- Hainan FTP encouraged-industry enterprises registered and substantively operating in the port pay CIT at 15% instead of 25%, but only through 31 December 2027.
注册并实质性运营于海南自贸港的鼓励类产业企业按 15% 而非 25% 缴纳 CIT，但该优惠仅执行至 2027 年 12 月 31 日。- “Substantive operation” requires the real management institution in Hainan with genuine local staff, assets, contracts, and decision-making—not a registered shell.
实质性运营要求实际管理机构在海南、具备真实本地员工、资产、合同与决策，而非仅注册空壳。- The 15% rate applies only when main-business revenue from the encouraged catalogues is at least 60% of total revenue; falling below forfeits the preference for that year.
仅当鼓励类主营收入占收入总额 60% 以上时方适用 15%；占比不足则该年度丧失优惠。- Eligibility is judged against three catalogues (structure-adjustment, foreign-investment-encouraged, Hainan-added), which are revised over time and should be re-tested annually.
资格依据三个目录判定（结构调整、外资鼓励、海南新增），目录会动态修订，应每年重新核验。- The preference is claimed on a self-assessment basis (“enjoy-at-filing, retain materials”) with no prior approval; documentation discipline is the key compliance lever.
该优惠按自行判别、申报享受、留存备查享受，无须事前审批；留档纪律是关键合规杠杆。- Companion preferences include EIT exemption on new overseas direct investment income and full/expedited deductions for assets under RMB 5 million per unit.
配套优惠包括新增境外直接投资所得免征 CIT，以及单位价值 500 万元以下资产一次性税前扣除。- Once conditions are met, the 15% rate applies to the qualifying enterprise’s entire taxable income, not merely the encouraged-business slice.
一旦满足条件，15% 税率适用于该符合条件企业的全部应纳税所得额，而非仅鼓励类业务部分。- For groups, the 15% rate applies to Hainan head-office/branch income; an out-of-Hainan head office limits it to qualifying Hainan branches only.
对集团，15% 适用于海南总机构及分支机构的所得；总机构在海南以外时，仅就符合条件的海南分支机构所得适用。
Hainan FTP preferential CIT: practice notes | 海南自贸港企业所得税优惠实务要点
Overview
The Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) offers one of the most consequential tax incentives available to foreign investors entering China: an enterprise income tax (EIT) rate of 15% for encouraged-industry enterprises that are registered in the port and meet a “substantive operation” test. The headline rate—well below the national 25%—is attractive, but the practical value depends entirely on satisfying three cumulative conditions and being able to evidence them in a subsequent tax audit. This note explains the mechanics that practitioners actually deal with: the legal basis, the substantive-operation test, the 60% main-business-revenue rule, and the filing process.
The 15% preferential rate is not a永久 (permanent) feature for all Hainan entities; it is a time-limited policy. The original framework was set by the Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration notice Cai Shui [2020] No. 31, and its validity was extended by Cai Shui [2025] No. 3. As currently structured, the preferences run through 31 December 2027, after which the FTP’s longer-term “low-rate, simplified-system” (低税率、简税制) design is expected to take shape—so investors should plan on the basis of the stated sunset and watch for the post-2027 architecture.
The 15% rate and its legal basis
For the 2020–2027 window, a Hainan-registered encouraged-industry enterprise that operates substantively in the port is taxed at 15% on the relevant income, instead of the standard 25%. The policy is found in Cai Shui [2020] No. 31 and extended by Cai Shui [2025] No. 3. Two companion preferences sit alongside it: (i) exemption of EIT on new overseas direct investment (ODI) income earned by tourism, modern-services, and high-tech enterprises established in the port; and (ii) an option for enterprises in the port to deduct in full (in one year) newly acquired fixed assets or intangibles not exceeding RMB 5 million per unit, or to use accelerated depreciation/amortisation above that threshold.
