---
title: "China personal information cross-border transfer routes"
canonical_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/cross-border-transfer-routes"
source_url: "https://www.sorena.io/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/cross-border-transfer-routes"
author: "Sorena AI"
description: "Compare China's current data-export exemptions, CAC security assessment, standard contract, and personal information protection certification routes."
published_at: "2026-07-05"
updated_at: "2026-07-24"
keywords:
  - "China PIPL"
  - "Personal Information Protection Law"
  - "Data export"
  - "Standard contract"
  - "App privacy"
---
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# China personal information cross-border transfer routes

Compare China's current data-export exemptions, CAC security assessment, standard contract, and personal information protection certification routes.

*Privacy* *China*

## China Privacy Law personal information cross-border transfer routes

Apply the 22 March 2024 cross-border provisions first. They control over inconsistent parts of the 2022 security-assessment and 2023 standard-contract measures.

Choose the route in this order: confirm an overseas provision of data, identify personal information and important data, determine CIIO status, test the 2024 exemptions, calculate current-year volumes, and then select security assessment, standard contract, or personal information protection certification. The 22 March 2024 provisions control wherever they conflict with the older 2022 and 2023 measures.

## Definitions

### CAC data export security assessment

**Term:** security assessment

A security assessment is the mandatory data-export review organized by the national cybersecurity authority for the exporters and data volumes specified by the current rules. The exporter first completes a data-export risk self-assessment and submits the prescribed application, legal instrument, and supporting materials through the provincial cybersecurity authority.

**Why it matters here:** Under the 2024 provisions, the route applies after the stated exemptions to CIIO exports of personal information or important data and to specified non-CIIO exports of important data or higher personal-information volumes. An assessment result is valid for three years unless a reapplication trigger occurs.

Sources:

- [Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-border Data Flow, Articles 7 and 9](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2024-03/22/c_1712776611775634.htm?ref=sorena.io)
- [Measures for Security Assessment of Data Export, Articles 5-14](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2022-07/07/c_1658811536396503.htm?ref=sorena.io)

## Start with the data and exemption tests

First confirm what is provided overseas, from where, to whom, and for what purpose. A flow with no personal information or important data falls outside the three route mechanisms under the 2024 provisions. Personal information collected overseas, sent into China for processing, and then sent back out is also exempt if the China processing introduces no personal information collected in China and no important data.

For important data, follow the applicable identification and declaration rules. If a department or region has not notified the processor or publicly classified the data as important data, Article 2 of the 2024 provisions says the processor does not need to declare a security assessment on the basis that it is important data.

- Contract exemption: the transfer is necessary to enter into or perform a contract to which the individual is a party, such as cross-border shopping, delivery, remittance, payment, account opening, travel booking, visa, or examination services.
- HR exemption: the transfer is necessary for cross-border human-resources management under lawfully adopted employment rules and a lawfully concluded collective contract.
- Emergency exemption: the transfer is necessary in an emergency to protect a natural person's life, health, or property.
- Volume exemption: a non-CIIO has provided personal information of fewer than 100,000 individuals overseas since 1 January of the current year, excluding sensitive personal information. The exemption does not cover important data.
- Free-trade-zone exemption: a processor in a pilot free-trade zone may transfer data outside an approved negative list without the three route mechanisms; the applicable zone list and processor location must be checked.

Sources for this answer:

- [Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-border Data Flow](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2024-03/22/c_1712776611775634.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Articles 2-6 establish important-data treatment and the non-personal-data, overseas-origin, contract, HR, emergency, sub-100,000, and free-trade-zone exemptions.

## Compare the three route outcomes

After applying the exemptions, security assessment is mandatory for a CIIO providing personal information or important data overseas. It is also mandatory for a non-CIIO providing important data, personal information of at least 1 million individuals excluding sensitive information, or sensitive personal information of at least 10,000 individuals, counted cumulatively from 1 January of the current year.

A non-CIIO in the intermediate bands must use either the CAC standard contract or personal information protection certification: at least 100,000 but fewer than 1 million individuals for non-sensitive personal information, or fewer than 10,000 individuals for sensitive personal information. Because the sub-100,000 volume exemption excludes sensitive personal information, even a smaller sensitive-information export can enter this intermediate band unless another Article 5 or 6 exemption applies. Apply the exemptions first, and do not use quantity splitting to avoid a mandatory security assessment.

- Security assessment: prepare a data-export risk self-assessment, application, proposed legal instrument, and other required material. CAC's written review period is 45 working days after written acceptance, but complex cases or requested corrections can extend it.
- Assessment validity: the 2024 provisions replace the old two-year rule with three years. If no reapplication trigger occurs, an extension of three years may be requested through the provincial CAC within the 60-working-day period before expiry; the national CAC must approve the extension.
- Standard contract: use the CAC form, complete an export PIPIA, ensure the contract is effective before export, and file it with the provincial CAC within 10 working days after effectiveness. Reassess and refile when the listed transfer or legal-context facts change.
- Certification: PIPL recognizes certification by a qualified institution under CAC rules as an alternative route where the current provisions allow it. This page does not determine certification scope, procedure, or eligibility without the applicable current certification rules.

