Reference anatomyGB 32100-2015
USCI prefixes can outlive a company's type and location
The area in a company code can differ from its current address. A USCI is a lasting identifier, so its prefix can retain an old area or type. Read the code in five parts, then compare it with the dated company record.
1. The 18-character map
The USCI is not a random serial number. Each segment sits at fixed spots and encodes part of the assigned identifier. The standard is GB 32100-2015, titled “Coding Rules for the Unified Social Credit Identifier for Legal Entities and Other Organizations” (法人和其他组织统一社会信用代码编码规则).
| Positions | Length | Segment | What it tells a buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Registration management department | Which government authority registered the entity |
| 2 | 1 | Organisation category | Organisation category at code assignment |
| 3–8 | 6 | Administrative division code | Province, city and district where it was registered |
| 9–17 | 9 | Organisation identifier | The entity’s unique code (formerly the “organisation code” 组织机构代码) |
| 18 | 1 | Check character | Math check on the first 17 characters |
The character set is not the full alphanumeric range. The USCI uses 31 characters. These are digits 0–9 and uppercase letters, except I, O, Z, S and V. This leaves a set of 31 characters. The check formula uses that set. Read the allowed letters carefully when copying a code.
2. Position 1: who registered the entity
The first character shows the registrar. Trade suppliers often have a leading 9.
| Code | Registration authority | Chinese | What it means for a buyer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Institutional organisation authority | 机构编制 | Government organs, public institutions. Not a commercial supplier. |
| 5 | Civil affairs | 民政 | Social organisations, foundations, NGOs. Rarely a supplier. |
| 9 | Market regulation (formerly “industry & commerce”) | 工商/市场监管 | Enterprises, individual businesses, cooperatives. The normal value for a commercial supplier. |
| Y | Other authorities | 其他 | Entities registered by other departments. Uncommon. |
A leading 1 or 5 points to a different registrar in this code scheme. Ask for the current record and check the type. The prefix does not establish who made your goods.
3. Position 2: what kind of organisation
Under the market-regulation authority (position 1 = 9), position 2 divides entities into three categories:
| Code | Category | Chinese | Buyer note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Enterprise | 企业 | Limited-liability companies, joint-stock companies, partnerships. The standard form for a factory or trading company. |
| 2 | Individual business | 个体工商户 | A sole proprietor or family operation. No separate legal status; the owner is liable in person. |
| 3 | Farmer professional cooperative | 农民专业合作社 | An agricultural cooperative. Relevant for food and raw-goods sourcing. |
Under this code scheme, 91 marks an enterprise and 92 an individual business at assignment. The current type can differ. Under SAMR Order 112, Article 10, an individual business can become an enterprise and keep its code. Check the current type field before using the prefix to assess liability.
4. Positions 3–8: the area encoded at assignment
Positions 3 through 8 are the six-digit administrative division code defined by GB/T 2260. China gives a layered code to every local unit. The first two digits identify the province or municipality. The next two give the prefecture-level city. The last two give the county or district.
| Digits | Level | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3–4 | Province / municipality | 37 | Shandong Province |
| 5–6 | Prefecture-level city | 01 | Jinan City |
| 7–8 | County / district | 02 | Lixia District |
The area segment records an assignment location. It cannot establish the current registration address or the factory site. The code can stay the same after the business moves. Use a dated record for the address, then obtain separate site evidence.
Examples include 33 Zhejiang, 44 Guangdong, 32 Jiangsu, 35 Fujian, 37 Shandong and 31 Shanghai. An unexpected area code is a reason to compare records and ask about changes. It does not by itself refute a factory address.
5. Positions 9–17: the unique identifier
Positions 9 through 17 hold the organisation code. This part follows GB 11714. Treat this part as an identifier to match across documents. It does not describe factory activity, ownership or credit quality.
Use this part to match the code across documents. It does not name the owner or show what the business does. A copied code still needs a match to the supplier. The first 17 characters form the input to the check equation. Position 18 holds its check character.
6. Position 18: the check character
The last character uses a weighted MOD 31-3 check on the preceding 17 characters. Our synthetic-code experiment caught all 1,080,000 single-character substitutions and all tested swaps between data positions. When swaps involving the check position were included, detection was 99.34%. Those are separate error classes, and none tests whether a company exists.
