Measures for the Administration of Pesticide Production Licensing

(As amended by Order No. 3 of 2025 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, on July 15, 2025)

(Originally promulgated as Order No. 4 of 2017 of the Ministry of Agriculture on June 21, 2017; revised by Order No. 2 of 2018 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on December 6, 2018, and by Order No. 3 of 2025 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on July 15, 2025)

Chapter I General Provisions

Article 1

These Measures are formulated in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides to regulate pesticide production activities, strengthen the administration of pesticide production, and ensure the quality of pesticide products.

Article 2

For the purpose of these Measures, pesticide production includes the production of pesticide technical material (TC) or technical concentrate (TK), processing of formulation, or repackaging.

Article 3

These Measures apply to the application, review, issuance, and supervision and administration of pesticide production licenses.

Article 4

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shall be responsible for supervising and guiding pesticide production licensing nationwide, and formulating requirements for production conditions and detailed review rules.

The agricultural and rural authorities of provincial-level people’s governments (hereinafter referred to as “provincial agricultural and rural authorities”) shall be responsible for accepting applications, reviewing, and issuing pesticide production licenses.

Local agricultural and rural authorities at or above the county level shall strengthen the supervision and administration of pesticide production within their respective administrative regions.

Article 5

The administration of pesticide production licenses follows the principle of one license per enterprise: one pesticide production enterprise shall be granted only one pesticide production license.

Article 6

Pesticide production shall comply with national industrial policies. It is prohibited to produce products phased out by the state, to engage in pesticide production using processes, equipment, or raw materials eliminated by the state, or to newly add products or processes, equipment, or raw materials restricted by the state for pesticide production.

Article 7

Agricultural and rural authorities at all levels shall strengthen information-based administration of pesticide production licenses, and promptly upload information on pesticide production licensing and supervision to the pesticide administration information platform of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Chapter II Application and Review

Article 8

An enterprise engaged in pesticide production shall meet the following conditions:

(1) Compliance with national industrial policies;

(2) Having managerial, technical, operational, and inspection personnel meeting the requirements of the production process;

(3) Having a fixed production site;

(4) Having a factory building with reasonable layout. A newly established chemical pesticide production enterprise or a non-chemical pesticide production enterprise adding chemical pesticide production scope shall establish a factory in a chemical industrial park at or above the provincial level. A newly established non-chemical pesticide production enterprise, a household insecticide enterprise, or a chemical pesticide production enterprise that adds the production scope of technical material (TC) or technical concentrate (TK) shall locate its plant in a chemical industrial park or industrial park at or above the prefecture level;

(5) Having automated production equipment and facilities commensurate with the pesticides produced, and facilities enabling production and sales management through product traceable electronic information codes;

(6) Having a dedicated quality inspection institution, complete quality inspection instruments and equipment, a comprehensive quality assurance system, and technical standards;

(7) Having complete management systems, including raw material procurement, process equipment, quality control, product sales, product recall, product storage and transportation, safe production, occupational health, environmental protection, pesticide waste recycling and disposal, personnel training, documentation and records, and other management systems;

(8) Other conditions specified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Where laws and regulations such as those on safe production and environmental protection impose other requirements on enterprise production conditions, pesticide production enterprises shall also comply with such provisions and voluntarily accept supervision by relevant competent authorities.

Article 9

An applicant for a pesticide production license shall submit the following materials to the provincial agricultural and rural authorities where the production site is located:

(1) Application form for a pesticide production license;

(2) Copy of the enterprise business license;

(3) Identity certificate and basic information of the legal representative (person in charge);

(4) Brief introductions and copies of qualification certificates of key managerial, technical, and inspection personnel, as well as basic information of relevant personnel engaged in pesticide production;

(5) Description of the area where the production site is located, floor plan of the production layout, and land use right certificate or lease certificate;

(6) Process flow chart of production equipment, floor layout of production equipment, process flow chart, and process description for the pesticide technical material (TC) or technical concentrate (TK) or formulation type applied for, as well as the names, quantities, and photos of the corresponding main workshops, equipment, facilities, and auxiliary facilities ensuring normal operation;

(7) Product quality standards and list of main inspection instruments and equipment for the pesticide technical material (TC) or technical concentrate (TK) or formulation type applied for;

(8) Quality assurance system documents and management systems;

(9) Original records of three batches of trial production of the applied pesticide conducted in accordance with the requirements of the quality assurance system documents and management systems;

(10) Statement on the authenticity and legality of the application materials;

(11) Other materials specified by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

Article 10

The provincial agricultural and rural authorities shall handle the application materials submitted by the applicants according to the following circumstances:

(1) Where a pesticide production license is not required, immediately inform the applicant immediately that the application will not be accepted;

(2) Where there are errors in the application materials, allow the applicant to correct them on the spot;

(3) Where the application materials are incomplete or do not meet the statutory form, inform the applicant on the spot or within five working days of all content to be supplemented or corrected; if no notification is made within the time limit, the application shall be deemed accepted as of the date of receipt of the application materials;

(4) Where the application materials are complete and meet the statutory form, or the applicant submits all supplementary or corrected materials as required, accept the application.

