IDENTIFIER
18 characters
A Unified Social Credit Code is an 18-character identifier for a registered Chinese legal entity.
USCC GUIDE
What is a China USCC — and how should buyers use it?
Start with the strongest identity anchor, then connect the registered entity to the supplier documents, public evidence, and report findings that matter before payment.
What is a China USCC — and how should buyers use it?
PRIMARY SOURCE
Chinese business licence
The code is usually shown on the supplier’s Chinese business licence.
DECISION USE
Exact entity matching
It helps compare the company in your documents with one registered legal subject.
What the USCC tells you
The Unified Social Credit Code is the core identifier used to connect a Chinese company to its registration record. In a supplier review, it helps establish whether the company named in a quotation, business licence, contract, invoice, or payment file is the same legal entity.
It is a registration identifier, not a credit score. A matching USCC confirms the identity anchor for the review; it does not prove factory ownership, current capacity, product quality, or future delivery performance.
How to get and use a USCC
- 01
Ask for the supplier’s Chinese business licence
Request a clear copy of the licence or ask the supplier to type the complete 18-character code exactly as shown in the Unified Social Credit Code field.
- 02
Enter the code in MadeSure
Submit the 18-character code as the starting identity input. MadeSure uses it to resolve the registered Chinese legal entity before deeper research begins.
- 03
Compare the returned entity with your documents
Check the legal Chinese name, registered region, legal representative, status, and business scope against the quotation, contract, invoice, and payment beneficiary.
- 04
Review evidence and decide what to verify next
Once the identity is anchored, review source-linked operating, trade, manufacturing, relationship, and risk signals before payment or onboarding.
How MadeSure uses the USCC
MadeSure treats the USCC as the first identity gate, not as the conclusion of the investigation. After the code resolves to a legal entity, the report organizes evidence around that subject and keeps important source boundaries visible.
Source families behind the review
Depending on availability and the selected report coverage, MadeSure can connect the resolved entity to China-native and global public sources including:
- Global B2B PlatformsSource family
- Global Social MediaSource family
- Chinese Social MediaSource family
- Government Procurement & Public NoticesSource family
- Chinese B2B PlatformsSource family
- Customs & Trade RecordsSource family
- Official Company RegistriesSource family
- Legal & Enforcement RecordsSource family
- Recruitment PlatformsSource family
What the report helps you review
The USCC gives the report a stable identity anchor. The rest of the report adds context for a practical sourcing decision:
- IdentityRegistered legal name, USCC, status, address, legal representative, and identity links.
- ManufacturingSignals about manufacturing role, operating footprint, products, and possible related entities.
- Trade activityAttributable customs and trade evidence where the legal entity can be connected to the record.
- Risk and limitationsPublic legal, enforcement, social, and operating signals, together with unresolved questions and recommended next checks.
What a USCC cannot prove by itself
A valid USCC does not prove that the company owns a factory, has current production capacity, will meet your specifications, or will deliver reliably. It also does not make every website, salesperson, bank account, or related company part of the same legal entity.
Before a material order, match the USCC and legal name across the licence, contract, invoice, and payment instructions. If the entity, region, status, or scope does not line up, pause and clarify before funds move.
Start with the identity that matters
Have the supplier’s 18-character USCC ready? Use it to begin a source-linked MadeSure investigation.