The scope of “encouraged industry” is defined by three catalogues, applied together: the Catalogue for Industrial Structure Adjustment (产业结构调整指导目录), the Catalogue of Industries Encouraging Foreign Investment (鼓励外商投资产业目录), and the Hainan FTP Added Encouraged Industries Catalogue (海南自由贸易港新增鼓励类产业目录). Where any of these catalogues is revised during the policy period, the newer version applies from its effective date. The Hainan encouraged catalogue is notably long—well over a thousand entries—covering strategic emerging sectors such as biomedicine, offshore wind, and new-energy vehicles, as well as FTP-priority areas like high-standard farmland, commercial space launch, and international education.
The “substantive operation” test
“Substantive operation” (实质性运营) is the gateway condition and the one most often challenged in audit. In the policy’s words, it means the enterprise’s actual management institution is located in the Hainan FTP and exercises substantive and overall management and control over the enterprise’s production, operations, personnel, finance, and property. An entity that is merely a registered shell—no real staff, no real assets, no real decision-making in Hainan—does not qualify, regardless of where it is incorporated.
In practice, the tax authority verifies substance through a cluster of factual indicators. It examines where payroll is paid and where key personnel are based; where assets are owned and used; where contracts are executed and performed; and where core decisions on finance and operations are actually made. A common audit flag is a company whose nominal registered address is in Hainan but whose technical team, project delivery, and management are all outside the port. The practical takeaway for foreign investors is that substance must be real and documentable: genuine local staff, local premises, local bank accounts and books, and decision-making that genuinely occurs in Hainan.
The 60% main-business-revenue rule
Even with Hainan substance, the 15% rate applies only to the extent the enterprise’s main business falls within the encouraged catalogues and that main-business revenue is at least 60% of total revenue. The “total revenue” base is broad—it captures sales of goods, provision of services, property transfers, dividend/interest/royalty income, and other items. The 60% figure is a hard threshold: if the encouraged-main-business share falls below it in a given year, the 15% preference is generally unavailable for that year.
This rule matters most for diversified or holding-style entities. A foreign group that sets up a Hainan holding or trading company but earns most of its revenue from non-encouraged activities will not qualify. The catalogue-judgment is also dynamic: a 2025 revision of the Hainan encouraged catalogue expanded and updated entries (for example, widening the yacht industry’s coverage and adding metaverse R&D, international air-freight services, and drug non-clinical safety evaluation), which can change whether a given business line counts as “encouraged.” Enterprises should re-test their classification against the current catalogue each year.
How to claim: self-assessment and filing
The preference is enjoyed on a “self-assessment, enjoy-at-filing, retain-materials-for-inspection” basis (自行判别、申报享受、相关资料留存备查). There is generally no prior administrative approval; the enterprise determines its own eligibility, applies the 15% rate when computing and paying its annual CIT, and keeps the supporting documentation available for subsequent tax administration. The relevant income and preference are reflected in the annual CIT return and the preference schedule.
A mechanical point affects groups: if the head office is in Hainan, the 15% rate applies to the income of its Hainan head office and Hainan branches; if the head office is outside Hainan, the 15% rate applies only to the income of its qualifying Hainan branch(es). The specific collection and administration rules follow SAT guidance. Because the benefit is claimed upfront and reviewed later, the discipline is in documentation—not in obtaining a permit—so enterprises should maintain a contemporaneous file: the encouraged-catalogue mapping, the substance evidence (payroll, assets, contracts, board/management decisions), and the revenue-split computation supporting the 60% test.
Worked examples and practical notes
Example of the 60% test: a Hainan company earns RMB 50m total revenue—RMB 32m from an encouraged main business such as biomedicine manufacturing, and RMB 18m from a non-encouraged trading activity. Its main-business share is 32/50 = 64%, exceeding 60%, so the 15% rate applies. If the trading share grew so that the main-business share fell to 58%, the preference would be lost for that year and the whole taxable income would be taxed at 25%.
