Key practical points:
• Carrying out surveying and mapping requires a surveying-qualification certificate matching the activity category.
• Foreigners and foreign entities may not conduct surveying in China except in partnership with a qualified Chinese entity and with official approval.
• National geodetic references (coordinate and elevation systems) are unified, and approved systems must be used.
• Published maps (including digital and electronic) undergo a map-review approval to ensure accurate boundaries and prevent sensitive errors.
• High-precision geographic data may be classified as state secrets and subject to strict storage and transfer controls.
• Violations include unlicensed surveying and publishing maps with wrong boundaries, leading to fines, confiscation, and criminal liability.
Surveying and Mapping Law · Yalla China
中华人民共和国测绘法 / Surveying and Mapping Law of the People's Republic of China
Enacted: 2017-04-27 ✅ Effective: 2017-07-01
📝 Overview
A law governing surveying and mapping activities, geodetic references, geographic data management, and protection of related secrets. It requires qualifications for entities and restricts foreign surveying activity.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
Foreign tech and mapping firms should note that collecting high-precision survey data or publishing maps in China is tightly restricted and requires approval; map boundaries are politically sensitive. This is general orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
npc.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026