Key practical points:
• Civil air-defense shelters are built and maintained for emergency use.
• New urban buildings must build underground shelters or pay a substitute fee.
• Shelters may be used in peacetime for civilian purposes such as parking or storage.
• Warning signals, evacuation, and protection plans are regulated.
• Occupying or destroying air-defense facilities without permission is prohibited.
💬 General consulting
Civil Air Defense Law · Yalla China
中华人民共和国人民防空法 / Civil Air Defense Law
Enacted: 1996-10-29 ✅ Effective: 1997-01-01
📝 Overview
A law governing the construction of civil air-defense shelters and the protection of people and facilities in wartime or emergencies. It requires integrating shelters into new construction projects.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
If you develop a construction project in a Chinese city, you will usually have to build an underground shelter or pay a substitute fee. Many buildings' basements are originally shelters. General orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
npc.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026