yes you have to.. they will put it on a data base and give you a copy.

Absolutely! When exiting China, they will have in their data base on what day and what time
you did register with the local police department. It would be a good idea to also keep the blue copy of your registration in your passport, they might wish to see that also. Remember, to register within 24 hours after your arrival at the airport!

Well this will be the 5th time I have been there and have always stayed in a private home. Never registered, never been asked too, except to write the address on my incoming pass and never had a problem. I asked my Chinese born partner, try and tell her that is what your suposed to do and she just laughs at me. I do usually have at least one trip within China where we stay in a Hotel and have to produce our passports but that is the only time either of us are registered. So I'm sorry but I dont fully buy the data base crap.

Here is the correct process. Obviously you have been in China for a while so you feel the need to correctly go to the local PSB and register if you're not staying in a hotel.

1.) It is true, you should register if you are staying with a friend, but only if you're staying longer than 72 hours. Rarely has this ever been a problem if you stay and do not registar, unless you are in a smaller town or city and you can be used as a money maker, for not registering or not carrying your passort. Usually if you're on a resident visa and problems were to arise, this will clear you in about 5 minutes. If you're on a L visa, X visa and F visa, you're taking a hugh risk not registering. On a L visa, you are technically required to stay at at least a 4 star hotel, this is for sanitation and the fact you have not had a medical therefore you present a larger health problem to locals, not only that but it ensures that all hotels you stay at will be up to date and cleaner so there is no liability if something like a virus was to strike you and make you seriously ill. The PSB and the PRC would be under fire from your respective country for not regulating higher standards for tourists,, students and businessmen.

2.) Carry a copy of your passport at all times, if you feel you're going to be around for a while, drop it off at the local PSB with a pack of cigarettes. It never hurts to do the legal thing.

3.) Hotels require registration not because the PSB wants to know where you are as much as liability concerns. The registration process is for your own safety, not to keep tabs on you. You show up missing, who calls, if you're not registered who could possibly no if you're ok. Your company calls because you're 3 days late for work, or they think you've left. Who can tell what might happen.

4.) Most importantly, all Chinese citizens carry a household and registration card. It is illegal not to carry it, illegal not to present it when applying for an apartment, bus, train, plain tickets. So if you're friend laughed at you, ask him this. To get the apartment, did he use his registration card. Chinese citizens must register with the local PSB, so shouldn't foreigners.

5.) Just in case they actually did come for you and take you to the PSB office late into the evening, it's 500 rmb per day after 72 hours you did not register with the local PSB. Not only for you, but a higher fine for any hotel or friend per day they let you stay without registering.

6.) This is a rare situation by the way, they have other important things to handle other than mess with a foreigner who has never caused any trouble. But again, if a citizen has to do it, than so should we.

24 hours...

I will only touch two points, enough has been said.

One is if your friend's home is at a city, youn have 24 HOURS to register, if it is at countryside, you have 72 HOURS from entering China to do so. And you do not go to PSB, but to the local Police Station closest to your friend's home. Will need to bring your passport, plus a copy of information page, visa page and entry stamps page, plus one or two color photos 2" x 2".

And second, normally you are not required to show this " Registration Form of Temporary Residence", even when departing it will not be required. But be aware, if you are stopped on street, you will be asked to show passport and this permit, if do not have it it can go from "go and get it" to 50 Rmb per day without it fine and go and get it. Or, if you need to go to PSB for any reason, as a foreigner you will be asked for passport and permit, and if you do not have it then you are showing disrespect towards them and must suffer consequences.
Yes, you may go for years without it and never be caught. But, one day maybe your passport will be stolen, you need to go to PSB, and you will be in deep trouble there, with officials reluctant to be extra nice to you because you do not follow rules here. Get my drift ?.

When i visited and got a visa , i was never informed I had to register if I moved. I know the hotel registers me from this site and reading. I moved around alot. I could have stayed in private residents but did not. How would anyone on an L visa know to register?