9610 Customs Clearance Expanded to 15 New Pilot Cities – Nationwide Coverage Now 60+ Cities | 2026 China CBEC

The Chinese government has expanded the 9610 cross-border e-commerce (CBEC) pilot city program, adding 15 new cities, effective November 1, 2026. The expansion brings the total number of 9610 pilot cities to over 60, covering all major logistics hubs and most provincial capitals. 9610 clearance – the streamlined customs process for B2C retail express shipments – is now available nationwide, significantly reducing delivery times to inland provinces by 2‑3 days. For CBEC sellers, the expanded network enables faster fulfillment, lower logistics costs, and access to a broader consumer base. This guide explains the new pilot cities, 9610 clearance benefits, and practical steps for sellers to utilize the expanded network.

1. New Pilot Cities – 15 Additions, Nationwide Coverage

The Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) and the General Administration of Customs (GAC) have added 15 new cities to the CBEC pilot program, each with 9610 customs clearance facilities:

• Central region: Luoyang, Yichang, Xiangyang, Yueyang.
• Western region: Guilin, Liuzhou, Zunyi, Baoji, Tianshui, Yinchuan, Xining.
• Northeast region: Jilin, Yanji, Mudanjiang, Qiqihar.

With these additions, 9610 clearance is now available in over 60 cities, covering all provincial capitals and major logistics hubs. Key features of the new facilities:

• Dedicated 9610 clearance channels: On‑site customs offices with AI-powered risk assessment and automated release (2‑4 hours for low‑risk shipments).
• Express carrier integration: Direct connectivity with DHL, FedEx, UPS, SF Express, and China Post EMS.
• Consolidation hubs: Shared warehousing for small sellers to aggregate shipments and reduce per‑parcel costs.
• Last‑mile delivery partnerships: Agreements with local couriers (ZTO, YTO, JD Logistics) for 2‑5 day delivery to surrounding provinces.

The expansion targets inland provinces where 9610 clearance was previously unavailable, requiring sellers to ship goods to coastal cities (Shanghai, Ningbo, Shenzhen) for clearance – adding 2‑3 days to delivery times.

2. Delivery Time Reduction – Inland Provinces Now 3-6 Days

With 9610 clearance now available in inland cities, delivery times have improved significantly:

• Central region (Henan, Hubei, Hunan): Previous delivery time (via coastal hubs): 5‑7 days. Current (via Luoyang, Yichang, Xiangyang, Yueyang): 3‑5 days. Saving: 2‑3 days.
• Western region (Guangxi, Guizhou, Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai): Previous: 6‑9 days. Current (via Guilin, Liuzhou, Zunyi, Baoji, Tianshui, Yinchuan, Xining): 4‑6 days. Saving: 2‑3 days.
• Northeast region (Jilin, Heilongjiang): Previous: 6‑8 days. Current (via Jilin, Yanji, Mudanjiang, Qiqihar): 3‑5 days. Saving: 3 days.

For sellers shipping to inland provinces, the 2‑3 day reduction improves customer satisfaction, reduces cart abandonment, and enables more competitive shipping offers (e.g., free shipping for orders above RMB 100 vs. RMB 200 previously).

3. 9610 Clearance Benefits – Faster, Cheaper, Simpler

The 9610 model (跨境贸易电子商务零售出口) is the primary customs clearance method for B2C e-commerce exports (small parcels, high volume). Key benefits:

• Simplified documentation: Only 3 data fields required (recipient name/ID, product description/HS code, declared value) for parcels ≤ RMB 5,000. No commercial invoice or packing list required.
• Fast clearance (2‑4 hours): AI‑powered risk assessment for low‑risk shipments. High‑risk shipments flagged for manual review (1‑2 days).
• Lower per‑parcel costs: Consolidated clearance reduces customs brokerage fees. 9610 shipments are also eligible for lower courier rates.
• Green channel for compliant sellers: Sellers with ＞95% clearance approval rate receive priority processing (1‑2 hours).
• Tax refund eligibility (for qualified exporters): Export VAT refund available for 9610 shipments (requires general taxpayer status and export license).
• Simplified returns: Returned parcels can be processed through the same 9610 channel without re‑import declarations.

