Published by ChinaMNC · Heze

Heze Company Registration: Documents, Steps and Practical Timeline

A practical guide for foreign founders setting up a wholly foreign-owned company in Heze, Shandong: required documents, the registration sequence, business scope drafting, registered address options and the delays that most often slow the process.

Heze is a prefecture-level city in southwestern Shandong, known for agriculture, food processing, forestry products and a growing manufacturing base. If you are a foreign founder considering a wholly foreign-owned enterprise (WFOE) there, the mechanics are broadly the same as elsewhere in China, but local practice — and local timelines — matter. This guide walks through what you need, the order of steps, and where things realistically slow down.

This is general information for planning purposes only and is not legal or tax advice. Confirm details with a qualified local professional before you commit funds.

First, understand what you are registering

Most foreign founders in Heze register a limited liability company with 100% foreign ownership — a WFOE. The entity is approved and licensed through the local market regulation authority (the Administration for Market Regulation, AMR) under the Heze municipal or district-level structure, depending on your registered address. A few practical points:

• China now operates a negative list for foreign investment. Activities outside the list are generally open to foreign ownership; activities on the list have restrictions or prohibitions. Check your specific business line before naming the company.
• Foreign investment information reporting is handled through the AMR registration system rather than a separate approval in most cases, but the filing must be accurate.
• Share capital is subscribed, not paid up front in full, but the subscription amount and payment schedule appear in the articles and should be realistic — an inflated figure creates later obligations.

Documents you will need

Investor and legal representative documents

• Foreign corporate shareholder: certificate of incorporation, articles or equivalent, and a board resolution authorising the investment — each notarised and legalised (apostille where applicable) in the home jurisdiction, then translated into Chinese by a qualified translation agency.
• Foreign individual shareholder: passport copy, notarised in many cases depending on the local window's requirements.
• Legal representative: passport copy, phone number, email and a Chinese address for service; a photo is usually needed for the e-signature process.
• Directors, supervisor and general manager: identity documents and contact details. A small company may have one executive director and one supervisor.

Address and premises documents

• Lease agreement for the registered address, signed in the company's name or assignable to it.
• Property ownership certificate (房产证) copy from the landlord, plus the landlord's identity or business licence.
• If using an incubator or virtual registered address, the provider's hosting agreement and qualification documents.

Drafting documents

• Articles of association (公司章程), in Chinese.
• Business scope wording, drafted to match the standard catalogue.
• Shareholder resolution and appointment documents.

The registration sequence

Expect the following order. Skipping ahead usually causes rework.

1. Name pre-approval

Submit three to five candidate Chinese names in the required format (region + trade name + industry + company type). Names are checked against existing registrations. Avoid names that imply a national or government connection, and avoid industry words that do not match your scope.

2. Prepare and submit the AMR filing

This is the core step: articles, shareholder documents, address documents, legal representative details and the business scope. Most submissions in Shandong now go through the online enterprise registration system, with original documents checked at the window or via an authorised agent.

3. Obtain the business licence

Once approved, the business licence (营业执照) is issued. It carries the unified social credit code, which you will use everywhere afterwards.

4. Company seal carving

Seals — company chop, legal representative chop, finance chop and contract chop — are carved through an approved vendor and usually registered with the public security system. Budget a few working days.

5. Bank account opening

Open the basic RMB account and, if needed, a foreign currency capital account. Banks conduct enhanced due diligence on foreign-owned entities: expect questions on the shareholder structure, source of funds and expected transaction flows. This step often takes longer than founders expect.

6. Tax registration and invoicing setup

Register with the tax authority, choose the taxpayer status (small-scale or general taxpayer), and set up the invoicing system. If you will employ staff, complete social insurance and housing fund registration.

7. Foreign exchange and capital contribution

Register the foreign investment information and, when capital arrives, complete the capital account and foreign exchange filings so the funds are recognised as registered capital.

8. Sector licences, if applicable

Food, logistics, education, medical devices and certain manufacturing activities require separate permits after the business licence. These are often the real timeline driver.

Business scope: how to draft it

The business scope (经营范围) must use wording from the standard catalogue. Practical advice:

• Start with the activity that generates your main revenue, then add related activities you may plausibly start within two years.
• Do not pad the list with activities you will never conduct — some trigger permit requirements or extra scrutiny.
• If your activity requires a pre- or post-licence, state it explicitly and plan the permit application early.
• Keep the English description consistent with the Chinese wording; investors and banks will compare them.

Registered address: what actually works in Heze

The registered address must be a real, documented location. Options include:

• Owned or leased office or factory space — the most robust option, especially if you need permits or site inspections.
• Incubator or industrial park address — common for first-stage entrants; confirm the park can host foreign-invested entities and provide the required documents.
• Virtual address services — available in some districts but increasingly scrutinised. Confirm the tax authority in that district accepts the arrangement before signing.

Check the district's stance on cross-district registration and whether the address qualifies for any local investment incentives. Do not assume an address in one district can be used to access benefits in another.

Common delays — and how to avoid them

• Notarisation and legalisation. Overseas document legalisation can take weeks. Start this before anything else.
• Translation quality. Inconsistent names or figures between the English and Chinese documents cause rejections.
• Name rejections. Trade names that clash with existing marks or use restricted words are the most common early setback.
• Address document gaps. Missing property certificates or a landlord unwilling to provide identity documents stall the filing.
• Bank due diligence. Complex offshore holding structures or unclear source of funds extend account opening.
• Sector permits. Food production, logistics and similar activities need site inspections and separate approvals that can add weeks or months.
• Capital contribution timing. Foreign exchange procedures require the registered capital schedule and the actual remittance to align.

A realistic planning assumption for a straightforward service or trading WFOE in Heze — documents ready, address secured, no special permit — is several weeks to a few months from the start of notarisation to an operating bank account. Permit-dependent businesses should plan considerably longer. Build slack into your launch date and confirm current local requirements with a Heze-based adviser before you sign a lease or remit funds.