Example of a substance failure: a foreign group incorporates in Hainan but keeps its R&D, procurement, and management in its home country, leaving only a registered address and a local agent. On audit, the tax authority finds no local payroll, no local decision-making, and contracts executed offshore. The 15% claim is denied and back-tax is assessed at 25%, with late-payment interest. The lesson is that substance is evidenced, not merely declared.
Interaction with the ODI exemption: a Hainan tourism enterprise that uses retained earnings to set up an overseas subsidiary and repatriates the qualifying dividend or operating profit may enjoy both the 15% rate on Hainan profits and the exemption on the new ODI income—provided the investee jurisdiction’s statutory CIT is at least 5% and the ownership and holding-period conditions are met. These preferences are cumulative, not mutually exclusive.
Documentation discipline: because the preference is claimed upfront and reviewed later, build the support file from day one—the encouraged-catalogue mapping, the substance evidence (payroll, assets, contracts, decisions), and the revenue-split computation—so that when the audit arrives years later, the evidence is contemporaneous rather than reconstructed under pressure.
One more nuance: once conditions are met, the 15% rate applies to the qualifying enterprise’s entire taxable income, not merely the encouraged-business slice. The 60% test is the gate, and clearing it benefits the whole China-taxable base. That is why getting the revenue classification right—separating encouraged from non-encouraged lines in the chart of accounts and monitoring the share through the year—is the single highest-leverage compliance step, and the one most often done too late.
What to do next
- Decide the entry form deliberately: a Hainan-incorporated entity (or a genuine Hainan branch of a foreign/JV group) with real local operations, not a pass-through shell.
- Map your actual business lines against the three encouraged catalogues (national structure-adjustment, foreign-investment-encouraged, and Hainan-added) and re-test annually as catalogues are revised.
- Build and retain substance evidence from day one: local staff and payroll, premises, bank accounts, books, and decision-making records in Hainan.