For high‑volume sellers, 9610 reduces per‑parcel logistics costs by 10‑20% compared to standard express courier clearance.

4. How Sellers Can Utilize Expanded 9610 Network

To take advantage of the expanded 9610 pilot cities, CBEC sellers should follow these steps:

1. Complete 9610 enterprise filing (if not already done). Register as a cross-border e-commerce enterprise through the Single Window. Foreign sellers must appoint a China agent.
2. Select the optimal 9610 clearance city based on customer location. For customers in central China: Luoyang, Yichang, Xiangyang, Yueyang. For western China: Guilin, Liuzhou, Zunyi, Baoji, Tianshui, Yinchuan, Xining. For northeast: Jilin, Yanji, Mudanjiang, Qiqihar.
3. Integrate your e-commerce platform with a 9610 clearance service provider. Major couriers (DHL, FedEx, SF Express) offer 9610 clearance as part of their service. The platform automatically transmits order data to customs.
4. Ship directly to the 9610 clearance city (instead of coastal hubs). Use express courier services that clear customs at the destination city. The courier will handle customs clearance and last‑mile delivery.
5. Track clearance status via courier portal. Most couriers provide real‑time clearance tracking (submitted, under review, released).

For sellers already using coastal 9610 hubs, adding inland hubs as secondary clearance points can reduce delivery times for inland customers by 2‑3 days.

5. Compliance Requirements – What Sellers Must Maintain

Even with expanded 9610 clearance, sellers must maintain compliance:

• Accurate product declarations: HS codes, product descriptions, and declared values must be accurate. Mis‑declaration results in fines (RMB 10,000‑50,000) and loss of 9610 privileges.
• Consumer annual limit tracking: RMB 26,000 per consumer per year. Sellers must reject orders exceeding the limit.
• Single transaction limit: RMB 5,000 per order. Higher‑value goods must use general trade channels.
• Recipient identity verification: For parcels valued ＞ RMB 1,000, recipient ID verification is required. The courier will handle verification; sellers must provide accurate recipient data.
• Return processing: Returned parcels must be processed within 30 days; otherwise, taxes already refunded must be repaid.
• Record retention: Keep order, logistics, and payment data for 5 years.

Non‑compliance can result in suspension of 9610 privileges, fines, and blacklisting.

6. Practical Roadmap for CBEC Sellers

To maximize benefits from the expanded 9610 network, follow this six‑step roadmap:

1. Analyze your customer distribution (Immediate). Identify the provinces where your customers are concentrated. If a significant portion are in inland provinces, adding an inland clearance city is beneficial.
2. Complete 9610 filing (if not done) (Week 1‑2). Register through the Single Window. Allow 1‑2 weeks for approval.
3. Select a courier with 9610 clearance in your target cities (Week 2). DHL, FedEx, SF Express, and China Post EMS offer 9610 clearance in most pilot cities.
4. Integrate your platform with the courier‘s API (Week 3‑4). Ensure order data (recipient name/ID, HS code, declared value) is transmitted automatically.
5. Test a shipment to the new clearance city (Week 5). Send a test parcel to an inland customer. Monitor clearance time and delivery time.
6. Scale up shipments through the new clearance point (Month 2). Once testing is successful, route a portion of your inland shipments through the new 9610 clearance city.

Summary: China has added 15 new pilot cities for 9610 CBEC clearance, effective November 1, 2026, bringing the total to over 60 cities nationwide. New cities include Luoyang, Yichang, Xiangyang, Yueyang, Guilin, Liuzhou, Zunyi, Baoji, Tianshui, Yinchuan, Xining, Jilin, Yanji, Mudanjiang, and Qiqihar. The expansion reduces delivery times to inland provinces by 2‑3 days (to 3‑6 days total). 9610 clearance offers simplified documentation (3 data fields), fast clearance (2‑4 hours), lower per‑parcel costs (10‑20% savings), and simplified returns. To utilize expanded 9610, sellers must complete filing, select optimal clearance cities, integrate with courier APIs, and comply with consumer limits (RMB 26,000/year) and transaction limits (RMB 5,000/order). By strategically using inland clearance cities, CBEC sellers can improve delivery times, reduce costs, and access China‘s growing inland consumer market.