If the catalogue says licensed, the declaration alone is not permission — sector permits can stack on MOFCOM/GACC paths.
China requires import licences or automatic/non-automatic permits for specified goods, plus sector approvals (food, devices, dual-use inbound, etc.). HS classification usually triggers the check. This wiki orients import licensing. Export licences are the outbound twin (with live dual-use export-licence pages for controlled items). Customs declaration basics remain on the live declaration wiki. CBEC may change the path for retail parcels — not a universal exemption.
4 questions before you choose the route.
This page identifies the right question and evidence. It does not determine the legal outcome on a reader’s facts.
HS and product category?
Trigger.
HSWhich licence/permit catalogue?
Map.
CatalogueSector agency extra approval?
Stack.
SectorCBEC vs general trade?
Channel.
ChannelWorking rule: Map the regulated role before marketing or launch in China.
The signal ledger.
These facts move the question beyond a label and into a product, money-flow and control analysis.
Bring a compact evidence docket—not a pitch deck.
Give a compliance team or counsel the operating facts that reveal the perimeter.
Questions people ask before they build.
Short answers for orientation. The right result can change with the service model and current rules.
Is CCC an import licence?
No. CCC is certification. Licences are separate permissions.
Where is export licensing?
Open /china-export-licences and live /china-export-licence.
Primary authorities
Reviewed sources support orientation, not a fact-specific assessment.