Article 1 For the purposes of strengthening the administration of commercial franchise activities and regulating the commercial franchise market order, these Measures are formulated in accordance with relevant provisions of the Regulations on the Administration of Commercial Franchises (hereinafter referred to as the "Regulations").
Article 2 These Measures shall apply to commercial franchise activities conducted within the territory of the People's Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the "within the territory of China").
Article 3 The Ministry of Commerce and the departments in charge of commerce of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government are the authorities responsible for the record-filing of commercial franchises. The commercial franchise activities carried out within the territorial scope of a province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government shall be filed for record with the department in charge of commerce of the people's government of the province, autonomous region or municipality directly under the Central Government where the franchisor is domiciled. The franchise activities carried out across the territorial boundaries of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government shall be filed for record with the Ministry of Commerce.
A nationwide network is adopted for the record-filing of commercial franchises. Franchisors complying with the provisions of the Regulations shall, in accordance with the provisions of these Measures, file for record through the information management system for commercial franchises established by the Ministry of Commerce.
Article 4 The Ministry of Commerce may, in accordance with relevant provisions, delegate work related to the record-filing of commercial franchises of franchisors engaging in franchise across the territorial boundaries of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government to the departments in charge of commerce of the people's governments of the relevant provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government. The departments in charge of commerce of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government entrusted with the record-filing work shall complete such work by themselves, and shall not further entrust any other organization or individual with the work.
If the departments in charge of commerce of the people's governments of provinces, autonomous regions or municipalities directly under the Central Government entrusted with the record-filing work fail to perform their record-filing related duties in accordance with the law, the Ministry of Commerce may directly accept the record-filing applications submitted by franchisors.
Article 5 Any entity or individual may report to the relevant department in charge of commerce any act that is in violation of provisions of these Measures, and the department in charge of commerce shall handle the case in accordance with the law.
Article 6 A franchisor applying for record-filing shall submit the following materials to the relevant record-filing authority:
(1) The basic information about the commercial franchise;
(2) The distribution of shops of all franchisees within the territory of China;
(3) The marketing plan of the franchisor;
(4) The enterprise legal person business license or other subject qualification certificates;
(5) Registration certificates on the trademark right, patent right and other operational resources relating to the franchise activities;
(6) Supporting documents in conformity with Paragraph 2 of Article 7 of the Regulations;
The provisions of the preceding paragraph do not apply to the circumstances where a franchisor that started the franchise activities before May 1, 2007 submits application materials for record-filing of commercial franchises.
(7) The first franchise contract signed with the franchisee within the territory of China;
(8) A sample franchise contract;
(9) The table of contents of the franchise operation manual (the number of pages of each chapter and the total number of pages in the manual shall be indicated. Where such manual is provided on the internal network of the franchise system, an estimate of the number of pages in a print-out shall be indicated);
(10) Where laws and regulations of the State require prior approval to offer the product and service involved in the franchise operation, the approval document from the relevant competent department shall be submitted;
Foreign-invested enterprises shall submit the Approval Certificate for Foreign-invested Enterprise. The business scope specified in the Approval Certificate for Foreign-invested Enterprise shall include the item of "engagement in commercial activities by way of franchise".
(11) The franchisor's undertaking signed or sealed by the franchisor's legal representative; and
(12) Other materials to be submitted as required by record-filing authorities.
If the abovementioned documents are prepared outside the territory of the People's Republic of China, such documents need be notarized by a notary public (with a Chinese translation attached) in the country where the document is prepared, and certified by the embassy or consulate of the People's Republic of China in that country, or the certification formalities prescribed in the relevant treaty signed between the People's Republic of China and that country shall be completed. If the documents are prepared in Hong Kong, Macao or Taiwan region, the relevant certification formalities shall be completed.
Article 7 A franchisor shall apply with the relevant record-filing authority for record-filing within 15 days from the date on which it signs the first franchise contract with the franchisee located within the territory of China.
Article 8 Where any changes occur to the following record-filing information of a franchisor, the franchisor shall submit an application for change of registration with the relevant record-filing authority within 30 days from the date of occurrence of such changes:
(1) The information of the franchisor registered with administrative authority for industry and commerce;
(2) The information pertaining to the operational resources; or
(3) The distribution of all the stores of the franchisees within the territory of China.
