TL;DR: If you stay at a hotel in China, the hotel handles your accommodation registration. If you stay at a friend’s home, a relative’s home, a private apartment, or another non-hotel address, you or your host must register the stay with the local public security authority within 24 hours of arrival at that address. A national online system launched in seven pilot regions on March 20, 2026. Other places may use a local online service or require in-person registration, so check the official local route before arrival.
The two-track system: hotels vs. non-hotel stays
China’s law separates hotel stays from stays at other types of addresses.
Hotels. The hotel registers your accommodation and submits the information to the local public security authority. You provide your passport at check-in; you do not make a separate accommodation filing yourself. Our hotel check-in guide for foreign travelers explains that process. Accommodation registration is separate from the online arrival card used for entry.
Non-hotel addresses. The National Immigration Administration (NIA) uses the broad phrase “domiciles other than hotels.” A friend’s apartment, a relative’s home, and a private rental generally fall on this side of the rule. Some licensed guesthouses may already have a hotel-style reporting process, so ask the property which process it uses. “Airbnb” in this article is shorthand for a private short-term rental; booking through a platform does not by itself tell you how the address is licensed or how registration will be handled.
What is the 24-hour rule?
Article 39 of China’s Exit and Entry Administration Law says that a foreigner staying at a domicile other than a hotel, or the person accommodating them, must complete registration with the public security authority at the place of residence within 24 hours of the foreigner’s arrival at that address. The 24 hours is the filing deadline, not a grace period that begins when your flight lands.
Most travelers who stay exclusively in hotels never learn this rule exists, because hotels handle registration automatically. The rule becomes relevant the moment your trip includes a couch at a friend’s place, a weekend Airbnb, or a few nights in a relative’s home.
What happens if you do not register? Article 76 provides for a warning and allows an additional fine of up to CNY 2,000. Enforcement practice can vary, but the registration itself is a legal requirement, not a travel recommendation.
The 2026 update: a national online pilot in seven regions
On March 20, 2026, the NIA launched a national-platform pilot that lets foreigners and their hosts complete non-hotel accommodation registration online in seven provincial-level regions. The NIA’s policy interpretation explains the coverage, filing rules, and return exemptions.
Here is what the pilot covers. The online system works in seven provincial-level regions: Hebei, Liaoning, Zhejiang, Hubei, Guangxi, Chongqing, and Sichuan. Notable cities inside the pilot zone include Hangzhou, Wuhan, Chengdu, Nanning, and Chongqing itself.
The pilot list is not a list of every place with online registration. Beijing and Shanghai are not part of the seven-region NIA pilot, but both have separate local online registration routes. Do not assume that “not in the pilot” always means “police station only.” Check the local government or public security website, call the NIA hotline at 12367, or ask the local public security authority which route applies. The NIA plans to expand its platform nationwide but has not published a timetable.
How the NIA online route works in the pilot regions
You or your host can use the NIA Government Service website, the “NIA 12367” app, the NIA 12367 WeChat mini program, or the Alipay mini program. The NIA lists these on its official application channels page. After account registration and identity verification, follow the Accommodation Registration prompts under Foreigner Service. The “Registration Record Inquiry” section lets you view the completed record. The NIA states that online and on-site registration have the same legal effect.
For an initial registration, ask the host to assist. The NIA says the host should help because the host is generally more familiar with the residence information. A foreigner may file independently when they have previously registered the same residence through the NIA platform and need to register there again, or when they live in a home owned by themselves or their spouse.
If you cannot complete the online filing, call 12367 or seek help from the local exit-entry service window or police station.
What to do outside the seven-region pilot
First check whether the city operates its own official online service. Beijing publishes an official online accommodation registration guide, while Shanghai’s accommodation registration rules provide for local online self-reporting. If no local online route applies, use the on-site process.
The NIA directs travelers to the public security authority responsible for the place of residence. This may be a local police station, a police office, a foreigner service station, or an exit-entry service window. Document requirements vary locally. Ask the host to confirm the correct office and required materials before you go. At minimum, expect to show your passport and information connecting the host and the address.
Do not confuse a booking confirmation with registration
A reservation receipt from a short-term rental platform is not the same thing as an accommodation registration record. Before paying, ask whether the property reports guests through a hotel-style system or whether you and the host must use the non-hotel process.
Message the host directly: “Can you help me complete the required accommodation registration within 24 hours of arrival?” If the host cannot explain how registration will be handled or will not cooperate, choose accommodation with a clear registration process.
Save your registration record
Whether you register online or on site, keep the resulting record. The NIA platform includes a Registration Record Inquiry function, and the NIA states that online registration has the same legal effect as on-site registration.
If you move to another non-hotel address, treat it as a new registration event and confirm the local process. Two narrow return exemptions apply: a foreigner returning to a previously registered home owned by themselves or their spouse, and a residence-permit or permanent-residence holder returning to the same registered habitual residence during the validity of the same document.
FAQ
Do I need to register if I stay at a hotel?
No. Hotels register you automatically at check-in. You do nothing.
Do I need to register if I’m only staying one night at a friend’s apartment?
The law does not state a short-stay exemption. It says registration must be completed within 24 hours after arrival at the non-hotel address. Do not interpret 24 hours as permission to skip registration for a one-night stay.
Can I register online if I’m in Beijing or Shanghai?
Beijing and Shanghai are not part of the March 2026 NIA pilot, but both operate separate local online services. Use the official local government route rather than assuming the NIA pilot list is the only online option.
Who files the registration?
The foreign guest or the host may file. For an initial online registration, the NIA says the host should assist. A guest may file independently after previously registering the same residence through the platform, or when staying in a home owned by themselves or their spouse.
What if my Airbnb host refuses to help with registration?
Ask about registration before booking. If the host will not assist or cannot explain the applicable process, choose a hotel or another property with a clear registration workflow.
I have a residence permit. Do I still need to register?
If you hold a residence permit or permanent residence card and are returning to the same habitual residence you’ve already registered, you do not need to re-register – as long as the permit is still valid and you haven’t changed addresses. If you’re staying at a new address during domestic travel, the standard 24-hour rule applies.
Do I need to re-register after leaving mainland China and returning?
If you are returning to an ordinary private address as a tourist, confirm a new registration. The NIA expressly waives repeat registration only for a person returning to their registered self-owned home, or a residence-permit or permanent-residence holder returning to the same registered habitual residence during the validity of the same document.
About the author
Henry is loclyx.com’s blog writer for US travelers heading to mainland China. He works with local experts to fact-check every article against current policies and on-the-ground conditions. This article was updated on July 17, 2026.
Rules and local filing procedures can change. This article was checked against the National Immigration Administration’s 2026 pilot announcement and policy interpretation. Call 12367 or check the local public security authority before arrival if your host cannot confirm the process. Subject to change.