Approved by the State Council on September 23, 1987; promulgated by the Ministry of Public Security on November 10, 1987; first amended on January 8, 2011; second amended on November 29, 2020; third amended on March 29, 2022.
Article 1 — These Measures are formulated for the purpose of ensuring the normal operation of the hotel industry and the safety of the lives and property of guests, and maintaining public order.
Article 2 — All hotels, restaurants, guesthouses, hostels, passenger-and-goods inns, cart-and-horse inns and bathhouses that receive guests for lodging (hereinafter collectively “hotels”), whether operated by the state or by collectives, or by partnerships, individuals or foreign investors, whether operating exclusively or concurrently, and whether operating year-round or seasonally, must comply with these Measures.
Article 3 — A hotel to be opened shall be equipped with necessary anti-theft and other safety facilities.
Article 4 — A person applying to open a hotel shall obtain a business license issued by the market regulation department and may only commence operation after applying for and obtaining a special industry license from the local public security organ.
Where an approved and operating hotel suspends business, changes its line of business, merges, relocates, changes its name or undergoes other changes, it shall, within three days after completing the change registration with the market regulation department, file the change with the local county or municipal public security bureau or sub-bureau.
Article 5 — In operating a hotel, one must comply with the laws of the state, establish various safety management systems, and set up a public security and security organization or designate security personnel.
Article 6 — A hotel must register when receiving guests for lodging. When registering, it shall inspect the identity documents of the guests and truthfully register them in accordance with the prescribed items.
When receiving overseas guests for lodging, it shall also submit the lodging registration form to the local public security organ within 24 hours.
Article 7 — A hotel shall provide safe deposit boxes, cabinets, storage rooms or safes for guests’ belongings, and designate special personnel to be responsible for safekeeping. A system of registration, collection and handover shall be established for the belongings deposited by guests.
Article 8 — A hotel shall properly keep the articles left behind by guests, endeavor to return them to the owners or publicly announce the claim; where no one claims them after three months of public notice, they shall be registered and listed, and sent to the local public security organ for handling as lost property. Prohibited articles and suspicious articles shall be promptly reported to the public security organ for handling.
Article 9 — Where hotel staff discover offenders, persons of suspicious conduct or criminals wanted by the public security organ, they shall promptly report to the local public security organ, and shall not fail to report with knowledge or conceal or shelter them.
Article 10 — Where entertainment and service venues such as dance halls and music tea rooms are opened within a hotel, they shall, in addition to implementing the relevant provisions of these Measures, be administered in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state and the local government.
Article 11 — It is strictly prohibited for guests to bring dangerous articles such as flammable, explosive, highly toxic, corrosive and radioactive articles into a hotel.
Article 12 — Illegal and criminal activities such as prostitution, patronizing prostitutes, gambling, drug abuse and the dissemination of obscene articles are strictly prohibited within a hotel.
Article 13 — Within a hotel, one shall not get drunk and cause disturbances or make loud noises that affect the rest of others, and guests shall not privately keep other guests for lodging or transfer their beds.
Article 14 — The duties of the public security organ with respect to the public security administration of hotels are to guide and supervise hotels in establishing various safety management systems and implementing safety precaution measures, assist hotels in training staff in safety business knowledge, and punish, in accordance with the law, offenders who infringe upon the lawful rights and interests of hotels and guests.
When public security personnel perform official duties at a hotel, they shall present their credentials, strictly act in accordance with the law, treat people in a civilized and courteous manner, and safeguard the normal operation of the hotel and the lawful rights and interests of guests. Hotel staff and guests shall render assistance.
Article 15 — Where a hotel is opened in violation of Article 4 of these Measures, the public security organ may, as appropriate, give a warning or impose a fine of not more than 200 yuan; where the hotel opens privately without registration, the public security organ shall assist the administrative department for industry and commerce in handling the matter in accordance with the law.
Article 16 — Where hotel staff violate Article 9 of these Measures, the public security organ may, as appropriate, give a warning or impose a fine of not more than 200 yuan; where the circumstances are serious and constitute a crime, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law.
Where the person in charge of a hotel participates in illegal and criminal activities and the hotel operated by him or her has become a venue for criminal activities, the public security organ shall, in addition to pursuing his or her liability in accordance with the law, handle the hotel together with the administrative department for industry and commerce in accordance with the law.
Article 17 — Where Articles 6, 11 and 12 of these Measures are violated, the relevant personnel shall be penalized in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law of the People’s Republic of China; where a major accident occurs or serious consequences are caused and a crime is constituted, criminal liability shall be pursued in accordance with the law.
Article 18 — Where a party is dissatisfied with an administrative penalty decision of the public security organ, the matter shall be handled in accordance with Article 102 of the Public Security Administration Punishments Law of the People’s Republic of China.
Article 19 — The public security departments (bureaus) of provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government may, in accordance with these Measures, formulate implementation rules, which shall be implemented after approval by the local people’s government and filed with the Ministry of Public Security.
Article 20 — These Measures shall take effect on the date of promulgation. The Interim Rules on the Administration of the Urban Inn Industry promulgated on August 15, 1951 shall be repealed simultaneously.
Disclaimer: This document is an unofficial English translation of the original Chinese regulatory document, provided for reference purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the Chinese-language version is the sole authoritative text. This translation does not constitute legal advice, and no liability is accepted for any reliance placed upon it. For matters with legal implications, please consult the official Chinese source and seek qualified professional advice.
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