Article 9 Prior to March 31 of each year, a franchisor shall report to the relevant record-filing authority the status of the execution, rescission, termination and renewal of franchise contracts in the preceding year.
Article 10 A franchisor shall exercise due care in filling out information about all items required for record-filing, and ensure that the information provided is authentic, accurate, and complete.
Article 11 A record-filing authority shall complete the record-filing procedures within ten days from the date when it receives documents and materials submitted by a franchisor which comply with provisions of Article 6 of these Measures, and make the relevant announcement via the information management system for commercial franchises.
Where the documents and materials submitted by the franchisor are incomplete, the record-filing authority may require the franchiser to submit supplementary documents and materials within seven days. Upon receipt of all of the supplementary documents and materials from the franchiser, the record-filing authority shall complete the record-filing procedures within ten days.
Article 12 Where a franchisor that has completed the record-filing procedures involves any of the following acts, the relevant record-filing authority may cancel the record-filing, and make an announcement thereon via the information management system for commercial franchises:
(1) The franchisor cancels its registration with the administrative department for industry or commerce, or the franchisor's business license is revoked by the competent registration authority due to its illegal business operation;
(2) The record-filing authority receives the written judicial advice from a judicial authority proposing the cancellation of the record-filing due to the franchisor's illegal business operation;
(3) The franchisor conceals the relevant information or provides false information, which causes significant impact;
(4) The franchisor applies for the cancellation of the record-filing, and the relevant record-filing authority approves such application; or
(5) Other situations in which the cancellation of the record-filing is necessary.
Article 13 Departments in charge of commerce of the people's governments of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government shall report the information pertaining to the record-filing and cancellation of record-filing to the Ministry of Commerce within ten days.
Article 14 Record-filing authorities shall preserve complete and accurate records of the record-filing information pertaining to franchisors, as well as relevant materials, and keep confidential the trade secrets of franchisors in accordance with the law.
The department in charge of commerce of the people's government (at the level of province, autonomous region, municipality directly under the Central Government, or city divided into districts) where the franchisor is located may issue the record-filing certificate to the franchisor that has completed the record-filing procedures.
Article 15 The general public shall have access to the following information through the information management system for commercial franchises:
(1) A franchisor's enterprise name and operational resources such as registered trademarks, business logos, patents, and know-how used in the franchise business;
(2) A franchisor's record-filing time;
(3) The address of the legal business premises and the contact information of a franchisor, and the name of the legal representative thereof; and
(4) The distribution of all the stores of franchisees within the territory of China.
Article 16 If a franchisor fails to complete the record-filing procedures in accordance with provisions of the Regulations and these Measures, the department in charge of commerce at or above the level of city divided into districts shall order the franchiser to complete the record-filing procedures within a specified time limit, and impose thereon a fine of more than RMB 10,000 and less than RMB 50,000. If the franchisor fails to complete the record-filing procedures within the specified time limit, a fine of more than RMB 50,000 and less than RMB 100,000 shall be imposed, and an announcement shall be made.
Article 17 If a franchisor violates the provisions of Article 11 of these Measures, the department in charge of commerce at or above the level of cities with districts shall order the franchisor to make rectifications and may impose thereon a fine of less than RMB 10,000. In serious cases, a fine of more than RMB 10,000 and less than RMB 50,000 shall be imposed and an announcement shall be made.
Article 18 Overseas franchisors engaging in franchise activities within the territory of China shall be governed by these Measures. These Measures shall apply as the reference for governing franchisors from the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions, and Taiwan region.
Article 19 The relevant associations shall, in accordance with the provisions of these Measures, strengthen the industry self-regulation, and provide guidance for franchisors on completing the record-filing formalities in accordance with the law.
Article 20 The Ministry of Commerce is responsible for the interpretation of these Measures.
Article 21 These Measures shall come into force on February 1, 2012. The Administrative Measures for the Record-filing of Commercial Franchises (Decree No. 15 [2007] of the Ministry of Commerce) which came into force on May 1, 2007, shall be repealed simultaneously.
