Requirement and procedure for applying ISBN and ISSN

International Standard Book Number (ISBN) system started in 1967, Hong Kong joined the system in 1976. ISBN helps to classify the book publish location, publisher, book’s name, version and packing method in short time. This system is also widely adopted by publisher, bookshop and library to make the book storage database easier to maintain

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN) is a simple, standardized and only coding and it is used for information control, exchange and searching between prints (including newspapers, magazine, yearbook and guide) published by different countries, different languages and different publishers.

For more detail about ISSN and ISBN, please click here.

Application area

What is the difference between ISBN and ISSN?

ISBN stands for International Standard Book Number. ISSN stands for International Standard Serial Number.
This number means the book or magazine is reaching the world standard and had registered.
The difference between ISBN and ISSN is that ISBN is for book publisher and ISSN is for magazine publisher.

Application Procedure:

You must have a publisher company before you apply the ISBN and ISSN.

1. You can enjoy freedom of publishes in Hong Kong. You can setup a publisher company in Hong Kong and publish books or periodical.

2. Press company name is allowed in Hong Kong, such as ABC International Press Ltd, International ABC Press Ltd., ABC Hong Kong Press Ltd., Hong Kong ABC Press Ltd., etc.

Registering a Press Limited Company (our fee is HK$8,000), once it is registered, you are qualified to publishing a book in Hong Kong. However there are still two more things to do before publish: First to apply ISSN or ISBN, second to apply an issue number. Once the above two things is done you can start publish.

(a) Applying ISBN, fee HK$8,500
1. Applicant Hong Kong Company ‘s Certificate of Incorporation copy
2. Applicant provide the printing or publishing company name
3. Prepare 5-10 copies of the book and send them to Leisure and Cultural Services Department and Home Affairs Bureau.
4. Sign the application form and wait around 30 working days for the ISBN to issue
5. Once the book is published, submit 5-7 copies to related department for backup

(b) Applying ISBN, fee is HK$8,500
1. Applicant Hong Kong Company ‘s Certificate of Incorporation copy
2. Applicant provide the printing or publishing company name
3. Prepare 5 copies of the printing including cover, copyright page, back cover, content page
4. Wait for around 30 working days for the issue of temporary ISSN
5. The temporary ISSN must be printed on the top right corner, the first 5 issues must be sent to Paris for backup. It around take 25 more working days to get the official ISSN issue.

(c) Register and publish a book/periodical in Hong Kong, fee HK$8,500

1. Each issue of periodical (newspaper or magazine) must send two copies with printer or publisher signature and their corresponding detail to Newspaper Registration Section within 2 days of its publish.

2. Publish name and address should be disclosed on the front or back page.

3. Any change of registration information must be submitted within 7 days.

4. We charge HK$8,500 help for the registration process.

5. Any periodical stop to publish in Hong Kong for longer than 6 months, it registration will be automatically de-register.

6. The publisher of a new book shall, within 1 month after the book is published, printed, produced or otherwise made in Hong Kong, deliver to the Books Registration Office free of charge 5 copies of the book, together with all maps prints or other engravings belonging thereto, properly bound, sewed or stitched and produced on the best paper on which the book and any map, print or other engraving thereto is printed or produced.

A publication that consists solely of a price list, sale catalogue, trade circular or trade advertisement does not require for registration.

Required documents for register a periodical in Hong Kong

1、 Filled in Application form
2、 Author detail, book or magazine name, version, used language, price, ISSN or ISBN
3、 Company Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registry copy
4、 Publisher and printer name, address and contact
5、 Copyright Owner’s name and address
6、 Packaging detail

Register a book/magazine in China

If client wants to publish, the publish unit application should include the follow:

（a）Publishing unit name and address
（b）Publishing unit ownership detail including its name and address
（c）Publishing unit legal representative or person in charge’s name, address and their qualification proof
（d）Publishing unit capital source and amount

If company want to publish newspaper or magazine, or going to have their own news or magazine editorial department, their application should also include their newspaper or magazine name, publish period and printing location. Company M&A and investor background and qualification proof are also required to submit.

Publish and Administration Section of State Council decides whether to approve the application with 90 working days after they receive the application. The result will be sent to applicant in written form from the location government. If the application is rejected, the rejection reason will also be listed on the letter.

The applicant should get their approval certificate from the local government within 60days they got the approval letter. Once they got the approval certificate they can then apply the Business License as normal registration process.