Cultural relics are classified into precious ones and general ones. Rare and precious cultural relics, revolutionary cultural relics and those detrimental to national honor, undermining national unity and/or having a bad political effect are prohibited from export.

General cultural relics may be permitted for export upon special approval of the State Bureau of Cultural Relics. Artifacts and replicas produced after the founding of the People's Republic of China do not fall into cultural relics and may be managed as general articles.