SAMR Releases 2026 Edition Registration Standards for Business Entities

On January 6, 2026, the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) issued the Notice on Printing and Distributing Registration Document Standards and Submission Materials Standards for Business Entities (2026 Edition) (the “Notice”).

The new Registration Document Standards and Submission Materials Standards for Business Entities will come into effect on May 1, 2026, with the 2022 edition abolished simultaneously. The Document Standards add shareholder capital contribution period information to the company registration application form, supporting the adjustment of registered capital subscription period per the Company Law. Fifteen types of review documents have been unified into a Business Entity Registration (Filing) Review Form, and a Real-Name Registration Confirmation Form has been added, requiring recording of applicant identity and business affiliation, with sensitive information such as ID numbers, domiciles, and phone numbers on separate pages.

The Materials Standards specify submission requirements for situations such as shareholder disqualification, reduction of registered capital to offset losses, mergers and divisions, and equity changes, clarify materials for the transformation registration of individual businesses and sole proprietorships, and improve rules for materials on equity pledge, business suspension filing, and transfer of registration filings.

The Notice clarifies that online registration may auto-generate archival texts from applicant data, with support for replacing paper materials with electronic signatures and electronic files. It also strengthens collection of information, credit commitments, and legal risk disclosures for registration intermediaries and personnel.