Key practical points:
• Relics found underground or underwater belong to the state and must be handed over.
• Archaeological excavation needs a permit; unauthorized digging is a crime.
• Transfer or restoration of graded relics requires approval from competent authorities.
• Export of precious relics is banned or tightly restricted.
• Construction near protected sites needs prior assessment and approval.
💬 General consulting
Cultural Relics Protection Law · Yalla China
中华人民共和国文物保护法 / Cultural Relics Protection Law
Enacted: 2024-11-08 ✅ Effective: 2025-03-01
📝 Overview
A law protecting immovable and movable cultural relics and regulating excavation, restoration, and trade. Relics found underground belong to the state, and their export and trade are tightly restricted.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
If you come across an antiquity or think of buying or selling old artifacts in China, the rule is clear: many belong to the state and cannot be exported. Do not buy from undocumented sources. General orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
npc.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026