- Track the main-business revenue share each year and confirm it stays at or above 60% of total revenue before claiming the 15% rate.
- Treat the filing as self-assessed: keep a contemporaneous preference file and monitor the policy sunset (currently 31 December 2027) and the post-2027 “low-rate” design.
Sources
- 海南自由贸易港官网 — 鼓励类企业实施15%企业所得税: http://www.hnftp.gov.cn/zczdtx/hxzc/qysds/
- 企航自贸港政策查询平台: https://policy.hnftp.gov.cn/?ddtab=true
- 儋州市政府 — 海南自贸港封关热点100问（财税〔2025〕3号延续至2027-12-31）: https://www.danzhou.gov.cn/danzhou/ywdt/jrdz/202512/t20251203_3982492.html
- 国家税务总局 (State Taxation Administration) official portal: https://www.chinatax.gov.cn/
Related reading
- see also: Hainan FTP: incentives and who qualifies (17-hainan-ftp-incentives)
- see also: Corporate income tax at a glance (15-corporate-income-tax-overview)
- see also: R&D super-deduction for foreign-invested firms (18-rd-super-deduction)
海南自贸港企业所得税优惠实务要点
概述
海南自由贸易港为拟进入中国的外资企业提供了一项最具分量的税收优惠：对注册在自贸港、且满足”实质性运营”条件的鼓励类产业企业，减按 15% 征收企业所得税。这一远低于全国 25% 法定税率的优惠极具吸引力，但其实际价值完全取决于能否同时满足三项累积条件，并在后续税务稽查中予以举证。本文聚焦从业者日常真正面对的操作要点：政策依据、”实质性运营”测试、主营收入占比 60% 规则，以及申报享受流程。
15% 优惠税率并非对所有海南主体永久适用，而是一项有期限的阶段性政策。其原始框架由财政部、税务总局《关于海南自由贸易港企业所得税优惠政策的通知》（财税〔2020〕31 号）确立，并由《关于延续实施海南自由贸易港企业所得税优惠政策的通知》（财税〔2025〕3 号）延长。按现行安排，该项优惠执行至 2027 年 12 月 31 日；此后自贸港”低税率、简税制”的长期制度设计将逐步成形。因此投资者应以明确的政策到期日为基准做规划，并密切关注 2027 年后的制度走向。
15% 税率及其政策依据
在 2020—2027 窗口期内，注册在海南、于自贸港实质性运营的鼓励类产业企业，就相关所得按 15% 征税，而非标准 25%。政策见财税〔2020〕31 号，并由财税〔2025〕3 号延续。与之并列的还有两项配套优惠：一是设在自贸港的旅游业、现代服务业、高新技术企业，其新增境外直接投资所得免征企业所得税；二是自贸港内企业新购置（含自建、自行开发）单位价值不超过 500 万元的固定资产或无形资产可一次性税前扣除，超过 500 万元的可加速折旧或摊销。
“鼓励类产业”的范围由三个目录合并确定：《产业结构调整指导目录》《鼓励外商投资产业目录》以及《海南自由贸易港新增鼓励类产业目录》。任一目录在政策期内修订的，自修订版实施之日起按新版本执行。海南的鼓励类目录篇幅尤长——条目逾千条，涵盖生物医药、海上风电、新能源汽车等战略性新兴产业，以及高标准农田、商业航天发射、国际教育等自贸港重点领域。
“实质性运营”测试
“实质性运营”是享受优惠的准入条件，也是稽查中最常被质疑的一项。按政策表述，它要求企业的实际管理机构设在海南自贸港，并对生产经营、人员、财务、财产等实施实质性全面管理和控制。仅作注册壳、在海南既无真实人员、又无真实资产与真实决策的企业，无论在哪里注册，均不符合条件。
实务中，税务机关通过一组事实指标核验实质性：工资薪金在何处发放、关键人员在何处；资产在何处拥有并使用；合同在何处签署与履行；财务与经营的决策核心实际发生在何处。常见的稽查红旗是：注册地名义在海南，但技术团队、项目交付与管理层均在岛外。对外国投资者的实操启示是，实质性必须是真实且可留痕的——具备真正的本地员工、本地场所、本地银行账户与账簿，以及切实发生在海南的决策。
主营收入占比 60% 规则
