Paragraph 1 of Article 9 of the Foreign Trade Act stipulates that “a corporation or business firm registered with the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) as an exporter/importer may engage in export/import business. A corporation or business firm intending to apply for registration as an exporter/importer shall first apply to the BOFT for Registration of Exporters and Importers.” The current windows for registration are the Export/Import Administration Division of the Bureau of Foreign Trade and its Kaohsiung Office.

Article 2 of the Regulations Governing Registration of Exporters and Importers stipulates that “except where other prohibitions or restrictions apply, a company or firm that engages in export/import business may apply, under the standard procedures, to the Bureau of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Affairs for registration as an exporter/importer.”If there are any changes in the approved registration, the changes shall be processed.

Paragraph 2 of Article 9 of the Foreign Trade Act stipulates that “a corporation or business firm intending to apply for registration as an exporter/importer shall first apply to the BOFT for approval of its proposed English name. The proposed English name, upon approval, will be reserved for six (6) months.”

Article 5 of the Regulations Governing Registration of Exporters and Importers stipulates “the English name of an exporter/importer shall not be identical to the English name of another exporter/importer, either existing or whose registration has been canceled, revoked or abolished by the BOFT within the last two (2) years, unless special approval is obtained from the BOFT based on justifiable reasons or if the English name of a branch of a foreign company is the same as the name of the foreign company and the said name indicates both the foreign company's national origin and the fact that it is a branch of that company is not subject to the limitations.”

Subparagraph 3 of Paragraph 1 of Article 30 of the Foreign Trade Act stipulates that “the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA may suspend the exporter/importer concerned from exporting/importing goods and the suspension shall cease once  the cause is removed before of cessation of business or before it moves to an unknown location.”

Paragraph 3 of Article 9 of the Foreign Trade Act stipulates that “an exporter/importer, whose registration has been revoked or nullified by the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA, shall not reregister within two years starting from the date of revocation or nullification.”

Paragraph 4 of Article 9 of the Foreign Trade Act stipulates that “for an exporter/importer which has closed, dissolved or whose registration has been revoked or nullified by the relevant competent authority following relevant laws, the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA may cancel its registration.”

Exporters/importers may apply to the Bureau of Foreign Trade, MOEA for approval of the issuance of the Exporter/Importer Registration Details and the export and import certification documents in Chinese and English, depending on the needs of the business.