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杨春宝一级律师简介
杨春宝一级律师，大成上海高级合伙人、资本市场部主任、国资基金研究中心主任，大成中国区私募基金专业带头人、科技与文化法律研究中心联合牵头人。执业30余年，长期从事私募基金、投融资、并购重组法律服务，尤其对对赌研究颇深且具有非常丰富的实战经验，并专注于金融机构股权投资业务。2004年起多次入选The Legal 500"私募基金"和"公司与商业"等境内外各类律师榜单，代理的中国法院首例适用外国法律审理外国公司的董事损害小股东权益纠纷案入选上海高院发布的《上海法院域外法查明典型案例》和威科先行"要案头条"。入选上海涉外法律人才库、上海市司法局鼎新法治人才库、上海国有企业改制法律顾问团，具有上市公司独立董事任职资格，系多家知名高校的兼职教授或兼职研究生导师及上海市商务委跨国经营人才培训班讲师。出版《私募股权投资基金风险防控操作实务》等16本投融资法律专著。了解更多常见法律问题
特许经营备案的法定时限是多久？
根据《商业特许经营管理条例》及配套管理办法，特许人应当自首次与境内加盟商签订特许经营合同之日起15日内，向商务主管部门办理备案手续。这里的“首次签订”是指特许人在中国境内签订的第一份特许经营合同，无论该合同是否实际履行，只要合同成立即触发备案义务。实务操作中，如果特许人在15日内未能完成材料准备，将面临被商务主管部门责令限期备案的风险，逾期不备案可能被处以罚款并予以公告。建议特许人在签订首份合同前即开始准备备案材料，包括企业营业执照、经营资源证明（如商标注册证、专利证书）、首份合同文本、加盟商名单、操作手册目录等，确保在15日内完成提交。需要注意的是，如果特许人从事跨省（自治区、直辖市）的特许经营活动，备案机关为商务部；如果仅在省内经营，则向省级商务主管部门备案。商务部可委托省级商务部门办理跨省备案，但受托机关不得再转委托。备案时限的起算点为合同签订日，而非合同生效日或履行日，实务中应严格按此执行，避免因时间延误导致违规。
备案材料不完整时如何处理？
在商业特许经营备案申请过程中，如果特许人提交的备案材料不完整，备案机关有权要求特许人在7日内补充提交缺失的材料。实践中，备案机关通常先进行形式审查，发现材料缺失或不符合要求时，会通过信息管理系统发出补正通知，明确告知需要补充的具体材料及补正期限。特许人应当在收到通知后7日内完成补正，逾期未补正或补正后仍不符合要求的，备案机关可能不予备案并作退回处理。特别需要注意的是，境外形成的文件（如商标注册证、操作手册等）必须经所在国公证机构公证并附中文翻译件，同时由中国驻该国使领馆认证，或按双边条约规定办理认证手续；香港、澳门、台湾地区形成的文件需完成相应的认证手续。如果特许人提交的虚假材料或隐瞒重要事实，即使通过了备案，后续也可能被撤销备案并承担法律责任。因此，特许人应确保所有材料的真实性、准确性和完整性，在提交前仔细核对清单，避免因材料问题影响备案进度。对于首次备案的企业，建议聘请专业律师或备案代理机构协助准备材料，以提高通过率。
已备案信息发生变更如何操作？
特许经营备案信息发生变更时，特许人应当自变更发生之日起30日内向原备案机关提交变更申请。需要变更备案信息的情形包括：特许人主体信息变更（如企业名称、法定代表人、注册资本等工商登记信息）、经营资源信息变更（如商标权转让、专利权到期、著作权许可等）、加盟商店铺分布变更（如新增或关闭加盟店）。变更申请应提交相关证明材料，例如变更后的营业执照、商标注册证、加盟店清单等。备案机关收到变更申请后，一般会在10个工作日内完成审核并更新备案信息。实务中，特许人常忽略的义务是：每年3月31日前须向备案机关报告上一年度特许经营合同的签订、解除、终止和续约情况，这一年度报告义务与变更登记义务是并行的，不能相互替代。如果特许人未及时办理变更登记或未按时提交年度报告，备案机关可能将其列入经营异常名录，甚至取消备案资格，并予以公告。此外，备案取消后，特许人将无法合法开展特许经营活动，已签订的加盟合同可能面临被认定为无效的风险，进而引发加盟商索赔。因此，特许人应建立内部合规管理机制，指定专人负责备案信息的更新与年度报告工作，确保企业持续合规运营。
以上内容仅供参考，不构成法律意见。如需专业法律服务，请联系杨春宝一级律师：chambers.yang@dentons.cn
