--- title: "What core qualifications and compliance approval process requirements are needed to register and establish an import and export agency company?" description: "Are you planning to open an import and export agency company but confused about qualification approval，process nodes，compliance risks and cost optimization，worrying about making mistakes that delay the launch? You can quickly complete compliant registration and landing，build a long-term risk control system and increase core profit margin by clarifying core qualification requirements，disassembling operation nodes of the whole process，avoiding common industry misunderstandings and optimizing cost..." url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html" language: "en" type: "Q&A" category: "General Trade Q&A" datePublished: "2026-09-29" dateModified: "2026-09-29" brand: "Zhongshen Trading China" answerCount: 9 --- # What core qualifications and compliance approval process requirements are needed to register and establish an import and export agency company? ## Question I worked as a foreign trade salesperson in Shanghai for 10 years and have a large number of customer resources in hand. Recently I want to start my own import and export agency company. I have consulted the administration for industry and commerce about the registration process, but the staff only mentioned basic requirements, which makes me unsure. I don't know what other special qualification approvals I need, for example, how to apply for the import and export operation right? I also heard that the compliance risk in this industry is extremely high, and I may suffer huge losses once I make mistakes. I am also worried that the initial cost is too high, can I start from a small scale first? Now I look up relevant information every day but get more confused the more I read, I am so anxious that I can not sleep well, and I want to ask how to implement this step by step? ## Answers ### Answer 1 — Best Answer First，complete pre-qualification preparation: first complete industrial and commercial registration through Shanghai One-stop Government Service Platform，the business scope must clearly indicate "goods import and export，technology import and export，agency import and export"，then apply for **import and export operation right filing** simultaneously. You need to submit materials including copy of business license，official seal，ID card of legal representative and so on. In Shanghai，you can handle this online through the International Trade Single Window，and the certificate can be issued within 3 working days. Core nodes need to be closely connected: after obtaining the import and export operation right，you need to apply for the **Customs Declaration Unit Registration Certificate** at the customs，and complete the application for electronic port IC card and foreign exchange directory registration at the same time. These three nodes need to be connected within 10 working days to avoid business suspension caused by delay of any link. Abnormal response plans need to be formulated in advance: if the qualification approval is rejected，you should immediately check whether the materials meet the requirements，such as whether the business scope is accurate，whether the legal representative has a dishonest record，you can contact the foreign trade consulting window of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce for targeted guidance，if the foreign exchange directory registration is blocked，you need to check whether there are outstanding cross-border payments. Final compliant landing: after all qualifications are processed，you need to complete the export tax (exemption) filing at the tax department，and build an internal compliance ledger，keep copies of all approval documents to ensure that subsequent business operations meet the compliance requirements of customs，foreign exchange and tax authorities. **status:** accepted **Author:** Kevin Lin **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 2 When handling the registration of the customs declaration unit, you need to note that the business scope of the submitted business license must contain clear expressions such as "goods import and export". If the business scope only indicates "international trade", the customs may reject the registration. In addition, you need to sort out the main categories of goods for future agency business in advance. If sensitive goods (such as medical devices, chemical products) are involved, you need to submit additional relevant qualification certificates to the customs. In subsequent business, you need to strictly review the invoices and contracts provided by customers in accordance with customs valuation rules, to avoid valuation disputes caused by excessive deviation between the declared price and the market price. In case of valuation inquiry, you need to provide supporting materials such as purchase vouchers and foreign exchange payment records within 3 working days, to avoid extra costs caused by cargo detention at the port. **status:** suggested **Author:** Daniel Xu **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 3 After opening an import and export agency company, you need to sign cooperation agreements with at least 2 to 3 logistics enterprises with first-class freight forwarding qualification, and clarify the clause of cargo ownership, to avoid loss of cargo right caused by bankruptcy or operational errors of logistics enterprises. When choosing the logistics route, you need to formulate alternative plans according to the category and timeliness requirements of the customer's goods, for example, direct routes are preferred for high-value goods. In case of space shortage and container rollover, you need to notify the customer 72 hours in advance and transfer to the alternative port, and negotiate with the logistics enterprise to reduce or waive the container detention fee. In addition, you need to strictly control the bill of lading endorsement process, to ensure that the bill of lading transfer is only carried out after receiving the full payment from the customer, to avoid the risk of cargo release without bill of lading. **status:** suggested **Author:** Lucas Liu **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 4 When operating an import and export agency company, you can optimize the cost structure through the VAT deferral policy. For export business to the EU, you can apply for EU VAT deferral, which does not require you to pay import VAT in the importing country, and you only need to make tax declaration after the goods are sold, reducing capital occupation cost. In addition, you need to reasonably design the pricing of cross-border related transactions to ensure that the pricing conforms to the arm's length principle, and avoid tax investigation caused by unreasonable transfer pricing. At the same time, you need to apply for export tax refund in time. In Shanghai, you can submit the tax refund application online through the electronic tax bureau, with