Websites hosted on servers in the Chinese mainland must complete an ICP filing with the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). Websites hosted on servers outside the Chinese mainland are not required to obtain an ICP filing but must complete a public security bureau (PSB) filing. This topic answers frequently asked questions about ICP filing in different scenarios.
Is an ICP filing required if I purchase a cloud server but do not use a domain name?
Do I have to purchase an Alibaba Cloud server to apply for an ICP filing through Alibaba Cloud?
Can the ICP filing entity be a company if the domain holder is an individual?
How can I check if a domain name's ICP filing was completed through Alibaba Cloud?
Is ICP filing required for domain names?
An ICP filing is required when a domain name resolves to a server located in the Chinese mainland and provides web services. If the domain name resolves to a server outside the Chinese mainland, such as in Hong Kong SAR, an ICP filing is not required, but you must complete a PSB filing.
Is there a fee for ICP filing?
The ICP filing process itself is free of charge. However, you must purchase a cloud server that is eligible for ICP filing, which incurs costs.
An ICP filing requires a domain name and a server in the Chinese mainland that meets the filing requirements. You must submit the ICP filing application through your server service provider. If you want to file through Alibaba Cloud, first purchase an ECS instance. Then, log on to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system from a PC or download the Alibaba Cloud app to submit your application from a mobile device.
For the specifications and requirements for servers eligible for ICP filing, see Eligible cloud servers and website filing quotas. You can select a suitable server and purchase it from its product page.
Differences between ICP filing scenarios
The key differences between ICP filing scenarios relate to the type of service that triggers the filing, server location, domain name usage, and entity qualification requirements. For example, the filing for general websites is based on the server's location, while the filing for government websites requires a ".gov.cn" domain name. Foreign enterprises must provide documentation for a representative office. The filing for cloud services such as OSS, CDN, WAF, and Anti-DDoS depends on whether they are accessed from within the Chinese mainland. Filing for corporate email requires binding a custom domain name. For website building products such as Wanzhi or corporate websites, filing must be completed under the intelligent website building category.
ICP filing for servers without a domain
No. An ICP filing is required only when a domain name resolves to a server in the Chinese mainland and provides web services.
Is an ICP filing required for subdomains?
If the primary domain name already has an ICP filing through Alibaba Cloud, its subdomains do not require a separate ICP filing.
If the primary domain name has an ICP filing number but was not filed through Alibaba Cloud, you must complete a transfer-in ICP filing for the primary domain name to Alibaba Cloud. A primary domain name can have multiple service providers. For more information, see Transfer-in ICP filing process.
If the primary domain name does not have an ICP filing number, you must first submit it for an initial ICP filing. According to MIIT regulations, you cannot use a domain name without an ICP filing for website access. After the filing is successful, you can use the subdomains. For more information, see ICP filing process.
ICP filing dependency on Alibaba Cloud servers
Yes. You must purchase an Alibaba Cloud server that meets the requirements for an ICP filing. During the product verification step, select the corresponding server instance. For server requirements, see Verify server eligibility for ICP filing.
Company filing with an individual domain holder
ICP filing requires that the domain holder's information matches the ICP filing entity's information. However, in the following two special cases for an organization filing, the ICP filing entity can be a company even if the domain holder is an individual.
The domain holder is the company's legal representative:
Some provinces and cities allow a company to be the ICP filing entity if its legal representative is the domain holder. No supporting documents are required during the ICP filing process. You can check the rules for each provincial communications administration by clicking the corresponding province in MIIT's ICP filing regulations for different regions.
The domain holder is a shareholder, key officer, or senior manager of the company:
Some provinces and cities allow a company to be the ICP filing entity if its shareholder, key officer, or senior manager is the domain holder. You must upload relevant supporting documents to the filing system to complete the ICP filing. You can check the rules for each provincial communications administration by clicking the corresponding province in MIIT's ICP filing regulations for different regions. For information about the required documents, see Supporting documents for the domain name registrant.
Checking for Alibaba Cloud ICP filings
If your website or app already has an ICP filing number from the MIIT but you are unsure whether Alibaba Cloud was the service provider, you can use the following method to check.
Use the domain name to retrieve your login ID.
If account information is displayed after you enter the domain name, the domain name has an ICP filing with Alibaba Cloud.
If no information is displayed, the domain name does not have an ICP filing with Alibaba Cloud. In this case, contact your other service providers.
When is an initial ICP filing required?
If neither the entity (an individual or a company) nor the domain name has an existing ICP filing, you must complete an initial ICP filing through the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing Management System before you can activate web services for the site. For more information, see ICP filing process.
When is a transfer-in ICP filing required?
If both the entity and the domain name already have an ICP filing through another service provider, you must complete a transfer-in ICP filing to switch your service provider to Alibaba Cloud or to add Alibaba Cloud as an additional service provider for the website. For more information, see Transfer-in ICP filing process.
When is an additional website ICP filing required?
If your ICP filing entity already has an ICP filing through another service provider, you must apply for an additional website ICP filing when you use a newly purchased Alibaba Cloud server for a new website domain name. For more information, see Add an Internet Information Service (original filing not with Alibaba Cloud).
If your ICP filing entity already has an ICP filing with Alibaba Cloud and you want to host a new website, you must apply for an additional website ICP filing. For more information, see Add an Internet Information Service (original filing with Alibaba Cloud).
When is an ICP filing update required?
If your website has already obtained an ICP filing number through Alibaba Cloud and your entity or website information changes, you must promptly update your ICP filing information on the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing Management System. For more information, see Update ICP filing information.