How to verify a Chinese supplier's import-export license
Question
I found a machinery and equipment supplier in Ningbo from Made-in-China and prepared to make a next big order. The other party claims to have the right to self-operate import and export, and can directly declare and export in the name of its own company. I want to verify whether this qualification is true and effective, but I don't know how to view import and export business rights in industrial and commercial information and where to check them.
Answers (1)Write Your Answer ↓
This question is very accurate. Many buyers think that China companies can export once they register, but they are not. If China companies want to declare their own exports, they need to go through the registration of foreign trade operators with the commercial department, and at the same time, they need to go through the registration of customs declaration units with the customs. These two things are indispensable.
From my experience, many small factories will say,"We have import and export rights," but in fact they either use other companies to declare customs, or they do not have them at all and use foreign trade agents.
How to verify it? You can go to the customs declaration unit filing inquiry system of the General Administration of Customs and enter the other party's company name or unified social credit code to see if it has a customs declaration unit filing record. This information is public. Moreover, in China's national enterprise credit information disclosure system, the scope of business usually includes words such as "import and export of goods" and "import and export of technology." There is a high probability that they will have import and export business qualifications at the industrial and commercial level. However, it is not enough to have a business scope. It also requires actual customs declaration and filing. CheckChina Company's credit report states these two key information.
If the other party provides a Foreign Trade Operator Registration Form, you can check the company name and credit code on it. It should be noted that this filing system has been cancelled from December 2022 and has been changed to automatic filing. So it is more important to look at the filing status at the customs end. When making a report, we will also check the scope of industrial and commercial operations and the status of customs filing at the same time. Only when both sides confirm it will we mark it as "having import and export qualifications." Poor information can easily occur on one side of a single inspection. For example, there are import and export words in the business scope but the customs filing has expired or cancelled. We have encountered this situation several times.
Another practical suggestion: If the other party says to export foreign trade agencies, ask him to say the name of the agency company, and then check the agency company's qualifications as well. Some so-called foreign trade agencies are also irregular, and you may have problems with subsequent export tax rebates and collection of foreign exchange if you use them.
People Also Ask
Can China suppliers without import and export rights still export?
You can do it, but you cannot declare the customs directly for export. You need to find a foreign trade agency for help. Goods will be declared in the name of the agency company, and foreign exchange will also be settled through the agency account. This model is compliant, but the order process will have an additional layer of intermediaries, and special attention must be paid to communication and documents.
What information does China suppliers need to provide to verify import and export business rights?
Priority is given to requesting a 10-digit customs registration code. This is the most core certificate. Once you get the code, you can go to the customs platform to verify the authenticity. At the same time, you can ask the other party to provide a customs filing receipt to assist in confirming the status. Don't just look at the screenshots sent by the other party, try to go to the official system for a second review to avoid counterfeiting documents.
Can you export all goods if you have the right to operate import and export?
No, import and export business rights are only general foreign trade qualifications, and some special commodities also require additional special export licenses. For example, chemicals, encrypted electronic products, and some textiles, even if companies have import and export rights, they cannot be exported without special licenses. It is best to confirm whether your product belongs to the controlled category before placing an order.