App Store ICP number: publishing an app in China in 2026

The ICP number (备案号) is the filing number an app gets from China's Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the MIIT, through its provincial bureau. According to Apple, the MIIT requires it for "some apps" offered in mainland China, with no published list, and you enter it on the App Information page in App Store Connect. Without a valid number, your app isn't available in mainland China, but it stays available in the other countries where you offer it, Hong Kong and Taiwan included.

This guide is for two kinds of readers. If you develop in mainland China, it shows you where to enter the number, what has to match your filing, and the other numbers required for a game or a news app. If you publish from abroad, it helps you decide: keep China or uncheck it.

I publish my own apps on the App Store. Everything below comes from Apple's help pages and the MIIT notice, reviewed on October 27, 2026.

What is an ICP number

ICP stands for Internet Content Provider. The word 备案 means a filing, a declaration recorded by the authorities. Apple actually distinguishes the filing number (ICP Filing Number) from the ICP license (ICP 许可证), which it lists separately as a supporting document for other permits.

The rule comes from the MIIT notice 工信部信管〔2023〕105号, dated July 21, 2023 and published on August 4, 2023. It targets the "APP主办者", the organization or person operating the app. Any 主办者 providing an internet information service in China must file a 备案, or it can't operate.

The same notice addresses distribution platforms, like the App Store. They must not distribute an app without a filing, and they must display the number of the apps they distribute. That's what the ICP field in App Store Connect is for: Apple itself attributes this requirement to the MIIT.

The MIIT timeline

The notice set four stages.

Period	Stage
Through end of August 2023	Bureaus and platforms get ready
September 2023 to March 2024	Filing for apps already in service
April to June 2024	MIIT inspections
Since July 2024	Regular inspections, no end date

For a new app, the filing comes before launch. The notice requires apps launched after its publication to file first, then operate. For apps already in service, it specified that a 主办者 who already had a 备案 for a website only had to add the app's information, without re-entering their identity.

Which apps need an ICP number

In its help page on app information, Apple writes that the MIIT requires a valid ICP number for "some apps".

Apple gives no list: neither of the apps affected, nor of the apps exempted. Don't assume yours is off the hook.

The MIIT notice doesn't list exemptions either. It targets any app providing an internet information service in China. So I can't tell you "all apps", or "only apps with a server": no official text says so.

What's certain is Apple's position. Section 5 of the App Store guidelines requires your app to comply with the law in every country where you offer it, and advises you to consult a lawyer if you're unsure. Whether your app needs a 备案 is a question of Chinese law, not a question for App Review.

Who files, where, and how long it takes

According to the MIIT notice:

• The 主办者 files with the provincial communications bureau (省级通信管理局) where they're domiciled.
• The filing goes through their internet access or hosting provider, or through the distribution platform, in the 国家互联网基础资源管理系统, the national ICP filing system.
• The bureau has 20 business days to register a complete and accurate application. It then assigns the number and publishes the filing. An incomplete or inaccurate application is rejected, with the reasons.
• News, publishing, education, audiovisual (影视) or religious apps attach the approval of the authority overseeing their sector. The list ends with "等" (etc.): it isn't closed.
• Once the number is issued, the app must display it in a visible spot, with a link to the lookup system right below it.
• Any change, or shutting down the app, must be reported to the bureau that registered the filing.

These 20 business days have nothing to do with the App Store review time. Count both, and start the filing well before you submit.

And if you're not in mainland China

The notice doesn't explicitly say a foreigner can't file. But it requires the provincial bureau of the 主办者's domicile, which assumes an address in mainland China. In practice, you need an entity or a partner in mainland China.

Some service providers, like AppInChina, sell this service. It's a commercial offer, not a neutral source, and I haven't tested it.

Where to enter the ICP number in App Store Connect

According to Apple's reference, you enter the number in the dedicated section of the App Information tab.

