Guides · Residence permits

Register Accommodation or Risk a Fine

Use this when staying at a private address: register with the local public security bureau, keep the record, and show it for your residence permit.

one stay · Checked · For visitors, employees, students

No published figure yet. The authority does not publish this cost in a form we could verify and quote, so this guide covers the procedure only: what to bring, in what order, and where it goes wrong. We will add the figures the moment there is a source for them.

In order

  1. Identify your accommodation type — Check whether you will stay at a hotel or at a private address.
  2. Complete hotel check-in — If you stay at a hotel, provide the information requested during check-in so the hotel can register your stay.
  3. Visit the local public security bureau — For a private address, go to the office responsible for that address rather than waiting for automatic registration.
  4. Declare the address and period — Provide the full address and the period for which you need the accommodation registered.
  5. Obtain the registration record — Ask for confirmation showing the registered address and period before you leave the counter.
  6. Present it at the residence-permit desk — Take the registration record when you visit the residence-permit desk.
  7. Update the registration when needed — Repeat the process if you change address or need a different registered period.

If you stay somewhere other than a hotel, your accommodation must be registered with the local public security bureau. A hotel registers guests during check-in, but a private address does not create that registration automatically. The process below tells you what to do and what to keep for the residence-permit desk.

Who Handles Registration

A foreigner staying somewhere other than a hotel is registered with the local public security bureau. Hotels register their guests as part of check-in; a private address does not register the guest automatically.

What the Registration Covers

The registration is tied to an address and a period. If the address or period changes, the existing record should not be treated as covering the new stay.

Where It Is Required

The registration is asked for at the residence-permit desk. Keep the record you receive and take it with you to that appointment.

Consequence of Not Registering

Failing to register is an offense punishable by a fine, and the fine is stated in the regulation. A hotel registration cannot be used as a substitute for a private-address registration.

Confirm before you act

Fees and processing times change. This page was checked on 2026-10-27; confirm the current rule with the authority named in each source above before you rely on a deadline.


Last checked 2026-10-27, next review 2027-04-25. Every figure above names its source and the date it was read. This page is a guide, not legal, tax or immigration advice — confirm with the authority before acting on a deadline.

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