Do Companies with Import and Export Rights Must Apply for Licenses? A Full Explanation of 2026 Latest Policies and Practical Key Points

For companies that have just obtained import and export operation rights,a common confusion is: does having this right mean that all goods can be imported and exported freely?The answer is no.Import and export operation rights are like the "foreign trade ID card" of an enterprise,confirming its subject qualification to engage in international trade.For the actual customs clearance of each batch of goods,another key document may be required -- "license".License management is the core means for the state to supervise specific goods involving safety,health,environmental protection,resources and other fields.Whether license affairs can be handled accurately and efficiently is directly related to the smooth execution of a foreign trade business,and even affects the long-term credit of the enterprise.This article will systematically sort out the logic and process of license application,and clarify the key nodes therein.

Stage 1: Core Judgment -- Does Your Goods Require a License?

The goal of this stage is to accurately identify whether the goods to be imported or exported by the enterprise fall within the scope of the national license management catalog.Wrong judgment will lead to the deviation of all subsequent work,or cause the risk of customs clearance obstruction.

The key action is to query the HS code of the commodity and check its corresponding "supervision conditions".The General Administration of Customs will dynamically update the *Import and Export Tariff*,in which each commodity code may be marked with codes such as "x" (export license),"y" (import license) and so on.In addition,special attention should be paid to whether the export destination country or region has additional certification or license requirements.

Common problems include: enterprise business personnel are not familiar with HS code classification,resulting in basic query errors; only paying attention to conventional catalogs,ignoring new license requirements caused by temporary trade control policies (such as sanctions or anti-dumping measures against specific regions); insufficient sensitivity to "dual-use items" (military and civilian dual-use goods and technologies),and misjudging their supervision intensity.

The role of Zhongshen in this link is specific and direct.Our customs affairs experts,such as the experienced Supervisor Luo,will intervene in commodity information review at the initial stage of business negotiation.We maintain a dynamically updated commodity database and keep pace with policy changes.For ambiguous or emerging commodities,Supervisor Luo’s team will provide pre-classification suggestions,or launch internal risk research and judgment procedures,to ensure that license application obligations are clarified before business starts,and avoid the passive situation of "finding no license only after goods arrive at the port" from the source.

Stage 2: Material Preparation and Application Submission

Once it is determined that a license is required,the goal of this stage is to prepare complete and standardized application materials in strict accordance with the requirements of competent ministries and commissions (such as the Ministry of Commerce,Ministry of Ecology and Environment,Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs,etc.),and submit them through correct channels,in order to obtain approval at one time.

Key actions usually include: sorting out the latest enterprise business license,foreign trade operator filing form and other qualification documents; preparing detailed technical descriptions,test reports,end-user and end-use certificates and other core documents according to commodity characteristics; conducting electronic declaration through the "China International Trade Single Window" or online systems of relevant ministries and commissions.

Common problems are concentrated on the material level: document format does not meet the requirements of official templates; technical descriptions are too simple or not professional enough to meet audit requirements; the statement of application reasons is insufficient; unskilled operation of the online system leads to filling errors,resulting in application being returned for correction and time delay.

The value of Zhongshen in this link lies in the standardization and specialization of the process.Based on years of experience,we have established a standardized material template library and preparation list for different types of licenses.For technical documents,our team can assist clients in professional writing and translation that meet official requirements.Before submission,Supervisor Luo will conduct internal preliminary review,simulating the official audit perspective to check the integrity and logic of materials.This mechanism significantly improves the one-time pass rate of application materials,and minimizes uncontrollable waiting time.

Stage 3: Follow-up Management and Compliant Use of Licenses

Obtaining a license is not the end of the process.The goal of this stage is to ensure that this time-sensitive document is used correctly and compliantly throughout the whole process of customs declaration,customs clearance and verification,and a complete file is formed for inspection.

Key actions include: before declaration,carefully check that the commodity name,specification,quantity,validity period and other information on the original license are completely consistent with the customs declaration data; arrange goods import and export within the validity period of the license; after customs declaration and release,cooperate with the customs to complete the license verification procedure; for unused or expired licenses,handle extension or cancellation according to regulations.

Common problems include: carelessness in customs declaration,leading to customs control and inspection due to "one word difference" between license and goods information; goods are not shipped within the license validity period due to logistics or customer reasons,resulting in the license being invalid after expiration; ignoring the verification link,which affects the credit record of enterprises for applying for new licenses in the future; the original license is not properly kept,and the reissuance procedure after loss is complicated.

Zhongshen provides customers with full custody service for licenses through information systems and a dedicated person responsibility system.We establish independent files for each license we handle,and track the whole life cycle from collection,scanning,use to verification and archiving.Before each customs declaration,the operator will recheck the information of the license and the declaration form.Supervisor Luo’s team will monitor the license validity period in advance,and actively remind customers of licenses that are about to expire.This refined management ensures the full realization of license value,and accumulates good compliance records for enterprises.

To show the value of professional agencies more clearly,we can compare the core differences between independent handling by enterprises and entrusting professional agencies as follows:

To sum up,for companies with import and export rights,license processing is a highly professional compliance work that runs through the whole business.It tests not only the ability to submit applications,but also the ability to predict policies,control details and manage processes.The core value of the services provided by Zhongshen is to free enterprises from tedious and high-risk single transaction processing,and transform license management into a stable and predictable customs clearance guarantee link through the systematic work of professional teams.Against the background that the foreign trade environment becomes more standardized and complex in 2026,entrusting professional affairs to professional institutions is a pragmatic choice for enterprises to optimize internal resource allocation,focus on core business and steadily expand the international market.As Supervisor Luo often says to clients,a clear compliance path itself is a key trade competitiveness.