--- title: "What core qualifications and compliance requirements must be met to establish an import and export agency company?" description: "A Shanghai-based foreign trade SOHO with 5 years of experience is facing urgent needs to establish an import and export agency company due to demands from stable clients and factory partnerships，but is plagued by anxiety due to unclear compliance processes and qualification requirements. The core solution lies in full-link implementation from accurate preparation of pre-qualifications，seamless connection of core approval nodes，formulation of contingency plans，to final compliance verification，whi..." url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html" language: "en" type: "Q&A" category: "General Trade Q&A" datePublished: "2026-10-09" dateModified: "2026-10-09" brand: "Zhongshen Trading China" answerCount: 9 --- # What core qualifications and compliance requirements must be met to establish an import and export agency company? ## Question I am a Shanghai-based foreign trade SOHO entrepreneur with 5 years of experience. I have been operating business under a friend's import and export agency company previously. Recently, my 3 stable factory partners and 8 European and American clients have all requested to cooperate directly with my company, which forces me to quickly establish my own import and export agency company! Last week I went to the government service hall for consultation, but the staff only provided me with a stack of paper approval lists. I was completely confused by the dozens of requirements. Moreover, I heard from peers that the compliance threshold for this industry is extremely high. If I make mistakes in the qualification application, I will not only fail to obtain the business license, but also may leave a bad record that affects my subsequent foreign exchange receipt and payment rights. I am now so anxious that I can't even eat, and I want to know the full process details from early qualification preparation to final compliance implementation, as well as how to avoid the most common initial compliance risks in advance? ## Answers ### Answer 1 — Best Answer First，you need to complete accurate preparation of pre-qualifications: **You must first obtain a business license with the business scope clearly including "import of goods，import of technology，and agency import and export"**. Additionally，prepare the lease certificate for the actual business address (must meet the on-site inspection requirements of the customs，and virtual addresses or mixed commercial-residential addresses are strictly prohibited)，social security payment certificates for 3 or more employees with at least 2 years of foreign trade work experience for 3 consecutive months，and at least 1 letter of intent for cooperation with a factory or overseas client as evidence of business authenticity. Core approval nodes must be seamlessly connected: First，complete the industrial and commercial registration and add the corresponding business scope. Within 10 working days，apply to the Bureau of Commerce for the Foreign Trade Operators Registration Form. Subsequently，simultaneously submit the application for customs declaration registration of import and export cargo consignees and consignors to the customs. After the customs review is approved，immediately go to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) to handle the registration of the trade foreign exchange receipt and payment enterprise directory. Finally，complete the activation of Electronic Port IC card and Single Window permissions. The connection between each node must be controlled within 5 working days to avoid the invalidation of filing information due to exceeding the time limit. Targeted contingency plans need to be developed in advance: If the review of the filing materials by the Bureau of Commerce fails，supplement the foreign trade business statements of the past 3 years within 3 working days (SOHOs can provide business vouchers during the period of being affiliated)，If the on-site customs inspection fails，immediately replace the qualified business address and resubmit the application，If the foreign exchange directory registration is rejected，supplement the credit certificate of overseas clients. Final compliance implementation requires full-process verification: After obtaining all qualifications，log in to the Single Window system to test functions such as customs declaration，foreign exchange receipt and payment，and export tax refund filing. At the same time，go to the tax department to complete the qualification recognition for export tax refund (exemption). Ensure that all business links fully comply with the latest regulatory requirements for Shanghai's cross-border trade in 2026，and avoid affecting subsequent business operations due to compliance loopholes. **status:** accepted **Author:** Evelyn Li **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 2 When applying for the customs declaration registration of import and export cargo consignees and consignors, the business premise certificate submitted must include a detailed office area floor plan, clearly marking the customs document storage area, electronic data processing area, and archive storage area. At least 1 encrypted computer that meets customs requirements must be equipped for storing customs declaration data. If the submission does not meet the requirements, the customs will not approve the registration, and you need to resubmit the materials and wait for the secondary review of 15 working days. Additionally, complete the pre-evaluation of customs credit rating in advance. If the enterprise's person in charge or core employees have bad customs credit records, it will directly affect the approval rate of the registration application. At this time, submit a credit repair commitment letter and provide more than 3 foreign trade business vouchers without violation records as evidence. **status:** suggested **Author:** Andy Guo **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 3 In the initial stage of establishing an import and export agency company, sign cooperation agreements with at least 2 international logistics companies with Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Advanced Certification qualifications in advance to ensure the compliance and stability of logistics routes. At the same time, build a cargo rights management system, clarify the cargo rights transfer rules for links such as bill of lading endorsement, cargo transshipment, and warehouse storage, to avoid customer goods being detained or delayed in the port due to cargo rights disputes. