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Business License Screenshots: What to Ask for Instead
Screenshots help start a check, but buyers should request source-quality identity evidence before deposit approval.
A screenshot of a business license may be enough to start a conversation. It is not enough to finish a supplier check. Screenshots lose detail, hide edges, and make it hard to see whether the document was cropped, edited, or pulled from another company profile.
Ask for a clear full-frame image or PDF of the license. The company name, unified social credit code, registered address, legal representative, business scope, issue details, and seal area should be visible. If the supplier sends a cropped image, ask for the full document without turning the request into an accusation.
Document quality belongs in the risk file. A low-resolution image may come from a busy salesperson, but it may also hide a name, date, or address mismatch. Record whether you received a screenshot, scan, photo, PDF, or independently checked record.
Compare the license with current transaction documents. The license holder should be explainable against the quotation, proforma invoice, contract party, payment beneficiary, and website footer. A good document does not help if it belongs to a company outside the transaction.
Keep the original file. Do not store only the translated summary. If a later reviewer needs to check the Chinese name or registration code, the original document will matter more than your first note.
Working checklist
- Ask for the full document, not a crop.
- Record file quality and source channel.
- Preserve original Chinese fields.
- Compare license holder with invoice issuer.
- Request replacement when key fields are unreadable.