即便具备海南实质性，15% 税率也仅在该企业”以鼓励类产业项目为主营业务、且主营业务收入占收入总额 60% 以上”时方可适用。”收入总额”口径很宽，涵盖销售货物、提供劳务、转让财产、股息红利、利息、特许权使用费等各项收入。60% 是硬性门槛：若某一年度鼓励类主营收入占比不足，该年度一般无法享受 15% 优惠。
这条规则对多元化或控股型主体影响最大。若外国集团在海南设立控股或贸易公司，但其收入主要来自非鼓励类活动，则无法符合条件。目录判定也是动态的：2025 年版海南鼓励类目录进行了扩围更新（例如拓宽游艇产业覆盖、新增元宇宙技术研发、国际航空货运服务、药品非临床安全评价等），可能改变某条业务线是否”鼓励类”的判定。企业每年都应依据最新目录重新核验自身分类。
如何申请：自行判别与申报享受
该项优惠按”自行判别、申报享受、相关资料留存备查”的方式享受，一般无须事前行政审批。企业自行判断资格，在计缴年度企业所得税时适用 15% 税率，并留存佐证材料以备后续税务管理。相关所得与优惠在年度企业所得税申报表及优惠明细表中体现。
一个影响集团架构的技术细节是：总机构设在海南的，仅就设在海南的总机构及分支机构的所得适用 15%；总机构设在海南以外的，仅就设在海南、符合条件的分支机构的所得适用 15%。具体征管按税务总局规定执行。由于优惠是”先享受、后审核”，合规的重心在于资料而非批文，企业应建立同期档案：鼓励类目录映射、实质性证据（工资、资产、合同、董事会/管理层决策），以及支撑 60% 测试的收入拆分计算。
实务示例与操作要点
60% 测试示例：某海南公司年收入总额 5,000 万元——其中 3,200 万元来自生物医药制造等鼓励类主营业务，1,800 万元来自非鼓励类贸易活动。主营收入占比为 32/50 = 64%，超过 60%，故适用 15% 税率。若贸易占比上升使主营占比降至 58%，则该年度丧失优惠，全部应纳税所得额按 25% 征税。
实质性失败示例：某外国集团在海南设立公司，却将研发、采购与管理留在母国，仅保留注册地址与一名本地代理。稽查中，税务机关发现无本地工资、无本地决策、合同在境外签署。15% 优惠被否定，按 25% 补税并加收滞纳金。教训是：实质性是举证出来的，而非声明出来的。
与境外直接投资免税的叠加：一家海南旅游企业以留存收益设立海外子公司，并汇回符合条件的股息或营业利润，可同时享受海南利润 15% 税率与新增境外直接投资所得免税——前提是投资国（地区）企业所得税法定税率不低于 5%，且满足持股与持有期条件。这些优惠是累积的，而非互斥。
资料纪律：由于优惠”先享受、后审核”，应从设立之日起就建立佐证档案——鼓励类目录映射、实质性证据（工资、资产、合同、决策），以及收入拆分计算——以便数年后稽查到来时，证据是同期留存的，而非在压力下补造的。
再补一点：一旦条件满足，15% 税率适用于该符合条件企业的全部应纳税所得额，而非仅鼓励类业务那部分；60% 测试是门槛，跨过之后，整个中国应税税基均受益。正因如此，把收入分类做对——在会计科目中分离鼓励类与非鼓励类、并年内持续监测占比——是杠杆最高的合规动作，却也最常被拖到太晚才做。实务中，不少企业低估主营与非主营的边界，将贸易性收入与制造性收入混同，最终在稽查中被重新归类、优惠遭追回。建议在会计系统设置独立科目，逐笔标识收入所属目录条目，并在年度中间复核占比趋势，避免年末才暴露问题而被迫补税。
总之，海南 15% 优惠的确定性来自日常的举证习惯，而非事后的解释与补材；把证据做在前面，是企业最划算的合规投资。
优惠不是终点，证据才是；把举证做在前面，企业才能把纸面税率稳稳转化为账面实惠。
下一步建议
- 审慎决定进入形式：设立在海南注册、具备真实本地运营的主体（或外资/合资集团真正的海南分支机构），而非过账壳公司。
- 将实际业务线与三个鼓励类目录（国家结构调整、外资鼓励、海南新增）逐一比对，并在目录修订后每年重新测试。
- 自设立之日起建立并留存实质性证据：本地员工与工资、场所、银行账户、账簿以及海南境内的决策记录。
- 每年跟踪主营收入占比，确认其在 claiming 15% 税率前达到或超过收入总额的 60%。
- 将申报视为”自行判别”：保留同期优惠档案，并关注政策到期日（目前为 2027-12-31）及 2027 年后”低税率”制度设计。
来源
- 海南自由贸易港官网 — 鼓励类企业实施15%企业所得税: http://www.hnftp.gov.cn/zczdtx/hxzc/qysds/
- 企航自贸港政策查询平台: https://policy.hnftp.gov.cn/?ddtab=true
- 儋州市政府 — 海南自贸港封关热点100问（财税〔2025〕3号延续至2027-12-31）: https://www.danzhou.gov.cn/danzhou/ywdt/jrdz/202512/t20251203_3982492.html
- 国家税务总局 (State Taxation Administration) 官方网站: https://www.chinatax.gov.cn/
相关阅读
- 见：海南自贸港：优惠与适用对象（17-hainan-ftp-incentives）
- 见：企业所得税概览（15-corporate-income-tax-overview）
- 见：外资企业的研发费用加计扣除（18-rd-super-deduction）