an average tax refund cycle of 15 working days. You need to ensure that invoices, customs declaration forms, foreign exchange receipt vouchers and other materials are consistent, to avoid tax refund delay caused by inconsistent materials. **status:** suggested **Author:** Evelyn Li **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 5 In the foreign exchange receipt and payment link, you need to strictly abide by foreign exchange management regulations. All cross-border foreign exchange receipt and payment must be declared through the Goods Trade Foreign Exchange Monitoring System, to ensure that the amount of foreign exchange receipt and payment is consistent with the amount on the customs declaration form. If there is a difference, you need to submit the difference explanation materials within 3 working days, to avoid being listed as a key foreign exchange supervision enterprise. In addition, you can handle RMB foreign exchange receipt and payment through the CIPS RMB cross-border payment system to reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation. At the same time, you need to keep all SWIFT messages or CIPS payment vouchers for no less than 5 years. If you encounter restrictions on foreign exchange receipt and payment of offshore accounts, you need to switch to domestic accounts for foreign exchange receipt and payment in time to ensure normal business operation. **status:** suggested **Author:** Andy Guo **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 6 When signing an agency contract with a customer, you need to clearly divide the rights and obligations of both parties, especially the core contents such as cargo ownership, responsibility assumption, and penalty clause, to avoid disputes caused by vague contracts. For letter of credit agency business, you need to strictly review the letter of credit terms, and check whether there are soft clauses (such as "payment can only be made after the buyer issues the inspection qualification certificate"). If soft clauses are found, you need to ask the customer to modify the letter of credit in time to avoid being unable to receive payment. In addition, you need to purchase import and export credit insurance for agency business to cover losses caused by customer bankruptcy, payment arrears, political risks, etc. The insurance amount is recommended to cover more than 90% of the contract amount. **status:** suggested **Author:** Victor Sun **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 7 When customs declaration of agency goods, you need to inform the customer to prepare the inspection and quarantine certificate of the goods, MSDS report and other materials in advance. If the goods are subject to statutory inspection, you need to declare to the inspection and quarantine department 72 hours in advance. In case of on-site inspection by the customs, you need to arrange special personnel to be present to cooperate, and check in advance whether the quantity, specification and packaging of the goods are consistent with the customs declaration form, to avoid customs detention caused by inconsistent declaration. If the goods are sent for inspection, you need to track the testing progress in time. If the testing result is inconsistent with the declaration, you need to submit a correction application within 5 working days, and negotiate with the customer to replace the goods or complete the qualifications, to avoid high port detention fees caused by cargo detention at the port. **status:** suggested **Author:** Grace Wang **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 8 For special goods under agency (such as dangerous goods, fragile goods), they must be packaged in strict accordance with international packaging standards. For example, dangerous goods need to use UN certified packaging containers, paste corresponding dangerous goods labels, and provide MSDS reports that meet the requirements. For fragile goods, buffer packaging materials (such as pearl cotton, air column bags) shall be used for reinforcement to ensure that the goods are not damaged during transportation. In addition, you need to confirm the packaging requirements with the logistics enterprise in advance, to avoid the goods being rejected or delayed in transportation due to non-conforming packaging. If the packaging provided by the customer does not meet the requirements, you need to put forward rectification suggestions in time to avoid compliance risks. **status:** suggested **Author:** Cindy Chen **Date:** 2026-09-29 ### Answer 9 In the export tax refund link, you need to establish a strict document management system to ensure that the customs declaration form, special VAT invoice, foreign exchange receipt voucher, contract and other materials are "consistent in four streams", to avoid tax correspondence investigation caused by inconsistent materials. In case of tax correspondence investigation, you need to provide supporting materials such as purchase contracts, warehouse outbound records, logistics vouchers within 10 working days to prove the authenticity of the business. In addition, you need to sort out the tax refund declaration materials on a monthly basis, to avoid tax refund delay caused by cross-month declaration. In Shanghai, you can carry out pre-declaration through the electronic tax bureau, and then make formal declaration after the pre-declaration is passed, to improve the tax refund pass rate. **status:** suggested **Author:** Michael Zhang **Date:** 2026-09-29 ## Related Categories - [Import Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-import-agency/) - [Export Agency Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-agency/) - [Export Tax Rebate Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-export-tax-rebate/) - [Customs Declaration Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-customs-declaration/) - [Freight Forwarding Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-freight-forwarding/) - [Forex Settlement Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-forex-settlement/) - [Entrepôt Trade Q&A](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-entrepot-trade/) ## Related Resources - [Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/services/) - [Trade Cases](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/cases/) - [Trade Wiki](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/wiki/) - [Trade Class](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/guide/) - [Global Trade Services](https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/country/) ## Structured Data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "QAPage", "inLanguage":"en", "isPartOf": { "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#website" }, "publisher":{ "@id":"https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/#organization" }, "mainEntity": { "@type": "Question", "name": "What core qualifications and compliance approval process requirements are needed to register and establish an import and