Article 11

The provincial agricultural and rural authorities shall conduct written review and technical evalsuation of the application materials, and carry out on-site verification if necessary. They shall make a decision on whether to issue a pesticide production license within 20 working days from the date of acceptance. If the conditions are met, issue a pesticide production license; if not, notify the applicant in writing and explain the reasons.

Technical evalsuation may be organized with professionals in pesticide administration, production, quality control, etc. The time required shall not be counted in the licensing period and shall not exceed 90 days.

Article 12

The format of a pesticide production license and relevant forms shall be uniformly formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

A pesticide production license shall indicate the license number, enterprise name, unified social credit code, domicile, legal representative (person in charge), production scope, production address, validity period, and other items.

The numbering rule of a pesticide production license is: Pesticide Production License + abbreviation of province + serial number (four digits).

The production scope of a pesticide production license shall be marked as follows:

(1) Specific technical material (TC) or technical concentrate (TK);

(2) Formulation type, with distinction between chemical pesticides and non-chemical pesticides.

Chapter III Alteration and Renewal

Article 13

The validity period of a pesticide production license is five years. During the validity period, if the enterprise name, address name, domicile, legal representative (person in charge) changes, or the production scope is reduced, the enterprise shall apply to the provincial agricultural and rural authorities for license replacement within 30 days from the date of the change and submit relevant supporting materials.

The provincial agricultural and rural authorities shall complete the review within 20 working days from the date of accepting the application for alteration. If the conditions are met, reissue the license; if not, notify the applicant in writing and explain the reasons.

Article 14

A pesticide production enterprise that expands its production scope shall apply to amend  the pesticide production license in accordance with Articles 8 and 9 of these Measures.

Changing the production address or adding a new production address shall be handled in accordance with the requirements for newly established pesticide production enterprises.

Article 15

Where a pesticide production enterprise intends to continue pesticide production upon expiration of the  pesticide production license, it shall apply to the provincial agricultural and rural authorities for renewal 90 days prior to the expiration date.

Article 16

To apply for renewal of a pesticide production license, the enterprise shall submit an application form, a production report, and other materials. The provincial agricultural and rural authorities shall review the application materials. Renewal shall not be approved if the application is not submitted within the specified time limit or the enterprise fails to meet the requirements for pesticide production.

Article 17

If a pesticide production license is lost or damaged, the holder shall explain the reasons, provide relevant supporting materials, and promptly apply to the local provincial agricultural and rural authorities for reissuance.

Chapter IV Supervision and Inspection

Article 18

Pesticide production enterprises shall organize production in accordance with product quality standards and the provisions of the pesticide production license, ensure that pesticide products are consistent with registered pesticides, and be responsible for the quality of pesticide products.

Article 19

Within the scope of its pesticide production license, a pesticide production enterprise may, in accordance with Article 19 of the Regulations on Pesticide Administration , accept entrustment from new pesticide developers or other pesticide production enterprises to process or repackage pesticides; it may also accept entrustment from enterprises exporting pesticides to China to repackage pesticides.

Entrusted production of pesticide technical material (TC) or technical concentrate (TK) is prohibited.

Article 20

The entrusting party and the entrusted party shall sign an entrustment contract, clarifying the product name, specification, quantity, quality standard, label, trademark use, term, fees, and other contents of the entrusted processing or repackaging.

The entrusting party shall provide the entrusted party with technical materials such as product formula, production process and technology, and product quality standards for the entrusted processing products.

Article 21

It is prohibited to lease or lend pesticide registration certificates in the name of entrusted processing or repackaging.

Article 22

Pesticide production enterprises shall upload the production and sales data of the previous quarter to the pesticide administration information platform of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs within 15 days after the end of each quarter. In the case of entrusted processing or repackaging of pesticides, the entrusting party shall submit such data.

Article 23

Local agricultural and rural authorities at or above the county level shall strengthen supervision and inspection of pesticide production enterprises, regularly investigate and compile statistics on pesticide production, establish and disclose credit records for pesticide production enterprises.

