Building a website or platform: licensing, registration, and servers✳
If you want to create a website or app, this section explains four key points: what legal category your business falls under, which permits you must obtain, where to host your servers, and who is responsible for user content and payments. The focus here is on personal freedom and financial matters. The items are ordered as follows: first, activities that could land you in prison; second, permits you must secure beforehand; third, everyday tasks any platform must handle; and finally, practical tips for choosing a server — though no exact figures can be given. As a hired technician, you must stay within the boundaries outlined in Section 11. Details on company registration and tax filing are covered in Section 12 and are not repeated here. A comparison chart of required permits and a decision table for server selection can be found at docs/做平台要办哪些证.md.
English text comes from the independent translation maintained by dlgrv. New entries without a translation appear in Chinese. The author's Chinese original is authoritative for the latest content. Translation snapshot: dlgrv/HowToLiveBetter · cc91bd6
Choose a platform and share a small step toward a better life.
01Evidence A
Platforms must never collect payments themselves and then transfer them to sellers; funds must be settled directly via a licensed payment institution.
If a platform first receives buyer payments into its own account and then forwards them to sellers, it is effectively operating a payment business. Running such a business requires explicit approval from the People’s Bank of China as well as a minimum registered capital of 100 million RMB, paid in cash. Operating without this approval leads to immediate shutdown, confiscation of all earnings, heavy fines, and personal penalties for owners and responsible staff; in severe cases, criminal charges may also apply. The only safe approach is to ensure that no funds ever land in the platform’s account.
Cost
No monetary cost is involved. However, it requires some ti…
Benefit
According to regulations, a payment business is defined as “transferring monetary funds based on electronic pa…
02Evidence A
Paid websites require a license; platforms that facilitate transactions need a different type of permit; free sites only need to be registered.
Websites that charge users must first obtain a Value-Added Telecommunications Business License. This license is issued solely to companies; individuals cannot apply for it. Free websites, on the other hand, only need to be registered, and this process incurs no fees. Operating a paid website without the proper license may result in confiscation of revenues, fines, or even closure. This section does not determine whether your platform falls under the category of transaction-facilitating services; the reasoning is explained in the notes.
Cost
Registration is free of charge. Obtaining a Value-Added Te…
Benefit
The regulations state: “The state implements a licensing system for commercial Internet information services a…
03Evidence A
Obtaining a license for online cultural activities is required to run live streams; private companies rarely qualify for the permit needed to distribute audiovisual content
To host live streams or game commentary sessions, you must secure a provincial-level Online Cultural Activities License that explicitly lists “online performances” among its permitted activities. Approval is granted within 20 days, and the license stays valid for three years. All recorded streams must be retained for a minimum of 60 days. Operating without this license results in immediate suspension, warnings, and fines up to 30,000 RMB; repeat offenders face inclusion on a cultural industry blacklist. A separate permit is required to distribute audiovisual content online, and only state-owned or state-controlled organizations may qualify for it.
Cost
The so-called “Online Cultural Activities License” governs…
Benefit
Securing the proper licensing framework ensures legal operation within China’s digital media sector while avoi…
04Evidence A
Servers placed in China must be registered; ISPs must hold a value-added telecom license
If you host a server inside China, you must register it before launching your website. Registration itself costs nothing and is handled alongside the server setup at your provider; it generally takes a few days to weeks. Failure to register results in a mandatory deadline to rectify the issue, followed by a fine of 10,000 RMB; continued non-compliance leads to site shutdown. Additionally, failing to display the registration number on your homepage incurs a penalty ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 RMB.
Cost
There is no fee for registration. It is submitted together…
Benefit
The regulation explicitly states: “Without prior registration, no entity may provide non-commercial internet i…
05Evidence A
Requiring sellers to join the platform means the platform must verify identities, register data, report information, and retain records for three years
If you allow third parties to sell goods on your platform, you must first verify their identity, address, contact details, and business licenses, then add them to your registration records. After setting up these records, you must re-verify seller information at least every six months. You must also report seller details to market regulators and submit tax-related data quarterly. All product and transaction records must be retained for three years. Failure to comply with any of these requirements results in a mandatory rectification order; if ignored, fines ranging from 20,000 to 100,000 yuan apply.
