Released jointly by the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Commerce in 2026,the "ImportAfter the implementation of the "Compliance Guidelines",more than 62% of SMEs have improved their compliance levels.The company is acting as an agent forThe link was included in the "Key Supervision List" due to incomplete qualifications.Many business owners are confused: What qualifications are actually required for import and export agency services?Are the "paper-bag agents" found at the last minute really compliant? This article will break down the latest regulatory requirements and provide actionable qualification checklists and risk avoidance solutions.

The underlying logic of import and export agency qualifications in the 2026 era: regulations,processes,and hidden barriers

According to Article 9 of the Foreign Trade Law,all enterprises (including clients) engaged in import and export agency business must meet the "double registration" requirements: registration as a foreign trade operator (by the Ministry of Commerce) and registration as a customs declaration unit (by the General Administration of Customs).The new regulations in 2026 further require agents and clients to sign a notarized agency agreement,which clearly defines the ownership of the goods,the division of responsibilities,and the breakdown of fees.

SOP for Compliance with Import and Export Agency Qualifications: From Application to Maintenance

Step 1: Prepare the list of core qualifications

Output:

• **ForeignTradeOperatorFilingRegistrationForm**:Loginto"ChinaInternationalTradeSingleWindow"(https://www.singlewindow.cn)andsubmitonline;certificateissuedin3workingdays(individualindustrialandcommercialhouseholdscanbeexempt).
• CustomsDeclarationUnitRegistration:ApplysimultaneouslythroughtheSingleWindowsystemtoobtaintheCustomsDeclarationUnitRegistrationCertificate(withalong-termvalidityperiod).
• NotarizationoftheAgencyAgreement:Theclientandtheagentshallsignanagreementthatincludes"theownershipofthegoods,thedivisionofresponsibilities,andthebreakdownoffees",andthensubmittheagreementtothenotaryofficefornotarization(mandatoryenforcementafterJuly2026).

Step 2: Supplementary qualifications for special industries (if applicable)

Output:

• Foodcategory:Obtainthe"FoodBusinessLicense"andthe"InspectionandQuarantineCertificateforImportedGoods"(whenimportingonbehalfofothers,themanufacturer’s"RecordofExportFoodProductionEnterprises"mustbeprovided).
• Medicaldevices:ClassIdevicesrequireregistration,whileClassII/IIIdevicesrequirea"MedicalDeviceBusinessLicense".Whenimporting,a"MedicalDeviceRegistrationCertificate"fromtheforeignmanufacturermustbeprovided.

Step 3: Qualification maintenance and dynamic verification

Output:

• Everyquarter,logintothe"CustomsEnterpriseCreditManagementSystem"toupdatetheenterpriseinformation(suchasthebusinessscopeandaddresschanges).
• EveryJanuary,submitthepreviousyear’s"ComplianceReportonAgencyImportandExportBusiness"tothecompetentcommercialdepartment(includingbusinessvolume,clientlist,andcompliancetrainingrecords).

The hidden risks of import and export agency services: Qualification traps overlooked by 90% of enterprises

Many companies believe that obtaining qualifications is enough to solve all problems,but the hidden risks of tax inspections and customs inspections are even more devastating:

• Taxrisks:Whenusingthe"doubleinvoice"declarationmethodforimportation(wheretheagentistheoperatingentityandtheconsignoristhereceivingentity),itisnecessarytoensurethatthe"purchaser"ontheVATinvoicematchesthe"receivingentity"onthecustomsdeclarationform.Otherwise,theinputtaxcannotbededucted.
• CustomsInspection:Startingfrom2026,thecustomswillconduct"penetratinginspections"onimportandexportagencies,notonlycheckingtheirqualifications,butalsotracingtheauthenticityoftheirtradeactivitieswithinthepastthreeyears(suchaswhetherthepurchasecontracts,billsoflading,andfundflowsmatcheachother).

Here are three compliance actions that can be implemented today.

• Loginto"ChinaInternationalTradeSingleWindow"(https://www.singlewindow.cn),checkthecurrentfilingstatusoftheenterprise(completedin5minutes).
• Organizetheimportandexportagencycontractsofthepastsixmonthsandcheckwhethertheyincludethethreeessentialelementsof"cargorights,responsibilities,andfees"(anymissingclausesmustbesupplementedwithin24hours).
• Contactthecooperatingagencyandrequesttheir"CustomsAEOCertificate"(AEO-certifiedenterprisesenjoya40%improvementincustomsclearanceefficiencyanda75%reductionininspectionrates).