ICP filing process FAQ

View existing ICP filing orders

1. Go to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system.

2. Click My ICP Filings at the top of the page. The My Orders section at the bottom lists your ongoing ICP filing orders.

ICP filing for a domain name

• Conditions

  An ICP filing is required if your domain name resolves to a server in the Chinese mainland and your website is publicly accessible. If your domain name resolves to a server in regions outside the Chinese mainland, such as Hong Kong, an MIIT ICP filing is not required. However, you must still complete a Public Security filing.

• Requirements

  • You must complete real-name verification for the domain name. For more information, see Domain Name Preparations and Checks.

    Important

    After you complete real-name verification, modify your domain name, or transfer ownership, wait at least three days before applying for an ICP filing. This allows time for your updated information to synchronize with the communications administration's database, preventing a rejection due to outdated records.

  • The domain name must be eligible for an ICP filing. For more information, see Domain Name Preparations and Checks.

  • The domain name registrar must be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT). For more information, see Domain Name Preparations and Checks.

• Process

  First, prepare the required documents and a qualifying server. Then, submit your filing information through the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system. For a detailed guide, see ICP Filing Process.

ICP filing for an entity

• Conditions

  An ICP filing is required if your domain name resolves to a server in the Chinese mainland and its associated website is publicly accessible. If the domain name resolves to a server in regions outside the Chinese mainland, such as Hong Kong, an MIIT ICP filing is not required. However, you must still complete a Public Security filing.

• Requirements

  • Prepare the required documents for the ICP filing. For a complete list, see Required Documents for ICP Filing.

    If the person in charge of the entity or website is not the legal representative, you may need to provide a letter of authorization, depending on the requirements of your local communications administration. For more information, see Letter of Authorization.

  • Each Alibaba Cloud account can be used to file for only one entity (company or individual). If you have an existing ICP filing, you must use the same Alibaba Cloud account to log in to the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing System for any new applications.

• Process

  First, prepare the required documents and a qualifying server. Then, submit your filing information through the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system. For a detailed guide, see ICP Filing Process.

ICP filing for a server

• Conditions

  Your server must be located in the Chinese mainland. If you use an Alibaba Cloud server, it must be an instance from a Chinese mainland region. You can also use a server that belongs to another account if the account owner authorizes its use with an ICP filing service number. For more information, see Authorize Other Accounts for ICP Filing (Optional).

• Requirements

  • Website hosting server

    If you host your internet information service on your own server (such as a self-managed server or in a self-built data center), you must contact your network provider, such as China Unicom or China Telecom, to complete the ICP filing.

  • Server type

    If you use an Alibaba Cloud server, it must be an ICP filing-eligible type with a minimum subscription duration. For details about eligible servers and subscription requirements, see Cloud Servers Eligible for ICP Filing and Filing Quotas.

  • Number of websites eligible for filing

    The number of websites you can file for depends on the server type, as each type provides a specific number of ICP filing service numbers. Ensure the server you purchase provides enough numbers for all the websites you plan to file. For details about the number of websites supported by each server type, see Cloud Servers Eligible for ICP Filing and Filing Quotas.

  • Filing account

    • If you use the same Alibaba Cloud account to purchase the server and apply for the ICP filing, you can directly select the server during the filing process without manually applying for an ICP filing service number. The number of internet information services you can file for remains the same whether you select the server directly or use an ICP filing service number.

    • If you use a different Alibaba Cloud account to apply for the ICP filing than the one used to purchase the server, you must first log in to the Alibaba Cloud Management Console with the account that owns the server. Apply for an ICP filing service number from that account and use it to complete your filing application. For more information, see Authorize Other Accounts for ICP Filing (Optional).

• Process

  First, prepare the required documents and a qualifying server. Then, submit your filing information through the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing system. For a detailed guide, see ICP Filing Process.

Check ICP filing status

1. Log in to the MIIT Government Service Platform.

2. Select ICP Filing Query and enter the entity name or domain name to check the filing status.

   • If no information is found: The domain name does not have an ICP filing. You can start a new filing by following the steps in ICP Filing Process.

   • If information is found: The domain name already has an ICP filing. If your filing was originally processed by another access provider and you now want to add Alibaba Cloud as an access provider, you must complete a transfer-in filing.

Use a server from another account

Yes. If the filing account is different from the one that purchased the server, the server owner must first grant authorization from their account in the console before you can submit the ICP filing. For instructions, see Authorize Other Accounts for ICP Filing (Optional). The server owner must perform the following steps:

In the ICP Filing Service console, in the left-side navigation pane, click Basic ICP Filing Service > Manage Filing-eligible Instances. Select the cloud product type, such as ECS or Simple Application Server, find the target instance, and then click Authorize Other Accounts for ICP Filing in the Actions column.

Domain name filing limit per account

There is no specific limit on the number of domain names you can file for with a single Alibaba Cloud account. However, requirements vary by province, so you must comply with the regulations of your local communications administration.

Separate submissions for multiple filings

Yes, you can.

Use a filed server for another entity

File for the new company entity using a new Alibaba Cloud account. To use the server from the original account, apply for an ICP filing service number from that account and use it to authorize the new one.

Mismatch between filed and actual IP addresses

To maintain a valid ICP filing, your domain name must resolve to the IP address of your Alibaba Cloud server used for the filing.

"No filing-eligible cloud products found" error

• Method 1: Purchase a server that is eligible for ICP filing.

• Method 2: If the server you purchased is under another account (which must be enterprise-verified), log on to that account to apply for an ICP filing service number and authorize your current account to use it. You can apply from the Manage Filing-eligible Instances page.

Relationship between accounts, entities, servers, and websites

During an ICP filing, one Alibaba Cloud account can be associated with only one entity. You must prepare a suitable server before you begin. After the filing is successful, you can build your website and add DNS records for your domain name to make the website accessible.

Switching access providers

After you complete an ICP filing with Alibaba Cloud, if you decide to use cloud services from another access provider, you must complete a transfer-in filing with that provider. This does not affect your filing with Alibaba Cloud. You can use servers from Alibaba Cloud and other access providers simultaneously.

Change or add an IP address

This depends on whether your internet information service requires a commercial ICP filing:

• If a commercial ICP filing is not required, you do not need to update your existing ICP filing.

• If a commercial ICP filing is required, you may need to submit a modification request. This is necessary if your provincial communications administration requires the IP address in your filing record to match the resolved IP address of your domain name. In the Alibaba Cloud ICP Filing System, initiate a website information update and change the IP address on the Website/App Information Page.

Server expiration or replacement

You generally do not need to update your filing if the associated server expires, as long as your domain name continues to use other eligible Alibaba Cloud products.