Personal Information Protection Law (PIPL)
Complete compliance guide for companies with <200 employees. Everything you need to know about PIPL requirements, deadlines, and penalties.
30 calendar days
+ 30 days extension
CNY 50,000,000/violation
Up to CNY 50 million or 5% of annual revenue for serious violations (Art. 66). Responsible individuals face personal fines of CNY 100,000 to CNY 1,000,000. Authorities may also suspend or terminate business operations. Didi Global was fined CNY 8.026 billion (~USD 1.2B) in 2022.
No threshold
$15,000 – $50,000
12-26 weeks
Mid-Market Compliance Guide
PIPL is one of the strictest data protection laws globally, comparable to GDPR. It applies extraterritorially to processing of Chinese residents' data. Cross-border data transfers face significant restrictions including mandatory government security assessments for large-scale transfers. Companies should seek local legal counsel.
Key Requirements
- Lawful basis for processing (consent, contractual necessity, etc.)
- Separate consent for sensitive personal information
- Cross-border transfer requires security assessment, SCCs, or certification
- Data localization for critical information infrastructure operators
- Personal Information Protection Impact Assessment for high-risk processing
- Designate a responsible person for personal information protection
Consumer Rights
Business Obligations
- 1.Adopt internal management systems and operating procedures
- 2.Implement classified management of personal information
- 3.Conduct regular compliance audits
- 4.Perform impact assessments for sensitive data and cross-border transfers
- 5.Appoint a person responsible for PI protection (>1M individuals)
Exemptions
- •Processing by natural persons for personal/family purposes
- •Processing for news reporting in the public interest
- •Statistical and archival purposes (de-identified data)
- •Government agencies performing statutory duties
Related Privacy Laws
Recommended Compliance Tools
BigID
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TrustArc
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Securiti
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Ketch
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See how DPAs enforce PIPL in practice
Real fines, real violations, real lessons. Browse our enforcement database to understand what gets penalized under PIPL.
Disclaimer: This is general information, not legal advice. Consult a qualified attorney for your specific situation. Laws and regulations may change. Last reviewed: 3/27/2026.