What is Dual Filing? Why Both ICP and Public Security Filings Are Mandatory
Dual filing refers to ICP filing and public security filing. ICP filing is required by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, while public security filing is mandated by the Ministry of Public Security. These two filings correspond to different government departments. If your website's server is located in mainland China, both filings are mandatory. Many small and micro enterprise owners are aware only of ICP filing and are unaware of the public security filing requirement.
Why are both registrations required? ICP filing governs "whether the site can go live"—without it, your hosting provider will cut off access and the site becomes unreachable. Public Security filing governs "legal compliance after going live"—you must register with the public security authorities within 30 days of launch. Recent inspections have become stricter, especially for sites offering commercial services; failing to file carries significant risk of being flagged or penalized. Both filings are essential—you cannot skip either one.
Here's how we handle the dual filing process for our clients: ICP Filing: Submit an application through your domain registrar or hosting provider's filing system. Required documents include business license, legal representative ID, website administrator ID, and domain certificate. The service provider conducts a preliminary review within 1 to 2 working days, followed by submission to the regulatory authority for final approval within 5 to 20 working days. Upon approval, you receive your ICP filing number. Public Security Filing: Within 30 days of launching your website, register an account on the "National Internet Security Management Service Platform," complete the website and organization information, and submit for police department review. This takes 3 to 7 working days. Once approved, you will receive your public security filing number and badge.
The most common pitfall is assuming ICP filing alone is sufficient. Many website builders only handle the ICP filing and omit public security registration, leaving your site non-compliant after launch. Another risk occurs when you switch servers without updating the filing: migrating from Alibaba Cloud to Tencent Cloud requires a filing transfer; otherwise, your new provider may suspend your site.
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