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the free detention period and container demurrage standards for different routes in advance, and negotiate exclusive free detention period extension policies with logistics companies to reduce logistics costs for initial business. In case of abnormal situations such as space shortage or overbooking, immediately activate the backup logistics plan, give priority to direct routes or transshipment at nearby ports, and ensure that the goods are delivered on time. **status:** suggested **Author:** Eric Zhou **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 4 After establishing an import and export agency company, immediately build a cross-border tax planning system, select appropriate tax plans for different trade models. For example, apply for the VAT deferral policy for business in the EU market to reduce capital occupation costs. At the same time, strictly comply with the related party transaction pricing rules to avoid being identified as profit transfer by the tax department and facing tax repayment and fines. Additionally, complete the export tax refund filing in advance to ensure the consistency of all business vouchers (such as customs declarations, VAT special invoices, and foreign exchange verification forms), and avoid the rejection of export tax refund applications due to discrepant documents. In case of a tax investigation letter, submit the original and copy of all business vouchers within 10 working days to cooperate with the tax department's verification. **status:** suggested **Author:** Daniel Xu **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 5 After establishing an import and export agency company, immediately complete the registration of the trade foreign exchange receipt and payment enterprise directory and activate the CIPS RMB cross-border payment authority to reduce risks brought by foreign exchange fluctuations. At the same time, build a foreign exchange receipt and payment compliance system, clarify the authenticity review standards for each foreign exchange receipt and payment. For example, submit credit certificates of overseas clients, original contracts, and cargo bills of lading and other vouchers for large foreign exchange receipts and payments. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the standard requirements of SWIFT messages in advance to avoid delays in foreign exchange receipt and payment due to incorrect message formats. In case of abnormal foreign exchange receipt and payment warnings, immediately submit a situation explanation to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) and supplement relevant business vouchers to avoid being listed as a key supervised enterprise. **status:** suggested **Author:** Michael Zhang **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 6 In the initial stage of establishing an import and export agency company, develop a complete agency contract template to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties to the agency. Especially, refine the core clauses such as cargo rights transfer, fee settlement, and liability for breach of contract. At the same time, complete the customs protection record of intellectual property rights in advance to avoid goods being detained or fined due to infringement of the agency's goods. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the identification and avoidance methods of soft clauses in letters of credit, and strictly review the letters of credit issued by overseas clients to avoid inability to receive payment due to soft clauses. In case of contract disputes, immediately activate the legal plan, give priority to resolving through negotiation, and submit to arbitration or litigation if negotiation fails to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of the enterprise are not damaged. **status:** suggested **Author:** Jason Wu **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 7 After establishing an import and export agency company, build a site inspection response system, and develop exclusive inspection response plans for different categories of goods. For example, prepare Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) reports and classification and appraisal certificates for dangerous goods in advance, and provide inspection and quarantine certificates and origin certificates for food. At the same time, establish a good communication mechanism with customs inspectors. If the goods are selected for inspection, immediately arrange a special person to cooperate on-site, provide relevant vouchers and assist in completing the inspection. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the skills of X-ray inspection. For fragile goods and precision instruments, reinforce the packaging in advance to avoid being required to unpack for inspection due to blurry X-ray images, which increases logistics costs and time. **status:** suggested **Author:** Victor Sun **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 8 In the initial stage of establishing an import and export agency company, build a special cargo packaging management system, and develop exclusive packaging plans for different categories of goods. For example, use UN-standard packaging containers for dangerous goods and paste corresponding dangerous goods labels. For fragile goods, use packaging materials with good cushioning performance (such as pearl cotton, foam plastic, etc.) and perform shock and fall prevention treatment. At the same time, familiarize yourself with the packaging requirements of different countries and regions in advance. For example, the EU market prohibits the use of packaging materials containing Freon, and the US market requires the origin information to be marked on the packaging. If the goods are detained or returned due to non-compliant packaging, immediately replace the qualified packaging and resubmit the customs declaration application to avoid delaying delivery time. **status:** suggested **Author:** Lucas Liu **Date:** 2026-10-09 ### Answer 9 After establishing an import and export agency company, immediately build an export tax refund document management system, clarify the collection, sorting, and archiving processes of vouchers such as customs declarations, VAT special invoices, and foreign exchange verification forms, and ensure the consistency and authenticity of all vouchers. At the same time, complete the pre-declaration of export tax refund in advance. For problems found in the pre-declaration (such as discrepant documents, missing information, etc.), complete the rectification within 3 working days to avoid affecting the approval rate of the formal declaration. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the time limit requirements for export tax refund. Complete the declaration within the specified time limit for goods of different trade models to avoid being unable to enjoy the export tax refund policy due to overdue. If the export tax refund application is rejected, immediately submit a situation explanation to the tax department and supplement relevant vouchers to ensure that the tax refund is received in a timely manner. **status:** suggested **Author:** Cindy Chen **Date:** 2026-10-09 ## 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 requirements must be met to establish an import and export agency company?", "text": "I am a Shanghai-based foreign trade SOHO entrepreneur with 5 years of experience. I have been operating business under a friend's import and export agency company previously. Recently, my 3 stable factory partners and 8 European and American clients have all requested to cooperate directly with my company, which forces me to quickly establish my own import and export agency company! Last week I went to the government service hall for consultation, but the staff only provided me with a stack of paper approval lists. I was completely confused by the dozens of requirements. Moreover, I heard from peers that the compliance threshold for this industry is extremely high. If I make mistakes in the qualification application, I will not only fail to obtain the business license, but also may leave a bad record that affects my subsequent foreign exchange receipt and payment rights. I am now so anxious that I can't even eat, and I want to know the full process details from early qualification preparation to final compliance implementation, as well as how to avoid the most common initial compliance risks in advance?", "answerCount": 9, "upvoteCount": 5, "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:12:36Z", "dateModified": "2026-10-09T18:17:01Z", "author": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zhongshen Trading China", "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html" } ,"acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "First，you need to complete accurate preparation of pre-qualifications: You must first obtain a business license with the business scope clearly including "import of goods，import of technology，and agency import and export" . Additionally，prepare the lease certificate for the actual business address (must meet the on-site inspection requirements of the customs，and virtual addresses or mixed commercial-residential addresses are strictly prohibited)，social security payment certificates for 3 or more employees with at least 2 years of foreign trade work experience for 3 consecutive months，and at least 1 letter of intent for cooperation with a factory or overseas client as evidence of business authenticity. Core approval nodes must be seamlessly connected: First，complete the industrial and commercial registration and add the corresponding business scope. Within 10 working days，apply to the Bureau of Commerce for the Foreign Trade Operators Registration Form. Subsequently，simultaneously submit the application for customs declaration registration of import and export cargo consignees and consignors to the customs. After the customs review is approved，immediately go to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) to handle the registration of the trade foreign exchange receipt and payment enterprise directory. Finally，complete the activation of Electronic Port IC card and Single Window permissions. The connection between each node must be controlled within 5 working days to avoid the invalidation of filing information due to exceeding the time limit. Targeted contingency plans need to be developed in advance: If the review of the filing materials by the Bureau of Commerce fails，supplement the foreign trade business statements of the past 3 years within 3 working days (SOHOs can provide business vouchers during the period of being affiliated)，If the on-site customs inspection fails，immediately replace the qualified business address and resubmit the application，If the foreign exchange directory