Run a code through the check-character calculator before a lookup. A failure means the string fails the check equation. A typo is one possible cause. Compare it with the source document. A pass means the code fits the check equation. The identity still needs a check.
7. Worked example
Take a sample USCI starting with 91370102. Reading it segment by segment:
| Segment | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Position 1 | 9 | Registered by market regulation authority |
| Position 2 | 1 | Enterprise (limited company, partnership, etc.) |
| Positions 3–4 | 37 | Shandong Province |
| Positions 5–6 | 01 | Jinan City |
| Positions 7–8 | 02 | Lixia District |
This prefix marks an enterprise at code assignment. Its area is Shandong/Jinan/Lixia. This does not prove current trade activity or where the record is now held. It does not refute a claimed Guangdong factory. Compare the current registration address with the actual production site.
8. Method and sources
The segment maps on this page come from GB 32100-2015, the national standard from the SAC. The area codes follow GB/T 2260. The check-character method follows ISO 7064, MOD 31-3, as the standard states.
These mappings explain the coding standard. The old page claimed live GSXT cross-checks. No record-level proof was kept. That claim has been withdrawn. The check-digit study tests generated codes, not registered identities.
Rules checked 9 September 2026: SAMR Order 112, Articles 3, 9 and 10. These rules took effect on 1 February 2026. A code lasts for the life of the entity. It can stay the same through specified changes of business form. A prefix therefore cannot replace a current record.
What this page does not cover
- Sub-codes under authorities other than market regulation. Position 2 codes under authorities 1, 5 and Y follow separate schemes not shown here. This page covers the three types (enterprise, sole trader, co-op) that appear under authority 9.
- GB/T 2260 division codes in full. There are thousands of county-level divisions. This page explains the structure; a full lookup requires the current edition of GB/T 2260 or the NBS statistical division database.
- What the code proves about the entity. The USCI encodes official grouping, not business quality. Active status, registered capital, business scope and legal representative live in the registration record, not the code. A valid USCI from a real authority still needs a dated filing check.
Questions about this study
What can I learn from a USCI without searching any registry?
You can read its assigned registrar, organisation category and area code, plus its identifier and check character. The prefix does not establish current type or address. A check-character pass shows internal consistency; it does not prove that the code was issued.
What does position 1 of a USCI mean?
Position 1 marks the registration authority under the coding scheme. Examples are 1 for institutional organisation authorities, 5 for civil affairs and 9 for market regulation. Read the current record before drawing conclusions about the entity behind that code.
How do I read the geographic code in positions 3 to 8?
The six-digit area code follows GB/T 2260. For example, 370102 encodes Shandong, Jinan and Lixia. This describes the assigned area. It does not prove the current registration address or where a factory operates.
Is the USCI the same as the business licence number?
A mainland business licence identifies the Unified Social Credit Code as an 18-character field. Check the field label and jurisdiction. A shorter number may come from another system or be incomplete. Length alone does not prove its age or validity.
What the code alone cannot tell you
Every segment here is read from the code itself, with no registry lookup. That is the point, and it is also the limit.
- Whether the company exists today. A code can be well formed, pass its check character and belong to an entity that was deregistered years ago. Only the live record carries a status.
- Whether the code was ever issued. The structure and check character can be satisfied by a number nobody assigned. A pass means the 18 characters are internally consistent.
- Where the company operates. Positions 3 to 8 encode the area at assignment. A company registered in one county can produce in another province.
- Who you are paying. The code names an entity. Matching it to the seller on your contract and the beneficiary on your payment instruction is a separate check.
The segment meanings come from GB 32100-2015, the national standard. A standard describes how a code is built. It says nothing about the company behind any particular one.
Citing this study
You may quote or reuse these segment maps, including for profit. Keep the standard reference (GB 32100-2015) and date with them. The check-character measurement data is published separately in the check-digit protection study.
A citation with everything it needs:
Currawong, “USCI prefixes can outlive a company's type and location”, code structure under GB 32100-2015 and limits under SAMR Order 112. Corrected 9 September 2026. Check-character measurements use generated codes and are published separately.
https://currawongweb.com/verify/unified-social-credit-code-explained/
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