Article 24

The provincial agricultural and rural authorities shall revoke a pesticide production license according to law under any of the following circumstances:

(1) Producing counterfeit pesticides;

(2) Producing inferior pesticides, where the circumstances are serious;

(3) Continuing pesticide production when no longer meeting the conditions for a pesticide production license, and refusing to make corrections within a time limit or still failing to meet the requirements after corrections;

(4) Violating the provisions of Articles 53 and 54 of the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides;

(5) Transferring, renting, or lending the pesticide production license;

(6) Employing personnel specified in Paragraph 1 of Article 63 of the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides to engage in pesticide production activities;

(7) Other circumstances where revocation is required by law.

Article 25

The provincial agricultural and rural authorities shall withdraw a pesticide production license according to law under any of the following circumstances:

(1) The licensing decision was made by personnel of the issuing authority in abuse of power or through neglect of duty;

(2) The licensing decision was made by the issuing authority in violation of statutory procedures;

(3) The issuing authority granted a pesticide production license to an applicant who is not qualified or does not meet the statutory conditions;

(4) The applicant obtained the pesticide production license by fraud, bribery, or other improper means;

(5) Other circumstances under which a pesticide production license shall be withdrawn according to law.

Article 26

The issuing authority shall cancel a pesticide production license according to law under any of the following circumstances:

(1) The enterprise applies for cancellation;

(2) The enterprise’s subject qualification is terminated according to law;

(3) No application for renewal is filed upon expiration;

(4) The pesticide production license is withdrawn, revoked, or canceled according to law;

(5) The production address is changed and a new pesticide production license is obtained for the new address;

(6) Other circumstances under which a license shall be canceled according to law.

Article 27

Any of the following circumstances shall be treated as producing pesticides without a pesticide production license:

(1) Continuing pesticide production beyond the validity period of the pesticide production license;

(2) Producing pesticides beyond the production scope specified in the pesticide production license;

(3)Producing pesticides at a changed production address without approval;

(4) Entrusting an enterprise that has obtained a pesticide production license to process or repackage pesticides beyond the license scope;

(5) Other circumstances that shall be handled as failure to obtain a pesticide production license.

Article 28

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs shall strengthen supervision and inspection over the implementation of pesticide production licensing by provincial agricultural and rural authorities, and promptly correct violations in the approval of pesticide production licenses. If any staff member is found to have violated regulations, they shall be ordered to make corrections; if sanctions should be imposed according to law, a sanction proposal shall be made to the appointment and removal authority or supervisory authority.

Article 29

Where agricultural and rural authorities at or above the county level and their staff commit any of the following acts, they shall be ordered to make corrections; the responsible leading persons and directly liable persons shall be investigated and dealt with in accordance law; sanctions shall be imposed according to law; if a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued according to law:

(1) Failing to perform supervision and administration duties for pesticide production, resulting in heavy losses or adverse social impacts caused by illegal pesticide production activities in their administrative regions;

(2) Granting a production license to an applicant who does not meet the conditions or refusing to grant a production license to an applicant who meets the conditions;

(3) Participating in pesticide production or business activities;

(4) Other acts of engaging in malpractice for personal gain, abusing power, or neglecting duties.

Article 30

Any entity or individual that discovers illegal pesticide production activities has the right to report to agricultural and rural authorities. Agricultural and rural authorities shall promptly verify and handle such reports and keep the informer’s information confidential strictly. If the report is verified to be true and plays a positive role in production safety or recovers relatively large losses, commendations or rewards shall be given in accordance with relevant national provisions.

Article 31

A pesticide production enterprise that engages in illegal pesticide production activities shall be punished in accordance with the Regulations on the Administration of Pesticides; if a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued according to law.

Chapter V Supplementary Provisions

Article 32

For the purpose of these Measures, chemical pesticides refer to pesticides artificially synthesized using chemical substances.

Article 33

These Measures shall come into force on August 1, 2017.

Pesticide production enterprises that had obtained pesticide production approval certificates or pesticide production licenses before the implementation of these Measures may continue to produce corresponding pesticide products within the validity period. Those intending to continue pesticide production upon expiration shall apply to the provincial agricultural authorities for a pesticide production license in accordance with these Measures 90 days prior to the expiration date.

Enterprises that had obtained pesticide registration certificates but not obtained pesticide production approval certificates or pesticide production licenses before the implementation of these Measures and need to continue pesticide production shall obtain a pesticide production license within two years from the date of implementation of these Measures.

Note: This English translation is provided for reference only and does not constitute an official translation. In case of any discrepancy, the Chinese text shall prevail.