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The registration rule nobody warns you about

Every foreigner in China has to be registered with the local police. Hotels do it for you at check-in — but the moment you sleep at a friend's place or a private rental, the clock starts and it's on you. Here's exactly when, where and how.

SD by stay_desk ◆ guide · updated · 7 min read Official source ✓ Worked recently × 96

Interactive · 30-second answer

Do I need to register — and how?

Tap where you're sleeping tonight. We'll tell you whether it's handled for you or on you, the deadline, and exactly what to bring.

DONE FOR
YOU

    BASED ON THE EXIT & ENTRY ADMINISTRATION LAW · LOCAL RULES VARY — CHECK YOUR CITY'S BOARD · DEMO DATA

    01The rule, plainly

    It comes from Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, and it splits cleanly in two. If you stay in a hotel — and that includes hostels, guesthouses and inns — the property registers you at check-in by scanning your passport and reporting to the local police. You do nothing; just show your passport when you check in.

    If you stay anywhere else — a friend's apartment, family, or a private rental you booked online — then you or your host must register at the local police station within 24 hours of arrival (72 hours in rural areas). That's the part travelers forget, because nothing prompts you to do it.

    Who registers you, and by when
    Where you sleepWho files itDeadline
    Hotel / hostel / innThe property, at check-inAutomatic
    Friend or family's homeYou or your hostWithin 24 hours
    Private rental (apartment)You or the owner/hostWithin 24 hours
    Rural homestay / villageYou or your hostWithin 72 hours

    02The 2026 change: you can often do it online

    Until recently a private stay meant a physical trip to the 派出所 (local police station). As of 2026, a pilot program in 7 provinces (Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan — rolling out nationally) lets you file the same registration online — with the same legal validity as showing up in person. You can submit through the NIA Government Service Platform, the NIA 12367 app, or the 12367 mini-programs inside WeChat and Alipay. Either you or your host can do it.

    Several cities also run their own systems — Beijing, Shanghai, Hainan and Chongqing have had online self-service registration for a while. Coverage is uneven, so if the online filing won't accept your address, the in-person route below always works.

    Good to know

    Online or in person, registration is free. Anyone asking for a fee to "register your stay" is a scam — the NIA has warned about fake arrival-card and registration sites. Use only the official NIA channels or your city's police portal.

    03Doing it in person: what to bring

    Find the police station for the district you're sleeping in (your host will know it, or search the address + 派出所). Bring the documents below; the desk fills in a Registration Form of Temporary Residence and hands you a slip. Keep that slip — you'll need it for any visa extension or stay permit.

    1. Your passport, open to the photo page, the entry stamp, and your visa or visa-free entry record.
    2. Your host's ID card (or a clear photo of it) — the person whose home you're staying in.
    3. Proof of the address: the property ownership certificate or the rental contract for the place.
    4. Go to the local police station for that address within 24 hours; either you or your host can submit. It takes a few minutes.
    5. Collect the registration slip and photograph it. That paper is your proof you complied.
    A Beijing hutong lane of grey courtyard homes — the kind of private stay that needs a 24-hour police registration
    STAYING IN A HUTONG COURTYARD OR ANY PRIVATE HOME? THAT'S THE 24-HOUR FILING.

    04What happens if you miss it

    For a short tourist stay in hotels, this almost never bites you — the hotel handled it. The risk is the private stay you didn't register. Penalties run from a warning to a fine of up to 2,000 RMB. More practically, registration is a prerequisite for a visa or stay-permit extension: no slip, no extension. And serious or repeated violations within two years can count against you at the border on a future trip.

    The fix if you realize you're late: register as soon as you can anyway. Showing up voluntarily is treated far better than being found unregistered in a spot check.

    05Questions the board answers weekly

    Do I need to register if I'm in a hotel?

    No action needed. Under Article 39, hotels and hostels register foreign guests automatically at check-in by scanning your passport. Just show your passport when you check in.

    What if I stay with friends or in a private rental?

    Then you must register. For any non-hotel address, you or your host register at the local police station within 24 hours of arrival (72 hours in rural areas). Many areas now allow this online too.

    Can I register online now?

    Increasingly yes. A 2026 pilot lets you or your host file through the NIA Government Service Platform, the NIA 12367 app, or the 12367 WeChat/Alipay mini-programs — same legal validity. Beijing and Shanghai also run their own systems.

    What do I bring to register a private stay?

    Your passport with the entry stamp and visa or visa-free record, your host's ID, and proof of the address (property certificate or rental contract). Either of you can submit; it's free.

    What's the penalty for not registering?

    A warning and a fine of up to 2,000 RMB. It can also block a visa or stay-permit extension, and serious or repeated violations within two years can affect future entries.