Verifying PRC Corporate Seal Authenticity and Public Security Filings
Verify PRC seals by matching the 13-digit PSB security code against municipal police databases and confirming official Beian filing certificates before signing.
Local PSB Register
Meaning
Police registration databases maintained by municipal security organs track the active specimens of corporate stamps and seal carving licenses within each jurisdiction. The local PSB register operates as the authoritative repository of genuine corporate seals for all business entities registered in the region. Whenever a company is established, altered, or liquidated, it must file the specific impressions of its physical stamps with the local public security bureau.
This registration creates an official record that commercial banks, government offices, and courts consult to verify whether a given stamp on a contract is genuine or forged.
Statutory Base
National public security regulations govern the production, management, and cancellation of corporate seals. Under these rules, the local PSB register is linked to authorized seal-carving shops that must embed unique tracking codes into the physical stamps they produce. This mechanism ensures that only seals manufactured by licensed producers hold legal recognition.
Verification Method
When a dispute arises or when high-value transactions are initiated, the counterparty can request verification of the seal’s authenticity. The local PSB register provides the mechanism to compare a questioned stamp impression against the filed specimen. While direct public access to these records is restricted, legal representatives or authorized lawyers can query the system to obtain a seal registration certificate.
This certificate confirms that the seal in use corresponds to the legally registered design in the database.
Registration Effect
Failure to update the database when a company replaces its legal representative or changes its name leads to critical operational blockages. If the seal applied to a document does not match the active record in the local PSB register, government departments will reject administrative filings and commercial banks will freeze corporate accounts. This misalignment can also weaken a company’s position in contract litigation, as the court may deem the applied stamp unauthorized if it is not registered.
Maintaining a current registration file is therefore an indispensable component of corporate compliance in China.