Under Article 39 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law of China, every foreigner in China must have their accommodation registered. This is not optional. How you register depends on where you are staying.
If You Stay at a Hotel
Hotels handle registration automatically. When you check in, the front desk scans your passport and transmits your information to the local Public Security Bureau (PSB) through their internal system. You do not need to visit a police station.
How Hotel Automatic Registration Works
Behind the front desk of every licensed hotel in China is a small black box connected to the hotel's computer. This is the PSB guest registration terminal. When the front desk clerk scans your passport:
-
The scanner reads the machine-readable zone (MRZ) at the bottom of your passport information page — the two lines of text with chevrons and your passport number, name, date of birth, and nationality.
-
Your information is transmitted over the PSB's secure network to the local police station's database. The system checks your name against any watchlists and records your arrival in the local jurisdiction.
-
The hotel receives an instant confirmation code. Your registration is complete. This takes 3-5 seconds.
-
The hotel also records your entry stamp from your passport — the date you arrived in China and the port of entry. They note down your visa type or visa-free entry status.
The hotel is legally required to complete this registration for every foreign guest, every time. If the hotel's registration system is down, they cannot legally check in foreign guests until it comes back online. Some hotels have a manual fallback process (calling the local police station and reading out your passport details), but smaller hotels may not know how to do this.
Hotels That Cannot Accept Foreigners
Not every hotel can accept foreigners. Before booking, confirm the hotel has a foreign guest reception license. International chain hotels, 3-star and above hotels, and most business hotels in major cities all have this. Smaller guesthouses, hostels, budget chains, and rural accommodations may not.
If you book through an international platform (Booking.com, Agoda, Expedia), the listing may not clearly indicate whether the hotel accepts foreigners. Chinese booking platforms (Trip.com/Ctrip) are better about flagging this, often showing "仅限中国大陆公民入住" (Only mainland Chinese citizens) on listings that cannot accept foreigners. If you use a Chinese platform and see this line, choose a different hotel.
If you arrive at a hotel that cannot register foreigners, they will refuse to check you in. You will need to find alternative accommodation that is licensed to accept foreign guests. In a major city, this means walking to the nearest international chain hotel. In a small town, it may mean taking a taxi to the nearest city. Always call ahead if you are booking a small or independently-owned property.
If You Stay at a Private Residence
This covers staying with friends, family, at an Airbnb, or in any non-hotel accommodation. The registration must happen within 24 hours of arrival.
The Registration Form — What It Looks Like
The Temporary Accommodation Registration Form (境外人员临时住宿登记表) is a standard A4 form printed by each local PSB. It contains the following fields:
- Guest Information: Full name (as on passport), nationality, gender, date of birth, passport number, passport expiry date, visa type, visa number, visa expiry date, date of entry into China, port of entry.
- Accommodation Information: Full address (province, city, district, street, building number, apartment number), type of accommodation (private residence, rental, etc.), duration of stay (arrival date, planned departure date).
- Host Information: Host's name, host's Chinese ID number, host's phone number, host's relationship to guest.
- Declaration and Signature: A statement that the information provided is true and complete. Signature of the guest (or host, if registering on behalf). Date.
The form is in Chinese with English subtitles for key fields in some cities. Fill it out in English (names, addresses) and Chinese characters for the address if your host can write it. The police officer reviews the form, stamps it, and hands you back a copy.
The Police Station Visit — What the Counter Looks Like
The police station (派出所) is a two-to-four-story building with a blue sign above the entrance bearing the station's name in white Chinese characters. A red light or illuminated police logo is on the building exterior. Inside, the ground floor has a public service counter — a long desk with officers sitting behind it, facing the entrance.
Walk in, approach the counter, and say "住宿登记" (zhùsù dēngjì — "accommodation registration"). If the officer does not speak English, show them your passport and point to the entry stamp. They will understand what you need. The officer hands you the registration form and motions for you to fill it out at a nearby desk or in the waiting area.
The counter area is utilitarian: plastic chairs against the wall, a water dispenser, a notice board with PSB announcements, and often a Chinese national flag on a stand. It looks like a municipal government service window. It is not an interrogation room. The atmosphere is bureaucratic but civil.
The Registration Slip — What It Looks Like
After processing, you receive a Registration Form of Temporary Accommodation for Foreigners (境外人员临时住宿登记表). This is a small slip — half the size of an A4 sheet, printed with the PSB's official chop (red stamp) and the officer's personal stamp.
