Home › China IP Services › Copyright Registration

Copyright Registration in China

Your copyright already exists in China the moment you create the work — China has been a Berne member since 1992. What you do not have, until you register with the CPCC, is a document a Chinese court, a customs officer or a Taobao takedown team will act on.

Software source code prepared to CPCC deposit rules, with confidentiality options

New 15 March 2026 CPCC form requirements handled correctly

No Chinese company needed — and no mandatory local agency for copyright

Official CPCC fee — software

RMB 0

abolished since 2017

Software copyright registration carries no government fee. General works run RMB 100–2,000 depending on type. Our preparation fee is quoted in writing before work begins.

Source code deposit prepared

Chinese translation of ownership documents

New 2026 form compliance

Expedited options where needed

Reply within 24 hours from Shenzhen

CNIPA Agency

Licensed IP filing

INTA & AIPPI

Verified memberships

5,000+ Clients

Protected across Asia

Since 2013

Shenzhen headquartered

The question everyone asks first

If Protection Is Automatic, Why Register?

Both statements are true at once: you already own the copyright in China, and you cannot practically enforce it. Registration with the Copyright Protection Centre of China does not create the right — it creates the evidence.

Without registration

You own it, on paper only

China joined the Berne Convention in 1992, so a foreign work is protected automatically and China cannot require registration as a condition of protection. In a dispute, though, you have to prove you created it and when.

Taobao, JD, Pinduoduo and Douyin takedown teams expect a Chinese certificate
Customs will not act on an unproven claim of ownership
A foreign certificate is foreign-formed evidence — it needs notarisation, apostille and Chinese translation before a court will look at it
Every week spent authenticating documents is a week the infringer keeps selling

With a CPCC certificate

You have something enforceable today

A Copyright Protection Centre of China certificate is prima facie proof of ownership. The burden shifts to whoever wants to dispute it, and every Chinese enforcement channel accepts it without further formality.

What a certificate does not do

CPCC does not examine originality. The certificate proves that you claimed the work on a given date and deposited a copy of it — it does not prove the work is original, and it can be challenged. That is still far more than you have without it, but be sceptical of anyone selling a registration as if it settled ownership permanently.

The 2020 Amendment Made Copyright Worth Enforcing

For years the commercial answer in China was that copyright was cheap to register and not worth suing on. The third revision of the Copyright Law, adopted 11 November 2020 and in force 1 June 2021, changed the arithmetic.

Statutory damages rose from a ceiling of RMB 500,000 to RMB 5,000,000, a tenfold increase, with a new floor of RMB 500. Punitive damages of one to five times were introduced for intentional infringement in serious circumstances.

1992

China joined the Berne Convention — protection is automatic on creation

No agency

Unlike patents and trademarks, no mandatory local Chinese agency for copyright

Life+50

Term for individuals; 50 years from publication for corporate works

RMB 5m

Statutory damages ceiling, up tenfold since the 2021 amendment

You Do Not Hand Over Your Entire Codebase

The most common misconception about software copyright registration in China. CPCC’s deposit rule is deliberately partial.

Standard deposit

Plus the user manual or specification document

First 30

consecutive pages of source code

…

the middle is never submitted

Last 30

consecutive pages of source code

Each page must contain no fewer than 50 lines. If the entire program runs to under 60 pages, the whole thing is submitted. The bulk of a commercial codebase never leaves your building. Confidentiality treatment is also available for sensitive portions.

From Submission to Certificate

You approve the deposit package before anything is filed.

Work Classification

We confirm which copyright category applies and what documents CPCC needs.

1–2 days

Deposit Preparation

Source code excerpt or full work prepared to the 2026 form requirements.

2–3 days

Filing with CPCC

Ownership documents translated into Chinese and filed with the application.

Same week

Certificate Issued

Standard processing runs around 30 working days; expedited options exist where needed.

~30 working days

Ready to get an enforceable Chinese certificate?

Tell us the work type — we’ll confirm what’s needed today.

What CPCC Charges, Published in Full

Official government fee in RMB. Our preparation fee is separate and quoted in writing before we start.

Official CPCC fee — software copyright

RMB 0

abolished on 1 April 2017 · general works RMB 100–2,000 by type

Official fee

RMB

Software copyright registration

Literary / artistic work registration

100–2,000

Expedited processing (where offered)

Varies

Fee bands for general works depend on the work type and length. Precise IP: add your preparation fee here.

Trusted by 5,000+ clients across Asia

Credentials You Can Verify

Judge any China IP firm on its agency registration and its memberships, not on a marketing claim.

5,000+

Clients protected across Asia

Asian jurisdictions we file in

In-house

Deposit preparation & filing

44804

CNIPA Agency Code

Recorded IP Agency

Filing under CNIPA Patent Agency Code 44804. Verify on CNIPA’s agent register.

AIPPI

Chinese Group

AIPPI Member

Group member of the Chinese Group of AIPPI. Send current-year certificate.

INTA

Member

INTA Member

Listed in INTA’s member directory as Precise Intellectual Property LLC.

China Copyright Registration FAQs

If copyright is automatic in China, do I actually need to register?

Legally, no — protection arises automatically on creation under the Berne Convention. Practically, yes — a CPCC certificate is what e-commerce platforms, customs and courts actually act on without further authentication.

Do I have to hand over my entire source code?

No. The standard deposit is the first and last 30 consecutive pages, each with at least 50 lines, plus the user manual or specification. Programs under 60 pages are submitted in full. Confidentiality treatment is available for sensitive portions.

What changed at CPCC in March 2026?

CPCC updated its application form and supporting-document requirements effective 15 March 2026. We file to the current form as standard — a common cause of rejection is submitting on an outdated template.

How long does it take?

Standard processing runs around 30 working days from a complete application. Expedited options exist for time-sensitive matters, at additional cost.

Do I need a Chinese company or a local agency?

No. Unlike patents and trademarks, copyright registration has no mandatory local-agency requirement, and no Chinese entity is needed to hold the registration.

How long does Chinese copyright last?

The life of the author plus 50 years for individuals; 50 years from first publication for corporate or work-for-hire works.

What can I recover if someone infringes?

Statutory damages now run from RMB 500 to RMB 5,000,000, up from a RMB 500,000 ceiling with no floor. Punitive damages of one to five times are available for intentional infringement in serious circumstances.

My work is already registered in the US or EU. Isn't that enough?

Not for practical enforcement in China. A foreign certificate is foreign-formed evidence — it needs notarisation, apostille and Chinese translation before a Chinese court will act on it, costing weeks the infringer keeps selling. A CPCC certificate is accepted immediately, on sight.

Question not answered here?

Ask us directly. We reply within 24 hours.

Get an Enforceable Chinese Copyright Certificate

Send us the work type — software, design, written content, or artwork. We’ll confirm what CPCC needs and the total timeline within one business day.

No government fee for software copyright

Partial source code deposit, confidentiality available

Filed to the current March 2026 CPCC form

Reply within 24 hours

Start My Registration

Confidential. No obligation.

Sending this does not create a solicitor–client relationship.

Other China IP services