Company Administrative Information Alteration

It's crucial to inform the relevant authorities to keep your company's information updated. Let Hongda assist you with quick change registration!

Promptly registering changes is extremely important!

Throughout its lifecycle, a Chinese company may experience numerous changes or other matters. When these arise, it's necessary to report to the relevant authorities in a timely manner as per legal requirements. Correctly following these legal and compliance procedures significantly impacts the company, its shareholders, creditors, and the market at large. By complying, you not only maintain economic order and protect stakeholders' rights but also support the company's transformation, healthy exit, or resource optimization legally. Therefore, companies and their management should prioritize the legality and standardization of these processes, seeking professional legal and financial advice when needed. These changes typically need to be reported to the industrial and commercial administration departments or other relevant agencies to ensure timely updates and compliance.

Common Company Information Alterlation Items

1. Change of Company Name

If a company needs to change its market identifier due to business adjustments or other reasons, it must apply for a name change with the relevant registration authority.

Step 1: Application for name change (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Remaking of company seals, financial seals, invoice seals, etc. (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department & Public Security Department);
Step 3: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration);
Step 4: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);
Step 5: Related licenses or registrations involving the company name (Special Licensing Departments);

2. Change of Registered Address (License Displayed Address)

When a company moves to a new office location, it needs to register a change of address.

Step 1: Application for change of address (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration);
Step 3: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);
Step 4: Related licenses or registrations involving the company's registered address (Special Licensing Departments)

3. Change of Legal Representative (Executive Partner)

The legal representative (executive partner) is the primary person responsible for the company's external legal actions. Changes in this position due to management adjustments or changes in the legal representative have significant impacts on contract signing, financial management, etc. Such changes require formal registration.

Step 1: Application for change of legal representative (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Remaking of the legal representative's name seal;
Step 3: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration);
Step 4: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);
Step 5: Related licenses or registrations involving the legal representative's information (Special Licensing Departments);

4. Change of Registered Capital (or Contribution Amount)

When a company increases or decreases its registered capital (or contribution amount), it must register the change. Adjustments in registered capital reflect changes in the company's capital structure and can affect the company's credit and financing capabilities.

Step 1: Application for change of registered capital (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration);
Step 3: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);
Step 4: Related licenses or registrations involving the company's registered capital information (Special Licensing Departments);

5. Change of Business Scope

When a company expands or adjusts its business activities, it may need to change its business scope. The business scope directly relates to the types of business activities a company can engage in, making this change crucial for the company's market activities and legal operations.

Step 1: Application for change of business scope (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration);
Step 3: Related licenses or registrations involving the company's business scope (Special Licensing Departments);

6. Change of Shareholder Equity

When there's a transfer of equity among shareholders or when new investors are introduced, equity change registration is required. This change directly affects the ownership structure of the company and can significantly impact control and business decisions. Drafting the equity agreement and stipulating the consideration for the transfer of equity are crucial. Consulting with Hongda for advice is recommended. When equity premium and cross-border capital settlement are included, Hongda will surely provide you with an optimal solution!

Step 1: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration); The equity transfer agreement must be filed with the tax authority, which will then confirm the taxes due on the transaction. Of course, the tax bureau needs to verify the transaction's fairness when the transfer occurs at a discount or at fair value.
Step 2: Application for change of shareholder equity (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 3: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);
Step 4: Related licenses or registrations involving the company's equity information (Special Licensing Departments);

7. Change of Shareholders or Partners (Investors)

When there's a change in the information of shareholders (investors), such as name, address, etc., it is required to declare this change to the registration authority. This type of change often accompanies a change in shareholder identity or an update of shareholder information.

Step 1: Application for change of shareholder's information (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Registration of tax changes (Taxation Administration);
Step 3: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);
Step 4: Related licenses or registrations involving the company's shareholder information (Special Licensing Departments);

8. Change of Company Charter (Partnership Agreement)

When there are changes to the company's charter (partnership agreement), such as name, address, shareholders or partners, registered capital or contribution amount, contribution deadline, company type, etc., it is necessary to declare and record these changes with the registration authority.