1. In Apps, open your app, then App Information (App 信息 in Simplified Chinese).
2. Go to the Availability in China mainland section. In the Simplified Chinese interface, it's called 在中国大陆的供应情况.
3. Enter your ICP number. If your app is a game, a book or magazine service, a religious app or a news app, add the required number or permit and its documents (table below).
4. Save. Apple verifies the number, then shows it on your App Store product page.

The rule: it has to match your filing

The number and the metadata on the App Information page must match what you filed with the MIIT. Apple checks this against your Simplified Chinese localization. If your app doesn't have one, it checks against your primary language.

Apple doesn't list which fields it compares. On that page, the app name and subtitle are among the localized fields. My take: start by comparing the Simplified Chinese name, character by character, with the one in your filing.

Two traps follow from this:

• If you rename the app, report the change to the provincial bureau too. Otherwise, your listing and your filing no longer match.
• If you add a Simplified Chinese listing, that's the one Apple compares to your filing, not your primary language anymore. Keep that in mind if you localize your App Store keywords. The languages read in each storefront are in App Store languages by country.

For the rest of the rules on name, subtitle and screenshots, read the guide to guideline 2.3.10 on metadata.

Other information required from Chinese developers

Two obligations close to the ICP apply to developers based in mainland China. Both are handled with the Account Holder or Admin role.

Obligation	Who	Where in App Store Connect
Chinese name and USCI on the page	Organization in mainland China	Business, Agreements, Compliance, China Mainland
Tax info (Decree No. 810)	Chinese developer, since July 2025	Business, Agreements, Compliance, State Council Decree No. 810

According to Apple's page on mainland China compliance, Chinese laws against telecom fraud and on cybersecurity require Apple to display your company's Chinese name and its USCI identifier (统一社会信用代码). Apple pulls them from your D-U-N-S profile. To fix the USCI tied to your D-U-N-S, contact D&B, not Apple. If D&B has the right USCI and your page doesn't show it, then contact Apple. The D-U-N-S only matters for enrolling as an organization, explained in Apple developer account: price and enrollment.

Since July 2025, Apple also reports Chinese developers to the Chinese tax authorities every quarter, under State Council Decree No. 810. An individual enters the number and name on their resident identity card. A company must have a D-U-N-S and a USCI. Apple specifies that this decree doesn't change your tax obligations.

The "ICP Filing Number Missing" and "Invalid" statuses

You see them in Pricing and Availability: under App Availability, click Manage, and Apple shows the status for each country. These aren't App Review rejections. They're availability statuses, country by country.

Status	What it means	What to do
ICP Filing Number Missing	No valid ICP number provided	Enter the number, or remove China
ICP Filing Number Invalid	Number or metadata don't match the filing	Align the listing, or update the filing
Missing Game registration number	Game without an NPPA approval number	Provide the number and its documents

In the Simplified Chinese interface, these statuses are called 缺少 ICP 备案号, ICP 备案号无效 and 缺少游戏注册编号.

In all three cases, your app isn't available in mainland China, and only there. Other countries keep their status.

Games, books, religion, news: the extra documents

For four types of content, Apple requires another number or a permit, with documents to upload. Here's the table, based on its App Information page.

App type	Required document	Documents to upload
Any affected app	ICP number (备案号), from the MIIT	The number, entered in App Information
Game	Approval number (网络游戏出版物号, called 版号), from the NPPA	ISBN Issuing Letter or Approval Reply, latest business license
Books, magazines	Online publishing permit (网络出版服务许可证), from the NPPA	Permit, authorization letter, business license, ICP license or equivalent
Religious content	Online religious permit (互联网宗教信息服务许可证), from the NRAA	Permit, authorization letter, business license, ICP license or equivalent
News	Online news permit (互联网新闻信息服务许可证), from the CAC	Permit, authorization letter, business license, ICP license or equivalent

For a game, you can also attach the authorization agreement with the corresponding operator. The 版号 process is described on the NPPA website, with two separate procedures: one for Chinese games, one for games licensed from a foreign rights holder.

The ICP number doesn't replace any of these permits. And the MIIT notice names two sectors missing from Apple's help, education and audiovisual (影视), in a list that stays open. For those apps, the sector authority's approval is attached to the ICP filing itself.

