To open a store, one may apply for the business license of an individual proprietorship enterprise, partnership enterprise, limited company or joint stock company. Only limited companies and joint-stock companies have legal personality. The applicant needs to bring the application form and other materials to the market supervision and administration department to apply. If the application is approved by the market supervision and administration department, the business license will be issued.
 Legal basis
 Article 16 of the Detailed Rules for the Implementation of the Regulations of the People's Republic of China on the Administration of the Registration of Market Entities, when applying for the registration of market entities, the following materials shall be submitted: (1) an application form; （2） Qualification documents of the applicant and identity certificate of natural person; （3） Documents related to the domicile or main business place; （4） Articles of association or partnership agreement of a company, an unincorporated enterprise legal person, a farmers' professional cooperative (union); （5） Other materials required to be submitted by laws, administrative regulations and the market supervision and administration department under the State Council. The market supervision and administration department of the State Council shall, according to the type of market subject, formulate a list of registration materials and a sample of document format, which shall be disclosed to the public through the government website, the service window of the registration authority, etc. The registration authority shall not require the applicant to repeatedly provide the registration related information of the market subject that can be obtained through the government information sharing platform.