Step 1: Filing for change of company charter (Industrial and Commercial Administration Department);
Step 2: Change of company's public account information (Company's Account Opening Bank);

If your company is not operational, deregister it promptly

When a company decides to cease operations due to poor management, business adjustments, or other reasons, it's necessary to legally cancel its registration and end its corporate status. This means the company will no longer be considered active, freeing it from further economic and legal obligations. The deregistration process includes settling debts, canceling tax registrations, and making public announcements. Promptly completing deregistration prevents unnecessary annual expenses like taxes and audit fees and avoids legal liabilities. Funds remaining in the company's accounts can only be transferred out after deregistration is complete, allowing for the closure of bank accounts and the return of balances to investors.

If a company fails to conduct annual inspections (or disclose annual reports), fails to file taxes, and does not voluntarily deregister, it will face a series of legal and economic consequences. These consequences can affect the normal operation of the enterprise and may also impose personal responsibilities on the company's legal representatives and shareholders.

1. Administrative Penalties

Late Fees: Companies that do not complete annual inspections or tax filings on time may be fined by relevant administrative departments.
Credit Record Damage: Non-compliance will be recorded in the corporate credit information system, affecting the company's credit rating and future financing or bidding activities.

2. Operational Restrictions

Business Restrictions: Companies failing to complete annual inspections or tax declarations may face restrictions, such as prohibitions on changing company registration information or restrictions on certain business activities.
Bank Account Freezing: In some cases, tax or other regulatory bodies may freeze a company's bank accounts until tax declarations are completed and fines are paid.

3. Legal Liabilities

Liabilities of Legal Representatives and Shareholders: The legal representatives and shareholders of a company may bear legal responsibilities for not fulfilling legal obligations, including personal fines or travel restrictions.
Criminal Liability: In severe cases, such as tax evasion, the company's legal representatives might face criminal charges.

4. Increased Financial Burden

Late fees and penalties for not filing taxes on time necessitate the payment of surcharges and, depending on the amount of tax owed, additional fines.
The complexity and cost of liquidation increase if a company wishes to deregister in the future, with unfinished annual inspections and tax filings complicating and prolonging the liquidation process.

5. Impact on Personal Credit

The personal credit scores of legal representatives and shareholders may be adversely affected by the company's poor credit record, potentially impacting their personal loans, travel, and other activities.

Therefore, even if a company is no longer operational, it should complete annual inspections (or publicize annual reports), file taxes, or apply for deregistration according to legal requirements to avoid these consequences. Complying with regulations is not only a legal duty but also crucial for protecting one's interests and maintaining market order. For companies unable to operate normally, timely completion of the deregistration process is advisable.

If needed, Hongda can assist your company with the following operations to protect your personal and corporate interests:

Corporate Restructuring: Optimizing resource allocation and enhancing market competitiveness through mergers, divisions, acquisitions, etc. Restructuring involves equity adjustments and asset reorganization, crucial for achieving strategic goals like market expansion, risk diversification, and operational efficiency.
Corporate Dissolution: Terminating the company due to specific reasons such as the expiration of partnership agreements or statutory dissolution scenarios. It's a legal status before cessation, involving asset liquidation and debt repayment, critical for ensuring all creditors' rights are adequately addressed and shareholders' legal rights are protected.
Corporate Liquidation: After dissolution, the company enters liquidation, where a liquidation committee manages the company's assets, debts, and distribution of remaining assets. This final step in legal procedures marks the company's formal exit from the market, with fair and lawful handling of financial affairs being essential for maintaining economic order and protecting stakeholders' interests.

What is the approximate cost of company business information changes?

The cost of business information changes typically includes administrative service fees, fees for relevant application materials, and possibly the service fees for lawyers or professional agency representatives. The specific cost varies depending on the region and the complexity of the change.

How can a company avoid legal disputes arising from business information changes?

To avoid legal disputes, it is recommended that a company strictly comply with relevant laws and regulations during the business information change process. The company should prepare the necessary documents, resolutions, and supporting materials in advance, maintain transparency during the process, and promptly inform all relevant parties, such as shareholders, tax authorities, and banks.

If my company has multiple branches, do I need to update their business information as well?

Yes, if the head office's business information changes, the related branch offices also need to update their information accordingly. For example, if the head office changes its name, registered address, or legal representative, the branches typically need to make corresponding updates.

Sound United is the leading designer and manufacturer of consumer audio products in the US. Sound United has been using Hongda since 2013. Moving one’s operation to China is not a small task. But Hongda’s expert services helped us set up a company and deal with tax issues so we could get on with growing our business in no time at all, and that’s why we continue to use them today.

Jack Peng

Asia Pacific Vice President | Sound United