Registering your address in Shanghai: the 24-hour rule
Staying in Shanghai outside a hotel means registering your address with the police within 24 hours. Shanghai lets you do it online — here is how, plus every exit-entry office in the city.
Hotels in Shanghai register guests automatically. Everywhere else — a leased flat, a friend's spare room, a short-term rental — you are responsible for registering yourself, and the deadline is 24 hours from moving in.
The rule
Foreign nationals staying in accommodation other than a hotel must register with the local public security organs within 24 hours of moving in. The property owner may file it on your behalf. Failing to register carries a warning and a fine of up to CNY 2,000, and gaps in your registration history surface later when you apply for a visa extension or residence permit.
Shanghai lets you register online
Shanghai operates an online 24-hour accommodation registration service through the Public Security Bureau, with an English interface. For most people this is faster than going in person and avoids the language barrier at the counter.
The Suishenban (随申办) app also carries exit-entry services in its International version, including appointment booking for residence permit and permanent residence applications.
If you register online, keep the confirmation — landlords and employers routinely ask for proof, and you will need it for subsequent visa business.
What to bring if you go in person
- Your passport, with the current visa or entry stamp
- The rental contract or property ownership certificate
- Your landlord's ID — the most common reason applications are turned away is that this was not arranged in advance
Address registration happens at the police station covering your address. The exit-entry offices below handle visa and residence permit business, which is a separate process.
Exit-entry offices in Shanghai
Shanghai runs offices in every district. The service hotline is 12367. Working hours exclude statutory holidays, so check before travelling across the city.
| Office | Address | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Shanghai Municipal PSB Exit-Entry Administration (main)Pudong New Area 12367 | No. 1500 Minsheng Road, Pudong New Area | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Pudong Branch — Rijing RoadPudong New Area 12367 | No. 38 Rijing Road, Pudong New Area | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Pudong Branch — Huanke RoadPudong New Area 12367 | 2F, Building 1, Alley 999 Huanke Road, Pudong New Area | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Nanhui New City OfficePudong New Area 12367 | Building 1, Alley 158 Zishan Road, Nanhui New City, Pudong New Area | Mon-Sat 08:30-16:30 |
| Changning Branch — Hongbaoshi RoadChangning 12367 | 3F, Block B, No. 188 Hongbaoshi Road, Changning District | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Changning Branch — Art ParkChangning 12367 | 2F, Building T5, Art Park, No. 377 Songhong Road, Changning District | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Huangpu BranchHuangpu 12367 | 7F, Bund Square, No. 100 South Zhongshan Road, Huangpu District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Xuhui BranchXuhui 12367 | 1F, Xuhui District Administrative Service Center, No. 999 Nanning Road | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Jing an BranchJing an 12367 | 2F, Building 1, Yongxing Business Plaza, Alley 1355 Qiujiang Road | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Putuo BranchPutuo 12367 | No. 125 Fucun Road, Putuo District | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Hongkou BranchHongkou 12367 | 1F, Baishu Building, No. 1230 North Zhongshan Road Number One | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Yangpu BranchYangpu 12367 | No. 605 Songhu Road, Yangpu District | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Minhang BranchMinhang 12367 | No. 4099 Zhongchun Road, Minhang District | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Baoshan BranchBaoshan 12367 | No. 1688 Youyi Road, Baoshan District | Mon-Sat 08:30-17:00 |
| Jiading BranchJiading 12367 | No. 118 Jiajian Highway, Jiading District | Mon-Sat 09:00-17:00 |
| Songjiang BranchSongjiang 12367 | No. 867 West Ledu Road, Songjiang District | Mon-Fri 08:30-17:00; Sat 08:30-16:30 |
| Jinshan BranchJinshan 12367 | No. 1556 Longxuan Road, Jinshan District | Mon-Sat 08:30-16:30 |
| Qingpu BranchQingpu 12367 | No. 500 Huapu Road, Qingpu District | Mon-Sat 08:30-16:30 |
| Fengxian BranchFengxian 12367 | Building B4, No. 1 Alley 1529, South Wangyuan Road, Fengxian District | Mon-Sat 08:30-16:30 |
| Chongming BranchChongming 12367 | No. 7800 Chongming Avenue, Chongming District | Mon-Sat 08:30-16:30 |
No office matches that filter.
Verified 2026-09-01 · Source: official listing
Sources
- Shanghai Municipal Government — Exit-entry bureau locations and business hours
- Shanghai PSB — Online 24-hour accommodation registration (English)
- National Immigration Administration — Entry-Exit and Stay (Residence) of Foreigners
Rules and office hours change. This page records what the official sources said on the verification date shown above; confirm anything time-critical directly with the office before you travel.