Cultural Relics Protection Law

Cultural Relics Protection Law of the People’s Republic of China
中华人民共和国文物保护法

[Current Text: Chinese, English]

(adopted and effective Nov. 19, 1982; amended and effective June 29, 1991; revised and effective Oct. 28, 2002; amended and effective Dec. 29, 2007; amended and effective June 29, 2013; amended and effective Apr. 24, 2015; amended Nov. 4, 2017, effective Nov. 5, 2017; revised Nov. 8, 2024, effective Mar. 1, 2025)

• Status: Revision passed
• Legislative Body (Vote): NPCSC (N/A)
• Principal Drafters: Ministry of Culture and Tourism & National Cultural Heritage Administration
• Submitter: State Council
• Legislative Plans
  • Five-year: 12^th NPCSC Category II; 13^th NPCSC Category I; 14^th NPCSC Category I
  • Annual: 2022, 2023, 2024
• Legislative History & Text
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #3 (final): Nov. 4 – 8, 2024 (Current Text ⇧)
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #2: June 25 – 28, 2024 (Chinese only) 💬
    • Public consultation: June 28 – July 27, 2024
  • NPCSC deliberation – round #1: Oct. 20 – 24, 2023 (Chinese only Δ) 💬
    • Public consultation: Oct. 25 – Nov. 23, 2023
  • State Council public consultation – round #2: Nov. 10 – Dec. 10, 2020 (Chinese only)
  • State Council public consultation – round #1: Dec. 28, 2015 – Jan. 28, 2016 (Chinese only)
• Legislative Records
  • Explanation (Oct. 20, 2023)
  • Report on Status of Revision (June 25, 2024)
  • Report on Results of Deliberation (Nov. 4, 2024)
  • Report on Suggestions for Revision (Nov. 7, 2024)
  • Presidential Order (Nov. 8, 2024)

NPC Observer Coverage

• NPCSC Session Watch: Patriotic Education, State Council’s Governing Statute, State Secrets, Defense Minister Replacement & Legislative Aftermath of Covid-19 (Oct. 16, 2023)

Last updated: August 15, 2025, 01:23 EDT