Cross-province services to register businesses in the city is now a cakewalk.

Applicants who are based outside Shanghai but have business interests here do not have to make the trip to the city any longer, officials from the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation said yesterday.

The new services cover 13 categories, including domestic- and foreign-funded enterprises, individual companies and farmers’ cooperatives. Alteration and cancelation of businesses and re-application of lost business licenses are also included in the categories.

Applications are processed through online channels established by the administration. Some registrations are completely paperless by way of e-signatures and files, with the rest processed via delivery services. Applicants can access the e-versions of business licenses on their phones after their applications are approved. The regulator said the hard paper version of the licenses will be delivered on request.

Electronic seals will also be issued online.

The e-versions of licenses and seals have the same legal power as paper versions.

“The new practice makes doing business more convenient and creates a better business environment,” said Kang Yan, deputy director of the administration’s registration department.

Wang Hua, who lives in Changzhou, Jiangsu Province, wanted to establish a trading company in Songjiang District. He applied on January 4 and received his license a day later. The entire process was conducted online.

“It saves time,” Wang said.