Sources for this answer:

- [Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-border Data Flow](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2024-03/22/c_1712776611775634.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Articles 7-9 establish the current security-assessment and intermediate route bands, count from 1 January of the current year, and set three-year assessment validity and extension.
- [Measures for Security Assessment of Data Export](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2022-07/07/c_1658811536396503.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Articles 5-14 specify the risk self-assessment, application materials, legal-instrument content, acceptance and review process, review timing, and change triggers, subject to the 2024 provisions.
- [Measures for the Standard Contract for Personal Information Export](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2023-02/24/c_1678884830036813.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Articles 5-8 specify the export PIPIA, CAC form, contract effectiveness, filing within 10 working days, and refiling triggers, subject to the 2024 provisions.

## Duties that remain after route selection

A route exemption does not mean that the transfer is outside PIPL. For overseas provision of personal information, apply the Article 39 notice and separate-consent duties where the law requires them, complete the Article 55 PIPIA, and take necessary measures to ensure that the overseas recipient's processing meets PIPL's protection standard.

Keep a route file that a reviewer can recalculate. Counts are cumulative from 1 January of the current year and separate sensitive from non-sensitive personal information. Reopen the conclusion when data, recipients, purposes, methods, retention, destination law, control, CIIO status, important-data status, or counts change.

- Flow evidence: source, destination, access method, recipient, onward transfers, processing purpose, data categories, and retention.
- Classification evidence: personal information, sensitive personal information, important-data notification or published classification, and CIIO status.
- Count evidence: method, period, deduplication approach, sensitive and non-sensitive totals, and threshold forecast.
- Decision evidence: exemption or route relied on, PIPIA, Article 39 analysis, recipient safeguards, instrument or filing, approver, and change triggers.

Sources for this answer:

- [PRC Personal Information Protection Law](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2021-08/20/c_1631050028355286.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Articles 38-40, 55, and 56 establish overseas-recipient safeguards, notice and separate consent, route conditions, PIPIA, and three-year record retention.
- [Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-border Data Flow](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2024-03/22/c_1712776611775634.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Articles 10, 11, and 13 preserve applicable notice, separate-consent, PIPIA, and security duties and make the 2024 provisions controlling over inconsistent older measures.

*Put the requirement into practice*

*Placement: Before primary sources*

## Prepare the PIPL and data export evidence file

Assign an export owner and keep the flow, classifications, counts, exemption analysis, selected route, filings, and change triggers together.

- [Map official sources to evidence](/solutions/research-copilot.md): Research Copilot connects the official citation, decision, owner, retained evidence, and change history.
- [Review the China route](/contact.md): Check the China Privacy Law scope decision and unresolved launch questions with Sorena.

## Primary sources

- [PRC Personal Information Protection Law](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2021-08/20/c_1631050028355286.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Binding source for overseas-transfer mechanisms, recipient protection, notice, separate consent, localization, security assessment, and PIPIA.
- [Measures for Security Assessment of Data Export](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2022-07/07/c_1658811536396503.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Binding measure for security-assessment preparation, materials, review, legal-instrument content, and reapplication, as modified by the 2024 provisions.
- [Measures for the Standard Contract for Personal Information Export](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2023-02/24/c_1678884830036813.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Binding measure for the CAC contract form, export PIPIA, effectiveness, 10-working-day filing, and refiling, as modified by the 2024 provisions.
- [Provisions on Promoting and Regulating Cross-border Data Flow](https://www.cac.gov.cn/2024-03/22/c_1712776611775634.htm?ref=sorena.io) - Controlling current source for important-data treatment, exemptions, route thresholds, three-year assessment validity, continuing duties, and conflicts with older measures.