Publishing from abroad: keep or uncheck China

The rule only applies to the mainland China storefront. Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan have their own storefronts in App Store Connect, and Apple's help doesn't mention ICP for them. If you keep them, nothing changes there.

Watch out for one detail: if you picked All Countries or Regions when setting up availability, your app targets all 175 App Store countries and regions, mainland China included. So it's checked without you ever deciding it.

After that, it all depends on your plans for mainland China.

Your situation	What I'd do
Entity or partner in China, local project	File the 备案, then enter the number
No Chinese listing, no plans for China	Uncheck China mainland
ICP Missing status, no plans to file	Uncheck: the app isn't offered there anyway
Game without a 版号	Uncheck: the ICP alone isn't enough

Unchecking mainland China, step by step

According to Apple's help on availability:

1. In Apps, open your app.
2. In the sidebar, click Pricing and Availability, then scroll down to App Availability.
3. Click Manage, then Manage Availability.
4. Uncheck China mainland. In the App Store Connect API, this territory has the code CHN.
5. Click Next, then confirm.

In the Simplified Chinese interface, the path is 价格与销售范围, then App 供应情况, 管理 and 管理供应情况.

The change is immediate, but it can take up to 24 hours to show up for everyone. People who already downloaded your app in mainland China keep getting its updates. They can also redownload it from their purchase history, as long as the required agreement stays active.

One last limit, to be honest: I found no Apple page saying what happens to a foreign account that keeps China without a number. The only reliable signal is the mainland China status in Pricing and Availability. Check it again after every release.

Reviewed on October 27, 2026 against the App Store Connect help, in English and Simplified Chinese, and the MIIT notice. These pages can change: reread Apple's page before submitting for China.

Frequently asked questions

Do all apps need an ICP number in China?

Apple writes "some apps" and gives no list. The MIIT notice targets any app providing an internet information service in China, with no list of exemptions. If you're unsure about your app, consult a lawyer who knows Chinese law.

Where do I enter the ICP number in App Store Connect?

In Apps, open your app, then App Information, in the Availability in China mainland section. The number and the page's metadata must match the filing, on the Simplified Chinese localization or, if there isn't one, on the primary language.

What does "ICP Filing Number Missing" mean?

Your app isn't available in mainland China, because no valid ICP number was provided. Enter the number in App Information, or remove mainland China from availability.

What does "ICP Filing Number Invalid" mean?

The ICP number, the metadata, or both don't match your MIIT filing. Align the name and listing with the filing, or update the filing with your provincial bureau.

Can a foreign developer get an ICP number?

The notice doesn't explicitly forbid it. But the filing goes to the provincial bureau of the 主办者's domicile, in mainland China. In practice, you need an entity or a partner there.

Do I need an ICP number for Hong Kong or Taiwan?

Apple's help only mentions the ICP for the mainland China storefront. Hong Kong and Taiwan have their own storefronts in App Store Connect: keeping them doesn't raise the ICP question.

How long does the ICP filing take?

According to the MIIT notice, the provincial bureau has 20 business days to register a complete and accurate application. Apple doesn't publish a timeframe for its own verification of the number.

Does a game need anything besides the ICP number?

Yes. A game also needs an NPPA approval number, the 版号. Apple asks for the ISBN Issuing Letter or the Approval Reply, and your latest business license. Without them, the "Missing Game registration number" status shows up.

Sources

• Apple, App information: ICP number, matching, and permits for games, books, religion and news.
• Apple, App and submission statuses: Missing, Invalid and Missing Game registration number statuses.
• Apple, Manage availability for your app on the App Store: unchecking a country.
• Apple, View China mainland compliance information: Chinese name and USCI.
• Apple, State Council Decree No. 810: tax reporting for Chinese developers.
• Apple, App Review Guidelines, section 5: complying with local law.
• MIIT, notice 工信部信管〔2023〕105号, also published on gov.cn.
• NPPA, online publishing procedures.

Before you submit for China

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