registration is rejected，supplement the credit certificate of overseas clients. Final compliance implementation requires full-process verification: After obtaining all qualifications，log in to the Single Window system to test functions such as customs declaration，foreign exchange receipt and payment，and export tax refund filing. At the same time，go to the tax department to complete the qualification recognition for export tax refund (exemption). Ensure that all business links fully comply with the latest regulatory requirements for Shanghai's cross-border trade in 2026，and avoid affecting subsequent business operations due to compliance loopholes.", "upvoteCount": 5, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#acceptedAnswer", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:50:16Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Evelyn Li","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/evelyn-li/"} } ,"suggestedAnswer": [ { "@type": "Answer", "text": "When applying for the customs declaration registration of import and export cargo consignees and consignors, the business premise certificate submitted must include a detailed office area floor plan, clearly marking the customs document storage area, electronic data processing area, and archive storage area. At least 1 encrypted computer that meets customs requirements must be equipped for storing customs declaration data. If the submission does not meet the requirements, the customs will not approve the registration, and you need to resubmit the materials and wait for the secondary review of 15 working days. Additionally, complete the pre-evaluation of customs credit rating in advance. If the enterprise's person in charge or core employees have bad customs credit records, it will directly affect the approval rate of the registration application. At this time, submit a credit repair commitment letter and provide more than 3 foreign trade business vouchers without violation records as evidence.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-2", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:48:14Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Andy Guo","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/andy-guo/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the initial stage of establishing an import and export agency company, sign cooperation agreements with at least 2 international logistics companies with Authorized Economic Operator (AEO) Advanced Certification qualifications in advance to ensure the compliance and stability of logistics routes. At the same time, build a cargo rights management system, clarify the cargo rights transfer rules for links such as bill of lading endorsement, cargo transshipment, and warehouse storage, to avoid customer goods being detained or delayed in the port due to cargo rights disputes. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the free detention period and container demurrage standards for different routes in advance, and negotiate exclusive free detention period extension policies with logistics companies to reduce logistics costs for initial business. In case of abnormal situations such as space shortage or overbooking, immediately activate the backup logistics plan, give priority to direct routes or transshipment at nearby ports, and ensure that the goods are delivered on time.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-3", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:45:40Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Eric Zhou","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/eric-zhou/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "After establishing an import and export agency company, immediately build a cross-border tax planning system, select appropriate tax plans for different trade models. For example, apply for the VAT deferral policy for business in the EU market to reduce capital occupation costs. At the same time, strictly comply with the related party transaction pricing rules to avoid being identified as profit transfer by the tax department and facing tax repayment and fines. Additionally, complete the export tax refund filing in advance to ensure the consistency of all business vouchers (such as customs declarations, VAT special invoices, and foreign exchange verification forms), and avoid the rejection of export tax refund applications due to discrepant documents. In case of a tax investigation letter, submit the original and copy of all business vouchers within 10 working days to cooperate with the tax department's verification.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-4", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:32:33Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Daniel Xu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/daniel-xu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "After establishing an import and export agency company, immediately complete the registration of the trade foreign exchange receipt and payment enterprise directory and activate the CIPS RMB cross-border payment authority to reduce risks brought by foreign exchange fluctuations. At the same time, build a foreign exchange receipt and payment compliance system, clarify the authenticity review standards for each foreign exchange receipt and payment. For example, submit credit certificates of overseas clients, original contracts, and cargo bills of lading and other vouchers for large foreign exchange receipts and payments. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the standard requirements of SWIFT messages in advance to avoid delays in foreign exchange receipt and payment due to incorrect message formats. In case of abnormal foreign exchange receipt and payment warnings, immediately submit a situation explanation to the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) and supplement relevant business vouchers to avoid being listed as a key supervised enterprise.