not a case of the more the better: shareholders are liable for the company's debts within the scope of what they have subscribed, so the amount should match the scale of the business, the industry thresholds and the shareholders' own capacity to bear it.
3. Identity Information and Restrictions on Holding Office
The officers and personnel whose details are usually required include the legal representative, the shareholders, the directors, the supervisor, the manager and, where applicable, the person responsible for finance. Each of them must provide:
name, identity document number, and images of both sides of the identity document;
a mobile telephone number (used for real-name authentication, and it must be a number registered in that person's own name);
a frequently used email address (for receiving electronic documents and filing reminders);
a personal digital certificate or real-name authentication information, depending on the registration method used.
Restrictions on holding office (which must be checked in advance):
A person listed as a discredited judgment debtor, or who falls within a statutory ground disqualifying them from acting as legal representative or as a director, supervisor or senior manager, cannot hold office.
Serving civil servants and persons managed by reference to the civil service regime are subject to statutory restrictions on running a business or holding concurrent posts, and this must be verified beforehand.
A person who, owing to poor management, has had a licence revoked while bearing personal responsibility, and for whom the statutory period has not yet elapsed, may not hold the relevant position.
Identity information and real-name authentication information must be consistent. Lending another person's identity to act as a nominee carries very high risk and is not recommended.
4. Registered Address Materials
The registered address is a frequent cause of returned applications. One or more of the following should be prepared in accordance with local requirements:
Owner-occupied premises: a copy of the title certificate and the identity document of the owner;
Leased premises: the lease (with the term, the permitted use and the address stated clearly) together with the landlord's title certificate; in some cases a lease registration certificate is also required;
Premises use certificate: issued by the title-holding unit or the unit with the authority to manage the premises;
Cluster registration or hosted premises: the hosting agreement for the park or incubator, and the cluster registration materials.
Points to note: the address information must be genuine, contactable, and able to receive correspondence. Converting residential premises to commercial use must comply with local rules and with requirements such as the consent of interested owners. Where a licensed activity is involved, the premises must also satisfy the corresponding site conditions.
5. Drafting the Business Scope
Select items from the standard registration wording, with the main activity first and secondary activities after.
Where pre-approval applies, the licence must be obtained first. Where post-approval applies, the licence must be obtained within the prescribed period after the business licence is issued.
Do not pile up items unrelated to the business, and do not leave out activities you actually intend to carry out.
For the licences that correspond to the business scope, it is worth preparing a mapping table in advance, so as to avoid the awkward position of being able to issue invoices but not to carry on the activity.
6. Contact Details, Other Information and Seals
Mobile telephone number: used for real-name authentication and text verification with the corporate registry, tax, social insurance and banking channels. It is advisable to use a number that the legal representative has used for a long time.
Email address: used for receiving the electronic business licence, tax notices and filing reminders. A dedicated mailbox, checked regularly, is advisable.
Other items: details of the enterprise liaison officer, details of the finance personnel, and the bank account information needed to open social insurance and housing fund accounts.
It is advisable to designate a contact person immediately after incorporation, responsible for receiving notices from the various departments, so that the entity is not listed on the abnormal operations list because it cannot be reached.
Seals
The seals commonly used are the company seal, the finance seal, the invoice seal, the contract seal and the legal representative's name seal. Seals must be made at a properly registered seal-making establishment that has filed with the public security authority, and the filing certificate should be kept. Applying for electronic seals at the same time as the electronic business licence can improve efficiency in later dealings. Seals should be kept by a designated person, with a register recording each use.
7. Three Checks Before Submission
Having the materials ready does not guarantee approval. Three checks are worth making before submission.
Check one: consistency of information. The names, identity document numbers, contribution amounts, contribution ratios and addresses must be exactly the same across the articles of association, the shareholders' resolution, the appointment documents and the registration application form. The most common problem is a slip of the pen, such as a resolution saying 500,000 while the application form says 300,000.
Check two: proper signature. Documents that must be signed by the person concerned should be signed by that person and not by someone else on their behalf. Where electronic signatures are used, the person must complete real-name authentication before signing. The date of signature should precede the date of submission; logically, a resolution cannot be dated after the date of acceptance.
Check three: verifiable address. Confirm that the address can actually be contacted, can receive correspondence, and that the telephone can be answered. An abnormal address is the leading reason for an entity later being listed on the abnormal operations list, and removing the abnormal status takes additional time and documentation.
These three checks look trivial, but the great majority of returned applications turn on precisely these points.
Self-Check Checklist
Name: three to five alternative trade names, industry description and organisational form
Registered capital: amount, shareholders' subscribed amounts and ratios, contribution timing and form
Shareholder information: name, identity document number, mobile number, contribution details, signed documents
Legal representative: name, identity document number, mobile number, appointment documents
Directors, supervisors and senior managers: appointment documents and identity information for directors, the supervisor and the manager
Person responsible for finance: name, identity document number, contact details
Registered address: title certificate / lease / premises use certificate / hosting agreement
Business scope: main and secondary activity items, and the licence mapping
Licence documents: approvals or licences for pre-approval or post-approval items
Contact details: mobile number, email address, liaison officer information
Articles and resolutions: articles of association, shareholders' resolution, appointment documents
Seals: seal-making filing, the types of seal and the person responsible for custody
This article is general business information prepared by Junanda Consulting. Specific policy positions, tax rates, deadlines and procedural requirements are subject to the latest official versions issued by the competent authorities. To understand how these requirements apply to your business, please contact Junanda Consulting for further information and support.