## Related Topic Guides

- [App minimum necessary personal information by category](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/app-minimum-necessary-personal-information-by-category.md): App category mapping page for common mobile app necessary personal information scope, using only categories supported by the official source.
- [China app personal information minimization](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/app-personal-information-minimization.md): How to map app category, basic functions, and necessary personal information under China mobile app personal-information rules.
- [China data export security assessment workflow](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/data-export-security-assessment-workflow.md): Workflow for screening data export security assessment triggers, materials, owners, and evidence records.
- [China personal information standard contract filing workflow](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/standard-contract-filing-workflow.md): Workflow for the PIPL standard contract route, assessment, filing package, and cited evidence.
- [China PIPL compliance checklist](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/checklist.md): China PIPL compliance checklist covering scope, processing bases, notices, sensitive information, rights, vendors, impact assessments, incidents, and exports.
- [China PIPL deadlines and compliance calendar](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/deadlines-and-compliance-calendar.md): Calendar China PIPL effective dates, recurring audits, privacy-officer reporting, impact-assessment retention, and data export filing and renewal deadlines.
- [China PIPL penalties and enforcement exposure](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/penalties-and-fines.md): Understand PIPL corrective orders, serious-violation fines, responsible-person exposure, civil claims, public-interest actions, and data export enforcement.
- [China PIPL privacy notice and consent checklist](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/privacy-policy-and-consent-checklist.md): China PIPL checklist for privacy notices, valid consent, separate consent, sensitive information, children under 14, withdrawal, and rights requests.
- [China PIPL requirements](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/requirements.md): China PIPL requirements from scope and processing basis through notices, rights, security, impact assessments, incidents, vendors, and data exports.
- [China PIPL vs CCPA/CPRA: Requirements Compared](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/china-pipl-vs-ccpa-cpra.md): Compare PIPL and CCPA/CPRA scope, consent and opt-out rules, rights, assessments, data exports, breach duties, and penalties.
- [China PIPL vs EU GDPR: Requirements Compared](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/china-privacy-law-vs-gdpr.md): Compare PIPL and GDPR scope, roles, legal bases, rights, impact assessments, breach deadlines, international transfers, and penalties.
- [China PIPL vs Singapore PDPA: Requirements Compared](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/china-privacy-law-vs-singapore-pdpa.md): Compare PIPL and Singapore PDPA scope, roles, consent alternatives, rights, breach duties, overseas transfers, and penalties.
- [China Privacy Law FAQ](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq.md): Practical answers on China's PIPL: scope, legal bases, sensitive information, separate consent, vendors, PIPIA records, app minimization, and export routes.
- [How should vendor contracts handle entrusted processing under PIPL?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/how-should-vendor-contracts-handle-entrusted-processing.md): A PIPL entrusted-processing contract must define the purpose, duration, method, personal-information categories, safeguards, and both parties' duties. See the required terms and supporting records.
- [Is PIPL the same as GDPR?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/is-pipl-the-same-as-gdpr.md): No. China's PIPL and the EU GDPR overlap on core privacy controls, but differ in territorial scope, legal bases, roles, sensitive data, impact assessments, and transfer routes.
- [PIPL automated decision-making and personalized recommendations](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/automated-decision-making-and-personalized-recommendations.md): PIPL checks for automated decisions, personalized recommendations, marketing, differential treatment, explanations, refusal rights, and impact assessments.
- [PIPL breach response and notification](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/breach-response-and-notification.md): PIPL incident workflow for immediate remediation, authority and individual notices, the narrow individual-notice exception, vendor coordination, and evidence.
- [PIPL cross-border transfer route selector](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/pipl-cross-border-transfer-route-selector.md): Step-by-step selector for China's data-export exemptions, CAC security assessment, standard contract, and personal information protection certification.
- [PIPL entrusted processing and vendor contracts](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/entrusted-processing-and-vendor-contracts.md): How to document entrusted processing, vendor responsibilities, contract controls, and evidence under PIPL.
- [PIPL impact assessment template](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/personal-information-protection-impact-assessment-template.md): Template fields for a China personal information protection impact assessment and export/entrusted-processing evidence.
- [Sensitive personal information and separate consent under PIPL](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/sensitive-personal-information-and-separate-consent.md): How to identify sensitive PI triggers, separate consent, minors, additional safeguards, and evidence records.
- [What counts as sensitive personal information in China?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/what-counts-as-sensitive-personal-information-in-china.md): PIPL uses a harm-based test for sensitive personal information and lists examples such as biometrics, health, financial accounts, location traces, and all personal information of children under 14.
- [What is separate consent under PIPL?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/what-is-separate-consent-under-pipl.md): Separate consent under China's PIPL is a distinct consent for a specified processing activity. See when it applies, what notice must come first, and what evidence to keep.
- [What records should we keep for a PIPL impact assessment?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/what-records-should-we-keep-for-a-pipl-impact-assessment.md): A PIPL impact-assessment file should preserve the Article 55 trigger, processing facts, Article 56 analysis, safeguards, decision, and processing record for at least three years.
- [What should an app collect as necessary personal information in China?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/what-should-an-app-collect-as-necessary-personal-information.md): Match the app's basic function to China's 2021 rules and collect no more than the listed necessary personal information. Users must retain the basic function if they decline non-necessary data.
- [When can a company use the China standard contract route?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/when-can-a-company-use-the-china-standard-contract-route.md): Use China's standard contract route only after applying the 2024 exemptions and confirming that no CAC security assessment is required. See current thresholds, filing steps, and change triggers.
- [When does a China PIPL security assessment apply?](/artifacts/apac/china-privacy-law/faq/when-does-a-china-pipl-security-assessment-apply.md): A CAC data export security assessment applies to CIIO exports, important data, and specified high-volume personal-information exports after the 2024 exemptions are applied.


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