The slip contains:
- Your name and passport number
- The address where you are staying
- The date of registration
- The name of the police station and its official red stamp
- A registration reference number
The paper is thin thermal printer paper or standard printer paper. It feels fragile and unofficial, but it is a legal document. Keep it. Photograph both sides of it with your phone the moment you receive it. Store the original in your passport or a document folder in your luggage.
You will need this slip for:
- Applying for a visa extension at the Exit and Entry Administration
- Opening a Chinese bank account
- Registering for certain services that require proof of residence
- Showing during random police checks (rare but real — officers may ask to see your registration as proof you comply with Article 39)
Option 1: In-Person Registration at Police Station (All Cities)
Take the following to the nearest police station (you and your host go together, or your host goes alone with your documents):
- Your passport (original)
- Your most recent entry stamp in China (likely the one you received at the airport)
- A photocopy of your host's Chinese ID card
- Property ownership certificate or rental contract for the accommodation
- A completed Temporary Accommodation Registration Form (available at the station)
The process at the station takes 10-20 minutes and is free. The police will issue you a Registration Form of Temporary Accommodation — a small paper slip. Keep this document. You will need it for visa extensions, bank account applications, and possibly during random police checks.
Airbnb Host Obligations
Airbnb-style short-term rentals exist in a gray area in China. The platform operates, but local regulations on short-term rental registration vary by city. Your host is legally obligated to register you with the local police — the same way a hotel would — but in practice, many Airbnb hosts do not proactively do this.
What your host should do:
- Register your stay with the local police station within 24 hours of your arrival
- Provide you with a copy of the police registration receipt
- Keep their own copy for their records
What often happens:
- The host assumes you know you need to register and expects you to do it yourself
- The host is not aware of the legal requirement (common with occasional hosts)
- The host is avoiding registration because they are renting informally (without proper permits or tax registration)
Your responsibility as a guest: Regardless of whether your host is helpful or not, the legal obligation to register falls on you as the foreigner. If your host does not offer to register you, you must go to the nearest police station and register yourself. Bring what you have — your passport, the Airbnb booking confirmation, the host's listing name and phone number, and the address. Explain to the officer that you are staying at a short-term rental. The officer may ask for your host's information and may follow up with them directly.
If your host refuses to help: This is a red flag. A host who actively discourages or refuses to participate in the registration process is either operating illegally or avoiding detection. This creates risk for you. The police may visit the property, find an unregistered foreigner, and hold you responsible. Consider finding alternative accommodation if your host is uncooperative on this point.
Option 2: Online Registration (7 Pilot Provinces Only)
Since March 2026, foreigners in seven provinces can complete registration online: Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Sichuan.
The process:
- Open the local PSB WeChat mini-program or government service platform for your province
- Upload a photo of your passport information page
- Enter the accommodation address and host information
- Submit — an electronic registration certificate is generated upon approval
Online registration has the same legal validity as the in-person version. This option is expected to expand to all provinces gradually.
Option 3: Host Registers Without You
In some cities, the host (Chinese citizen or foreign resident) can register on your behalf by bringing all documents to the police station. This varies by city — ask your host to check local rules.
Consequences of Not Registering
The penalties are written into the Exit and Entry Administration Law, Article 76:
First offense, minor delay: A verbal or written warning. If you are a few hours late (registered at 30 hours instead of 24), and it is your first time, most police stations issue a warning and process the registration normally. They note the delay in the system but do not fine you.
Repeated offense or significant delay: A fine of 1,000 to 5,000 RMB. "Significant delay" is subjective but generally means more than 48 hours overdue or not registered at all when discovered. The fine amount depends on the circumstances — a cooperative foreigner who forgot gets the lower end; a deliberately evasive one gets the higher end.
Serious cases: Penalties beyond fines. If you are found to be living in China for an extended period without registration, the Exit and Entry Administration can impose:
- A fine (up to 5,000 RMB)
- A written violation record in their system
- Detention of 5-15 days
- An order to leave China within a specified period
- A ban on future entry
The violation record is the part that matters most for future travel. It is attached to your name and passport number in the PSB's database. When you apply for a Chinese visa in the future, this record is visible to consular officers. Minor registration violations (one late registration, fined, no other issues) generally do not block future visas, but a pattern of violations or a serious case affects your credibility.
If You Move Between Accommodations
Each time you change accommodation, you need to re-register at the new address. The 24-hour clock resets. You do not need to cancel the old registration — the new one replaces it.
