China
Published on 2023-07-03
ICP
ICP stands for "Internet Content Provider" in China. It refers to a license issued by the Chinese government to individuals or organizations that provide internet content services within the country. This license is required for operating websites, hosting web content, or providing other online services in China.
ICP licenses are regulated by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and are aimed at ensuring the legality, security, and quality of internet content in China. Obtaining an ICP license is mandatory for websites hosted within China or targeting Chinese users.
How to get an ICP licence?
There are two main types of ICP licenses:
- ICP Bei'An (ICP备案): This license is required for non-commercial websites or personal blogs. It involves registering the website's domain, providing relevant documentation, and obtaining an ICP Bei'An number.
- ICP Zheng (ICP证): This license is for commercial websites or websites that involve e-commerce activities. In addition to the registration process, it requires providing additional business-related documentation and obtaining an ICP Zheng number.
ICP licenses help ensure compliance with Chinese internet regulations, including censorship, content restrictions, and cybersecurity requirements. They also provide a means for the government to track and regulate internet activities within China.
It's important to note that ICP licenses are specific to China's internet regulations and are not required for websites hosted outside of China. However, if you intend to operate a website targeting Chinese users or have web content hosted within China, obtaining the appropriate ICP license is necessary to comply with local regulations.
In short: if your website target Chinese users or you want to host your web content on servers located in china, you should do the ICP process to get your ICP number.
At WPScale China, we help our clients to get their ICP licence without any difficulty so that their websites can be operated legally and compliantly in China.