Recently, China's Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly issued Announcements No. 88 and No. 89 of 2025, publishing the Catalog of Goods Subject to Import License Administration (2026) and the Catalog of Goods Subject to Export License Administration (2026) respectively. Both catalogs officially came into effect on January 1, 2026, simultaneously nullifying Announcements No. 66 and No. 65 of 2024 from the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs.
The formulation of these catalogs is primarily based on laws and regulations including the Foreign Trade Law of the People's Republic of China, the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of the Import and Export of Goods, the Regulations on the Administration of Ozone-Depleting Substances, the Measures for the Administration of Import Licenses for Goods, the Measures for the Administration of the Import of Mechanical and Electrical Products, the Measures for the Administration of the Import of Key Used Mechanical and Electrical Products, the Measures for the Administration of Export Licenses for Goods, and the Measures for the Administration of the Import and Export of Ozone-Depleting Substances.
Catalog of Goods Subject to Import License Administration (2026)
https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/zwgk/zcfb/art/2025/art_5ffcf701f72e4fc6b16f274c2e5b80f8.html
Key Points for Applying for Export Licenses:
In 2026, a total of 43 types of export goods are subject to license management. Foreign trade operators exporting goods listed in the catalog must apply to the Ministry of Commerce or local competent commerce departments entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce to obtain the Export License of the People's Republic of China. Customs clearance procedures must be completed with the export license.
- Applying Based on Quota/Bidding Documents: For the export of live cattle (to Hong Kong and Macao), live pigs (to Hong Kong and Macao), live chickens (to Hong Kong), wheat, corn, rice, wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, artificially cultivated ephedra for medicinal use, coal, crude oil, refined oil products (excluding lubricating oil, grease, and lubricant base oil), sawn timber, and cotton, export licenses shall be applied for based on quota certificate documents. For the export of licorice and licorice products, and rush and rush products, export licenses shall be applied for based on winning bid documents from quota bidding. When exporting the above-mentioned goods under processing trade, export licenses shall be applied for based on quota certificate documents and export contracts. Among these, for exporting licorice and licorice products, and rush and rush products, export licenses shall be applied for based on winning bid documents from quota bidding and the Customs declaration form for processing trade imports.
- When exporting the above-mentioned goods by border small-scale trade, provincial local competent commerce departments shall issue export licenses based on border small-scale trade quotas and requirements. For exporting goods such as licorice and licorice products, rush and rush products, ozone-depleting substances, motorcycles and their engines and frames, and automobiles and their chassis, export licenses must be applied for according to regulations. When exporting goods by border small-scale trade other than those mentioned in the above circumstances of this clause, applying for an export license is exempted.
- Other Goods Requiring License Application: For exporting live cattle (to markets other than Hong Kong and Macao), live pigs (to markets other than Hong Kong and Macao), live chickens (to markets other than Hong Kong), beef, pork, chicken meat, natural sand (including standard sand), bauxite, phosphate ore, magnesite, talc lump (powder), fluorite (fluorspar), rare earths, tin and tin products, tungsten and tungsten products, molybdenum and molybdenum products, antimony and antimony products, coke, refined oil products (lubricating oil, grease, lubricant base oil), paraffin wax, certain metals and products, disodium sulfate, silicon carbide, ozone-depleting substances, citric acid, silver, platinum (exported under processing trade), indium and indium products, motorcycles (including all-terrain vehicles) and their engines and frames, automobiles (including complete knock-down kits) and their chassis, export licenses must be applied for according to regulations.
- Dual-Use Items Control Linkage:If goods in the catalog fall under the Dual-Use Items Export Control List or are under temporary control, exporters must apply for the Dual-Use Items and Technologies Export License according to law. If an export license has been obtained but a dual-use items and technologies export license has not yet been obtained, the dual-use items and technologies export license must still be applied for upon exit. If a dual-use items license has been approved, applying for an export license is exempted.
- Exemption Cases:Goods provided under Chinese government foreign aid programs are exempt from applying for export licenses.
- State Trading Management Adjustment:The state trading management for the export of lubricating oil, grease, and lubricant base oil under general trade continues to be suspended. For exporting the above-mentioned goods by general trade, export licenses shall be applied for based on valid export contracts; other trade methods shall follow Announcement No. 30 of 2008 by the Ministry of Commerce, National Development and Reform Commission, and General Administration of Customs.
One License for Multiple Shipments System and One License for One Shipment System
- Goods subject to the one license for multiple shipments system include: wheat, corn, rice, wheat flour, corn flour, rice flour, live cattle, live pigs, live chickens, beef, pork, chicken meat, crude oil, refined oil products, coal, motorcycles (including all-terrain vehicles) and their engines and frames, automobiles (including complete knock-down kits) and their chassis (limited to new vehicles), goods exported under processing trade, and goods exported under compensation trade. For exporting these goods, the export license can be used for multiple customs clearance within its validity period, but the number of clearance uses shall not exceed 12 times.
- Goods subject to the one license for one shipment system include: ozone-depleting substances, automobiles (used), and natural sand (including standard sand). The export license is used for a single customs declaration within its validity period.
Goods Clearance Ports
The designated port management for the export of goods such as magnesite, rare earths, and antimony and antimony products continues to be suspended.
Export Licensing Authorities
The Ministry of Commerce, provincial local competent commerce departments entrusted by the Ministry of Commerce, and the competent commerce departments of Shenyang City, Changchun City, Harbin City, Nanjing City, Wuhan City, Guangzhou City, Chengdu City, and Xi'an City shall, according to their division of responsibilities, accept applications from applicants and implement export licensing, issuing export licenses to eligible applicants.
Catalog of Goods Subject to Export License Administration (2026)
https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/zwgk/zcfb/art/2025/art_0ac7e2005ff04c488daa3add8972ea36.html
Relevant enterprises are advised to promptly consult the complete catalogs, make corresponding preparations in advance, and ensure that import and export businesses comply with the latest license management requirements starting from 2026.