export agency company?", "text": "I worked as a foreign trade salesperson in Shanghai for 10 years and have a large number of customer resources in hand. Recently I want to start my own import and export agency company. I have consulted the administration for industry and commerce about the registration process, but the staff only mentioned basic requirements, which makes me unsure. I don't know what other special qualification approvals I need, for example, how to apply for the import and export operation right? I also heard that the compliance risk in this industry is extremely high, and I may suffer huge losses once I make mistakes. I am also worried that the initial cost is too high, can I start from a small scale first? Now I look up relevant information every day but get more confused the more I read, I am so anxious that I can not sleep well, and I want to ask how to implement this step by step?", "answerCount": 9, "upvoteCount": 4, "datePublished": "2026-09-29T04:25:44Z", "dateModified": "2026-09-29T04:41:08Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhongshen Trading China", "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html" } ,"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "First，complete pre-qualification preparation: first complete industrial and commercial registration through Shanghai One-stop Government Service Platform，the business scope must clearly indicate "goods import and export，technology import and export，agency import and export"，then apply for import and export operation right filing simultaneously. You need to submit materials including copy of business license，official seal，ID card of legal representative and so on. In Shanghai，you can handle this online through the International Trade Single Window，and the certificate can be issued within 3 working days. Core nodes need to be closely connected: after obtaining the import and export operation right，you need to apply for the Customs Declaration Unit Registration Certificate at the customs，and complete the application for electronic port IC card and foreign exchange directory registration at the same time. These three nodes need to be connected within 10 working days to avoid business suspension caused by delay of any link. Abnormal response plans need to be formulated in advance: if the qualification approval is rejected，you should immediately check whether the materials meet the requirements，such as whether the business scope is accurate，whether the legal representative has a dishonest record，you can contact the foreign trade consulting window of Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce for targeted guidance，if the foreign exchange directory registration is blocked，you need to check whether there are outstanding cross-border payments. Final compliant landing: after all qualifications are processed，you need to complete the export tax (exemption) filing at the tax department，and build an internal compliance ledger，keep copies of all approval documents to ensure that subsequent business operations meet the compliance requirements of customs，foreign exchange and tax authorities.", "upvoteCount": 4, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#acceptedAnswer", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:55:25Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Kevin Lin","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/kevin-lin/"} } ,"suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When handling the registration of the customs declaration unit, you need to note that the business scope of the submitted business license must contain clear expressions such as "goods import and export". If the business scope only indicates "international trade", the customs may reject the registration. In addition, you need to sort out the main categories of goods for future agency business in advance. If sensitive goods (such as medical devices, chemical products) are involved, you need to submit additional relevant qualification certificates to the customs. In subsequent business, you need to strictly review the invoices and contracts provided by customers in accordance with customs valuation rules, to avoid valuation disputes caused by excessive deviation between the declared price and the market price. In case of valuation inquiry, you need to provide supporting materials such as purchase vouchers and foreign exchange payment records within 3 working days, to avoid extra costs caused by cargo detention at the port.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-2", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:51:11Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Daniel Xu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/daniel-xu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "After opening an import and export agency company, you need to sign cooperation agreements with at least 2 to 3 logistics enterprises with first-class freight forwarding qualification, and clarify the clause of cargo ownership, to avoid loss of cargo right caused by bankruptcy or operational errors of logistics enterprises. When choosing the logistics route, you need to formulate alternative plans according to the category and timeliness requirements of the customer's goods, for example, direct routes are preferred for high-value goods. In case of space shortage and container rollover, you need to notify the customer 72 hours in advance and transfer to the alternative port, and negotiate with the logistics enterprise to reduce or waive the container detention fee. In addition, you need to strictly control the bill of lading endorsement process, to ensure that the bill of lading transfer is only carried out after receiving the full payment from the customer, to avoid the risk of cargo release without bill of lading.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-3", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:40:31Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Lucas Liu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/lucas-liu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When operating an import and export agency company, you can optimize the cost structure through the VAT deferral policy. For export business to the EU, you can apply for EU VAT deferral, which does not require you to pay import VAT in the importing country, and you only need to make tax declaration after the goods are sold, reducing capital occupation cost. In addition, you need to reasonably design the pricing of cross-border related transactions to ensure that the pricing conforms to the arm's length principle, and avoid tax investigation caused by unreasonable transfer pricing. At the same time, you need to apply for export tax refund in time. In Shanghai, you can submit the tax refund application online through the electronic tax bureau, with an average tax refund cycle of 15 working days. You need to ensure that invoices, customs declaration forms, foreign exchange receipt vouchers and other materials are consistent, to avoid tax refund delay caused by inconsistent materials.