Glossary
PSB Filing (公安备案)
Definition
PSB filing (公安备案) is the public-security (police) registration that happens after the ICP filing number issues. MIIT runs the ICP filing pipeline; public security handles its own registration afterward. The official portal is beian.mps.gov.cn, titled 全国互联网安全管理服务平台 (National Internet Security Management Service Platform). The legacy beian.gov.cn domain redirects to beian.mps.gov.cn. PSB filing is also the instead-of-ICP gate for CDN acceleration domains serving only outside the mainland — Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan acceleration requires a PSB filing, not an ICP filing.
What the PSB filing is
- The post-ICP-number registration step handled by public security. Both Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud filing flows end with the same sequence: the filing number issues, then the public-security filing follows.
- The required filing for outside-mainland-only CDN acceleration. If your acceleration domain serves only Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan — not the mainland — the PSB filing replaces the ICP filing as the access gate.
- A separate instrument from a separate authority. The ICP filing comes from the MIIT pipeline; the PSB filing comes from public security. They are sequential, not interchangeable.
What it is not
- Not part of the MIIT pipeline. MIIT runs the filing pipeline from provider review through provincial Communications Administration review to filing number issuance. Public security runs its own registration afterward. The two are distinct steps from distinct authorities.
- Not a general ICP substitute. The PSB-instead-of-ICP rule applies only to acceleration domains serving exclusively outside the mainland (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan). Mainland-serving or global-serving acceleration domains still require the ICP filing first.
- Not provider-specific. Choosing Alibaba Cloud versus Tencent Cloud does not change the PSB filing requirement. Both providers run the same regulatory pipeline ending in the public-security filing.
Why the PSB filing matters for foreign companies
It belongs on the launch checklist as the step after the ICP number issues. It is not a provider-specific extra — the Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud filing flows end the same way. Plan for it in the launch timeline once the ICP filing number is in hand.
Teams accelerating only from Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan need the PSB filing, not the ICP filing. If your CDN acceleration domain serves only outside the mainland, the access gate is the PSB filing. Confusing the two sends you down the wrong application path.
The portal is Chinese-only. The official portal at beian.mps.gov.cn provides no English interface. Plan who handles the Chinese-language steps before you start.
Common misconceptions
"PSB filing is the same as ICP filing." They are separate instruments from separate authorities. MIIT runs the ICP pipeline; public security handles its own registration afterward. The ICP filing number must issue before the PSB filing begins.
"PSB filing waives the ICP filing." For outside-mainland-only acceleration (Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan), the PSB filing is required instead of the ICP filing. It never replaces the ICP filing for mainland-served domains.
"Choosing a different provider changes the PSB step." The regulatory pipeline — MIIT review through public-security filing — is the same on Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud. The provider choice affects the portal experience, not the regulatory sequence.
Frequently asked questions
What is PSB filing?
PSB filing (公安备案) is the public-security (police) registration that happens after the ICP filing number issues. The official portal is beian.mps.gov.cn, titled 全国互联网安全管理服务平台 (National Internet Security Management Service Platform). The legacy beian.gov.cn domain redirects to beian.mps.gov.cn. The portal is Chinese-only.
Who handles the PSB filing?
Public security handles the PSB filing, not MIIT. MIIT runs the ICP filing pipeline; public security handles its own registration afterward. Choosing Alibaba Cloud versus Tencent Cloud does not change the requirement. Both providers run the same regulatory pipeline ending in the public-security filing.
When does the PSB filing happen in the launch sequence?
The PSB filing is the step after the ICP filing number issues. Both Alibaba Cloud and Tencent Cloud filing flows end with the same sequence: the filing number issues, then the public-security filing follows. The ICP filing number must issue before the PSB filing begins.
What is the difference between PSB filing and ICP filing?
They are separate instruments from separate authorities. MIIT runs the ICP pipeline; public security handles its own registration afterward. The ICP filing number must issue before the PSB filing begins. The PSB filing never replaces the ICP filing for mainland-served domains.
When does the PSB filing replace the ICP filing for CDN acceleration?
The PSB-instead-of-ICP rule applies only to acceleration domains serving exclusively outside the mainland. If your acceleration domain serves only Hong Kong, Macau, or Taiwan, the PSB filing replaces the ICP filing as the access gate. Mainland-serving or global-serving acceleration domains still require the ICP filing first.
Related terms
- Bei'an (备案) — ICP Filing — the mandatory registration for most websites hosted on mainland servers. It registers the domain and its operator with the authorities, ties the site to a hosting provider and a legal operator, and must be completed before the site can stay online.
- ICP Filing Lookup (备案查询) — the public MIIT query of approved filing records — the number-verification step before the police registration in the sequence.
- CDN (China Content Delivery Network) — a mainland CDN means edge caching on China networks to cut cross-border latency — the edge has to be inside the country for a CDN to touch the cross-border hop.
- APP Filing (APP备案) — the ICP registration for native mobile applications whose backend domains resolve to servers in the Chinese mainland.
Related reading
- ICP Filing Timeline: Phase-by-Phase — the full five-phase process from entity readiness to display and maintenance. PSB filing sits at the end of this pipeline.
- China CDN for Foreign Companies — the filing rule for mainland and outside-mainland-only acceleration, including the PSB-instead-of-ICP path.
- Alibaba Cloud vs Tencent Cloud for China — the filing workflow on both providers, showing the same pipeline through public-security filing.
- ICP Compliance Service — how we coordinate filing, entity, and hosting decisions end to end.
- China Digital Entry Glossary — the full term set in one place.
Filing a mainland-hosted site — or accelerating outside the mainland only?
We coordinate the filing, entity, and hosting decisions so your domain goes live filed and stays online. Start with the ICP & compliance service or the 10-point China readiness diagnostic.
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