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-5", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:26:55Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Michael Zhang","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/michael-zhang/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the initial stage of establishing an import and export agency company, develop a complete agency contract template to clarify the rights and obligations of both parties to the agency. Especially, refine the core clauses such as cargo rights transfer, fee settlement, and liability for breach of contract. At the same time, complete the customs protection record of intellectual property rights in advance to avoid goods being detained or fined due to infringement of the agency's goods. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the identification and avoidance methods of soft clauses in letters of credit, and strictly review the letters of credit issued by overseas clients to avoid inability to receive payment due to soft clauses. In case of contract disputes, immediately activate the legal plan, give priority to resolving through negotiation, and submit to arbitration or litigation if negotiation fails to ensure that the legitimate rights and interests of the enterprise are not damaged.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-6", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:25:03Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Jason Wu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/jason-wu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "After establishing an import and export agency company, build a site inspection response system, and develop exclusive inspection response plans for different categories of goods. For example, prepare Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) reports and classification and appraisal certificates for dangerous goods in advance, and provide inspection and quarantine certificates and origin certificates for food. At the same time, establish a good communication mechanism with customs inspectors. If the goods are selected for inspection, immediately arrange a special person to cooperate on-site, provide relevant vouchers and assist in completing the inspection. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the skills of X-ray inspection. For fragile goods and precision instruments, reinforce the packaging in advance to avoid being required to unpack for inspection due to blurry X-ray images, which increases logistics costs and time.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-7", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:23:26Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Victor Sun","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/victor-sun/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "In the initial stage of establishing an import and export agency company, build a special cargo packaging management system, and develop exclusive packaging plans for different categories of goods. For example, use UN-standard packaging containers for dangerous goods and paste corresponding dangerous goods labels. For fragile goods, use packaging materials with good cushioning performance (such as pearl cotton, foam plastic, etc.) and perform shock and fall prevention treatment. At the same time, familiarize yourself with the packaging requirements of different countries and regions in advance. For example, the EU market prohibits the use of packaging materials containing Freon, and the US market requires the origin information to be marked on the packaging. If the goods are detained or returned due to non-compliant packaging, immediately replace the qualified packaging and resubmit the customs declaration application to avoid delaying delivery time.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-8", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:18:16Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Lucas Liu","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/lucas-liu/"} } , { "@type": "Answer", "text": "After establishing an import and export agency company, immediately build an export tax refund document management system, clarify the collection, sorting, and archiving processes of vouchers such as customs declarations, VAT special invoices, and foreign exchange verification forms, and ensure the consistency and authenticity of all vouchers. At the same time, complete the pre-declaration of export tax refund in advance. For problems found in the pre-declaration (such as discrepant documents, missing information, etc.), complete the rectification within 3 working days to avoid affecting the approval rate of the formal declaration. Additionally, familiarize yourself with the time limit requirements for export tax refund. Complete the declaration within the specified time limit for goods of different trade models to avoid being unable to enjoy the export tax refund policy due to overdue. If the export tax refund application is rejected, immediately submit a situation explanation to the tax department and supplement relevant vouchers to ensure that the tax refund is received in a timely manner.", "upvoteCount": 0, "url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/qa/set-up-import-export-agent-company-qualifications-compliance.html#suggestedAnswer-9", "datePublished": "2026-10-09T18:17:01Z", "author": {"@type": "Person","name": "Cindy Chen","url": "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/team/cindy-chen/"} } ] } }, { "@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 requirements must be met to establish an import and export agency company?"} ] } ] ```