What documents do I need to register a company in China?

The exact list is set by the city, the sector and whether the investor is a company or an individual, so treat the below as the shape of the file rather than a checklist to file blindly. What does not vary is the logic: the registry is establishing who is behind the company, that they exist, that someone is accountable, and that the company has somewhere to be.

The shape of the file

Group	Typically includes	Legalisation needed?
The investor exists	Certificate of incorporation or registration, certificate of good standing, articles of association	Yes — notarised, then apostilled or consular-legalised
Who controls the investor	Register of shareholders and directors, or equivalent; beneficial ownership information	Usually yes
The decision to invest	Board or shareholder resolution approving the establishment, the capital and the appointments	Yes
The people	Passport copies for the legal representative, directors, supervisor and general manager	Sometimes; varies by city and role
Where it will be	Lease agreement and the landlord’s property ownership certificate	No — but the address must be registrable
The company itself	Proposed name, articles of association, registered capital and contribution schedule, business scope	No — drafted for the registration
Bank	Investor bank reference, in some cases	Varies

Apostille or consular legalisation

China acceded to the Hague Apostille Convention with effect from 7 November 2023. Where both countries are parties, a foreign public document is notarised at home and then carries a single Apostille certificate from the designated competent authority. Where the Convention does not apply between the two states, the older consular legalisation chain still runs — notary, then foreign ministry, then the Chinese embassy or consulate. Which route applies is determined by the pair of countries, and it is worth confirming rather than assuming.

Translation

Documents are submitted in Chinese. Translation is not a formality attached to the end of the process: the translated names of your company, its shareholders and its officers become the names on the Chinese record, and inconsistency between documents — one rendering of a company name here, another there — is a common reason a file is returned. Fix the Chinese rendering of every proper noun once, at the start, and use it everywhere.

The business scope is a document decision, not an afterthought

The registered business scope defines what the company is permitted to do, appears publicly on the registry, and is what a counterparty checking you will read. Too narrow and ordinary activity falls outside it; too broad and you may pull in activities that require a separate licence. It is easier to settle before filing than to amend afterwards.