Cost
No direct monetary cost. However, the platform must perfor…
Benefit
Legal regulations set specific obligations for platforms. The official wording states that platforms must requ…
06Evidence A
You must regulate user-generated content: moderation mechanisms, reporting portals, and immediate takedown plus reporting of illegal material
Platforms are legally responsible for any issues arising from user content. You must set up a full system: user registration, post and comment moderation, daily monitoring, and clear procedures for handling incidents. Place a prominent reporting link on your site. When illegal content is found, immediately stop its distribution, document everything, and report it to authorities. Failure to do so can result in fines ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 yuan, with even harsher penalties for serious violations.
Cost
It costs money to hire moderators — this is the platform’s…
Benefit
Regulations require platforms to “fulfill primary responsibility for managing user-generated content.” This me…
07Evidence A
Providing information publishing and instant messaging services requires users to provide authentic identity information
If your website allows posting or chatting, you must collect users’ real identity details at sign-up. Those who refuse to provide such information cannot be allowed to use the service. The recommended approach is to store the real name in the backend and let users pick their own nickname; phone number verification is sufficient for this purpose. Failure to enforce real-name policies results in mandatory corrective orders. Persistent violations attract fines ranging from 50,000 to 500,000 yuan, and may even lead to site shutdowns.
Cost
Implementing a real-name verification system involves payi…
Benefit
The law explicitly states: “Internet service providers offering network access, domain registration, telephone…
08Evidence A
No live streaming accounts may be created for anyone under 16; tipping limits are set by age group
People younger than 16 cannot sign up for a live streaming account on this platform. Those aged 16 or older must have their identity verified and must also obtain permission from a parent or other guardian. Tipping is restricted based on age: children under 8 are not allowed to tip at all; those aged 8–16 may tip only with guardian consent; and anyone over 16 may tip only with guardian consent or proof of income. If a minor spends money without a guardian’s approval, the guardian can request a refund, and a court is required to grant it. A total of 2020 such cases have been reported to date.
Cost
There are no direct costs. The process simply requires add…
Benefit
The law clearly states that “online live streaming service providers must not offer account registration servi…
09Evidence A
Respond promptly to infringement notices; restore content after 15 days if no response
If someone sends you an infringement notice with preliminary evidence, you must promptly delete, block, or remove the relevant content and forward the notice to the seller. Failing to act in time means you and the seller will be jointly liable for any additional losses incurred. After receiving the seller’s defense, forward it to the claimant and wait 15 days. If the claimant files no complaint or lawsuit during this period, you can restore the content.
Cost
No cost involved. You must establish a fixed workflow: rec…
Benefit
Rights holders are entitled to request e-commerce platforms to take necessary measures such as deleting, block…
10Evidence A
Personal information must not be casually transferred overseas; legal conditions and thresholds apply
Transferring personal information of Chinese users to servers abroad constitutes a cross-border data transfer. Simply hosting servers overseas does not mean the data stays within China. There are four approved pathways for such transfers: a security assessment by the Cyberspace Administration, certification by authorized agencies, signing a standard contract, or compliance with other legal provisions. You must also disclose to users who receives their data, what it will be used for, and obtain their explicit consent for this specific purpose.
Cost
No cost involved. The simplest solution is to keep user da…
Benefit
To lawfully provide personal information to overseas entities — whether to foreign companies or foreign server…
11Evidence C
When picking a server, first consider how much downtime you can tolerate, then check whether there’s any support available, and only then compare prices.
The main difference among these three options isn’t price — it’s what resources you’ll have at hand when something goes wrong. Big providers offer registration pathways, publish their credentials, issue outage notices, and include compensation clauses in their contracts, so help is readily available. Smaller vendors may charge half as much, but they often over‑sell capacity, disappear without notice, or get cut off by upstream providers; in such cases you won’t know who to turn to. For static websites that contain no user data, a cheap VPS costing just a few dozen yuan is perfectly adequate.
Cost
Cloud instances from major providers typically cost severa…
Benefit
Again, the key distinction isn’t price but the support you can rely on during an emergency. Major cloud provid…
