After treatment, functional impairments may indeed remain; apply for a disability certificate at the county-level disability association in your hukou area

A disability certificate is the threshold for receiving disability benefits. It is not proof of an injury. Disabilities fall into 7 categories: vision, hearing, speech, physical, intellectual, mental, and multiple. Each category runs from level 1 to level 4. The process is application, acceptance, assessment at a designated institution, public posting, review and approval, and issuance. It is valid for 10 years, and when it expires it is replaced free of charge. If you disagree with the assessment result, you can apply for a new assessment.

Cost

There is no fee for issuing the certificate itself. In principle, applicants must cover the assessment and photography costs, though those in financial hardship may request exemptions. You’ll need to bring your ID, hukou registration, and three two-inch photos with a white background to the county-level disability association. Once approved, the decision is posted in your village or community for five working days, after which the association has ten working days to finalize the process. The main difficulty lies in making multiple trips and waiting through this period.

Benefit

The disability certificate is “the legal proof of a person’s disability status and classification, serving as a key basis for accessing national and local preferential policies.” Assessment follows the national standard GB/T 26341-2010. Applications are voluntary and administered locally. All seven disability types qualify for levels one through four. County-level associations handle applications and issuance based on evaluations conducted by provincially designated hospitals or specialized institutions. Approved cases are posted publicly for five days, then finalized within ten days. No fee is charged for the certificate; assessment and photography costs are normally the applicant’s responsibility, though some regions offer subsidies or exemptions for those in need. The certificate lasts ten years and can be renewed at no cost; re-evaluation is possible if conditions change. Disagreements with assessment results may be appealed to municipal or provincial expert committees within ten days (effective nationwide since 1 January 2018).

Notes

Calculate the costs and benefits before deciding to apply. The certificate itself does not provide direct financial aid; rather, it unlocks two main subsidies: living allowances for disabled individuals in dibao households, and care subsidies for those at levels one and two requiring long-term assistance — details appear in Section 7, Article 8. It also qualifies holders for local rehabilitation services, assistive devices, tax reductions, employment support, and transport perks; exact criteria vary widely by province, so consult your local disability association website first. Importantly, this certificate differs from judicial disability evaluations or occupational injury assessments — see Section 10 regarding post-treatment evaluation timing. The certificate is strictly personal and non-transferable; misuse or failure to meet ongoing criteria results in revocation, with a one-year ban on reapplication. For multiple disabilities, the most severe category determines the classification level.

Sources · 1

1. 中国残疾人联合会、国家卫生和计划生育委员会 (2017). 中华人民共和国残疾人证管理办法（2017 年 5 月 27 日发布，2018 年 1 月 1 日施行；第二、三、五、七、九、十七、十九、二十二、二十五条）. bdpf.org.cn/cms68/web1459/subject/n1/n1459/n1…