Compliance
What Is a Unified Social Credit Code? Complete Guide
The Unified Social Credit Code (USCC), known in Chinese as tongyi shehui xinyong daima (统一社会信用代码), is the single most important identifier for any registered business entity in China. This 18-character alphanumeric code replaced multiple legacy registration numbers in 2015 and is now the universal key for tax, customs, banking, and legal verification across the country.
Published March 1, 2025
Why the USCC exists
Before October 2015, Chinese companies were assigned separate identification numbers by different government agencies. A single company could hold a business registration number from SAIC (now SAMR), a tax registration number from the State Tax Administration, an organization code from the Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau, and additional codes for customs and statistics. This fragmented system made cross-referencing difficult and created opportunities for fraud.
The State Council launched the "three-in-one" reform (三证合一) in 2015, which was later expanded to "five-in-one" (五证合一) in 2016. Under this system, every business entity receives a single 18-character Unified Social Credit Code that serves all regulatory purposes. The old numbers were phased out entirely by the end of 2017.
Today, the USCC is printed on every Chinese business license (营业执照), and it is the primary identifier used in court filings, tax records, customs declarations, bank account openings, and contract enforcement. If you are doing business with a Chinese company, the USCC is the first thing you should verify.
Structure of the 18-digit USCC
The USCC is not a random string. Each of its 18 characters encodes specific information about the company. Understanding the structure allows you to perform basic validation before even querying a database.
Position 1: Registration authority
The first character identifies which government agency registered the entity. The most common value is 9, representing entities registered with SAMR (the State Administration for Market Regulation, formerly SAIC). Other values include 1 for organizations registered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, 5 for those registered by the Ministry of Civil Affairs for social organizations, and Y for entities registered with other agencies.
Position 2: Entity type
The second character specifies the type of entity. For SAMR-registered companies (first digit 9), the second digit is typically 1 for sole proprietorships, 2 for partnerships, or 3 for enterprises (the most common, covering LLCs, joint-stock companies, and foreign-invested enterprises).
Positions 3-8: Administrative region code
These six digits correspond to the administrative division code (行政区划代码) where the company is registered. This is the same coding system used for national statistics and ID cards. For example, 110105 represents Chaoyang District, Beijing, while 440305 represents Nanshan District, Shenzhen.
Positions 9-17: Sequential registration number
These nine characters form a unique sequential identifier assigned by the local registration authority. This portion uses a restricted character set of digits and uppercase letters (excluding I, O, S, V, Z to avoid confusion with similar-looking characters).
Position 18: Check digit
The final character is a checksum digit calculated using a weighted modulus algorithm based on the first 17 characters. This allows software to detect common data entry errors such as transposed digits or single-character mistakes. The check digit uses the same restricted character set as positions 9-17.
Example: 91110105MA01B1GR3T
- 9 = SAMR-registered
- 1 = Enterprise type
- 110105 = Chaoyang District, Beijing
- MA01B1GR3 = Sequential registration number
- T = Check digit
Where to find a company's USCC
Every Chinese company is required to display its USCC prominently. Here are the most common places to find it:
- Business license (营业执照): The USCC is printed at the top of every modern business license. If a company provides a license image, the USCC should be clearly visible. Be cautious of licenses that show older-format registration numbers instead of an 18-character USCC, as these may be outdated or forged.
- National Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System (GSXT): The official government portal at gsxt.gov.cn allows public searches by company name or USCC. However, the interface is entirely in Chinese and may require CAPTCHA completion.
- Company invoices (发票): The USCC appears on all official invoices (fapiao) issued by the company, as it functions as the tax identification number.
- Contracts and official correspondence: Chinese companies typically include their USCC in the company details section of formal contracts.
- Bank account records: The USCC is used to open corporate bank accounts and appears in wire transfer records.
For the fastest verification, use QINCheck's USCC lookup tool to validate the code format and retrieve the company's official registration data in English.
How to validate a USCC
Basic validation can be performed without any database access by checking the following:
- Length: The code must be exactly 18 characters.
- Character set: Only digits 0-9 and uppercase letters A-Z are allowed, excluding I, O, S, V, and Z.
- First digit: Must be a valid registration authority code (1, 5, 9, or Y are the most common).
- Region code (positions 3-8): Must correspond to a valid Chinese administrative division.
- Checksum (position 18): Must match the calculated value based on the weighted modulus algorithm using the first 17 characters.
A USCC that passes all five checks is structurally valid, but structural validity alone does not prove the company exists or is in good standing. You must still query an authoritative source to confirm the code is registered and active.
QINCheck performs both structural validation and live database verification. Learn more about USCC terminology and related concepts in our China business glossary.
Why the USCC matters for verification
The USCC is the foundation of all Chinese company verification. Without it, you cannot reliably confirm any of the following:
- Whether the company legally exists and is currently registered
- Whether the company name matches the official registration
- Who the legal representative is and whether they have authority to sign contracts
- What the company is legally permitted to do (business scope)
- Whether the company has been flagged for abnormal operations or legal violations
- Whether the bank account you are wiring money to belongs to the company
Wire fraud targeting foreign buyers is a significant risk in international trade with China. Scammers may provide a legitimate company name but direct payment to a different bank account. By verifying the USCC, you can confirm the company's identity and cross-reference it with the bank account details before sending any money.
Legacy registration numbers
If you encounter a Chinese company still referencing older-format numbers, here is what they correspond to:
| Old number type | Format | Issuing agency |
|---|---|---|
| Business registration number | 15 digits | SAIC (now SAMR) |
| Tax registration number | 15 digits | State Tax Administration |
| Organization code | 9 characters (8 digits + check) | Quality Supervision Bureau |
Any company still using these old numbers either has not updated its registration (which is itself a red flag) or is providing outdated documentation. The USCC should always be available for any legitimately operating Chinese company today.