Chinese trade outlets report investment thresholds for microdrama licence tiers

China's Order No. 16, the Administrative Measures for the Development of Microdramas, takes effect on 1 September 2026. Article 5 sorts microdramas into three classes by investment and subject matter, defines them only qualitatively as larger, relatively smaller and lower budget, and states that the classification standards are to be set by the broadcasting authority of the State Council.

DoNews reported on 18 August 2026 that the online audiovisual department of the National Radio and Television Administration issued a management advisory on microdrama classification dated 17 August 2026 supplying those figures. As reported, live-action titles at or above RMB 3m fall in class one, RMB 1m to 3m in class two and below RMB 1m in class three; AI-produced titles at or above RMB 800,000, RMB 300,000 to 800,000 and below RMB 300,000 respectively. Special subject matter, including political, military, diplomatic, national security, judicial and public security content, places a title in class one at any budget. Interactive microdramas are not a separate class: they follow the live-action or AI thresholds according to how their core content is made.

The figures are not new in themselves. RMB 3m and RMB 1m match the review tiers in force since 1 January 2026, and RMB 800,000 and RMB 300,000 match an AI advisory the regulator published on 25 June 2026, effective 1 July. That June advisory covered AI titles only and used a different set of tier names.

As of 21 August 2026 the 17 August advisory had not appeared on any government domain or in state media, and the figures rest on DoNews's report. Xinhua carried the June advisory on the day it was issued, sourced to the regulator.