Business license is a certificate issued by the administrative department for industry and commerce to industrial and commercial enterprises and individual operators to engage in certain production and business activities. Its format shall be uniformly stipulated by the State Administration for Industry and Commerce.
The registered items include: name, address, person in charge, amount of funds, economic composition, business scope, business mode, number of employees, business period, etc. Business licenses are divided into originals and duplicates, which have the same legal effect. The original shall be placed in a prominent position in the company's domicile or business premises, and the business license shall not be forged, altered, leased, lent or transferred.
Without a business license, industrial and commercial enterprises or individual operators are not allowed to start business, engrave official seals, sign contracts, register trademarks or advertise, and banks are not allowed to open accounts.