China Copyright Registration — Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The basic software copyright registration and certificate fees have been suspended since April 2017. The sole official channel is CPCC, with online filing and the certificate mailed to you. Special deposit variants may carry separate charges.

If the source code is 60 pages or more, submit the first 30 and last 30 continuous pages, with at least 50 lines per page. If it is fewer than 60 pages, submit the entire source code. The user manual follows the same first-30/last-30 rule at at least 30 lines per page.

The application form with the signed/sealed confirmation page, the source-code identification material, the user manual or design document with running screenshots, and the applicant's identity document. Joint or commissioned development also requires an agreement.

It depends on human intellectual contribution. Fully automatic output with no human input is not protected, but a result reflecting a person's creative direction, prompt design, selection, arrangement or editing can be protected, with rights held by the contributing person. The claimant must evidence that contribution.

Applicants are expected to disclose whether AI was used and describe the human contributions, add the required AI content label, and keep creation-process records (prompts, versions, edits). Rules continue to develop — confirm current CPCC requirements before filing.

Ordinary works are commonly examined in the region of 60 working days; expedited handling carries an added charge. If the materials have problems after acceptance, you generally have 30 days to correct them.

Yes. Foreign works and rights holders are protected under Chinese law and applicable treaties, and can register through CPCC, typically with a local agent handling the Chinese-language online filing.

Copyright protects creative expression (a logo design, code, content); a trademark protects a sign identifying the source of goods or services. They are complementary — copyright in a logo can support trademark disputes and provide preliminary ownership evidence.

Together with drafts, originals or contracts, the certificate can serve as preliminary evidence of ownership, and is commonly used for court enforcement, platform takedowns and licensing.

You generally have 30 days to correct and resubmit; failing to correct in time means the application is deemed withdrawn. Keep copies of everything so corrected materials stay consistent.