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-4", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:21:59Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Evelyn Li","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/evelyn-li/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the foreign exchange receipt and payment link, you need to strictly abide by foreign exchange management regulations. All cross-border foreign exchange receipt and payment must be declared through the Goods Trade Foreign Exchange Monitoring System, to ensure that the amount of foreign exchange receipt and payment is consistent with the amount on the customs declaration form. If there is a difference, you need to submit the difference explanation materials within 3 working days, to avoid being listed as a key foreign exchange supervision enterprise. In addition, you can handle RMB foreign exchange receipt and payment through the CIPS RMB cross-border payment system to reduce the risk of exchange rate fluctuation. At the same time, you need to keep all SWIFT messages or CIPS payment vouchers for no less than 5 years. If you encounter restrictions on foreign exchange receipt and payment of offshore accounts, you need to switch to domestic accounts for foreign exchange receipt and payment in time to ensure normal business operation.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-5", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:19:51Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Andy Guo","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/andy-guo/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When signing an agency contract with a customer, you need to clearly divide the rights and obligations of both parties, especially the core contents such as cargo ownership, responsibility assumption, and penalty clause, to avoid disputes caused by vague contracts. For letter of credit agency business, you need to strictly review the letter of credit terms, and check whether there are soft clauses (such as "payment can only be made after the buyer issues the inspection qualification certificate"). If soft clauses are found, you need to ask the customer to modify the letter of credit in time to avoid being unable to receive payment. In addition, you need to purchase import and export credit insurance for agency business to cover losses caused by customer bankruptcy, payment arrears, political risks, etc. The insurance amount is recommended to cover more than 90% of the contract amount.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-6", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:11:35Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Victor Sun","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/victor-sun/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When customs declaration of agency goods, you need to inform the customer to prepare the inspection and quarantine certificate of the goods, MSDS report and other materials in advance. If the goods are subject to statutory inspection, you need to declare to the inspection and quarantine department 72 hours in advance. In case of on-site inspection by the customs, you need to arrange special personnel to be present to cooperate, and check in advance whether the quantity, specification and packaging of the goods are consistent with the customs declaration form, to avoid customs detention caused by inconsistent declaration. If the goods are sent for inspection, you need to track the testing progress in time. If the testing result is inconsistent with the declaration, you need to submit a correction application within 5 working days, and negotiate with the customer to replace the goods or complete the qualifications, to avoid high port detention fees caused by cargo detention at the port.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-7", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:11:26Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Grace Wang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/grace-wang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "For special goods under agency (such as dangerous goods, fragile goods), they must be packaged in strict accordance with international packaging standards. For example, dangerous goods need to use UN certified packaging containers, paste corresponding dangerous goods labels, and provide MSDS reports that meet the requirements. For fragile goods, buffer packaging materials (such as pearl cotton, air column bags) shall be used for reinforcement to ensure that the goods are not damaged during transportation. In addition, you need to confirm the packaging requirements with the logistics enterprise in advance, to avoid the goods being rejected or delayed in transportation due to non-conforming packaging. If the packaging provided by the customer does not meet the requirements, you need to put forward rectification suggestions in time to avoid compliance risks.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-8", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T05:08:28Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Cindy Chen","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/cindy-chen/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the export tax refund link, you need to establish a strict document management system to ensure that the customs declaration form, special VAT invoice, foreign exchange receipt voucher, contract and other materials are "consistent in four streams", to avoid tax correspondence investigation caused by inconsistent materials. In case of tax correspondence investigation, you need to provide supporting materials such as purchase contracts, warehouse outbound records, logistics vouchers within 10 working days to prove the authenticity of the business. In addition, you need to sort out the tax refund declaration materials on a monthly basis, to avoid tax refund delay caused by cross-month declaration. In Shanghai, you can carry out pre-declaration through the electronic tax bureau, and then make formal declaration after the pre-declaration is passed, to improve the tax refund pass rate.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/import-export-agency-registration-qualification-approval-steps.html#suggestedAnswer-9", "datePublished": "2026-09-29T04:41:08Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Michael Zhang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/michael-zhang/"} } ] } }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/"},{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "General Trade Q&A", "item": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/cat-general-trade/"} ,{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What core qualifications and compliance approval process requirements are needed to register and establish an import and export agency company?"} ] } ] ```