The regulatory plan is the most important technical basis for Chinese building permission, which makes the regulatory planning undoubtedly a key planning level in China’s urban planning system. The paper is intended to analyze and compare the original and upgraded formulation procedures of regulatory plans based on the relevant national laws and regulations, in order to provide a clear image of the development of public participation in China’s regulatory planning. Firstly, a comparative model has been developed with the definition of four-level public participation capabilities. Secondly, the original and upgraded formulation procedures of regulatory plans have been summarized to form the theoretical basis of the research. Finally, through the application of the comparative model, comparative studies on three public participation stages in regulatory planning, including the initial public participation, formal public participation, and supervision, have been implemented. The research output shows that at the national level, the legal status of public participation in China’s regulatory planning has been greatly improved, and the legally binding process of public participation has been fundamentally established. The regulatory plan is the most important technical basis for Chinese building permission, which makes the regulatory planning undoubtedly a key planning level in China’s urban planning system. The paper is intended to analyze and compare the original and upgraded formulation procedures of regulatory plans based on the relevant national laws and regulations, in order to provide a clear image of the development of public participation in China’s regulatory planning. procedures of regulatory plans have been condensed to form the theoretical basis of the research. Finally, through the application of the comparative model, comparative studies on three public participation stages in regulatory planning, including the initial public participation, formal public participation, and supervision, have been implemented. The research output shows that at the national level, the legal status of public participation in China’s regulatory planning has been greatly improved, and the legally binding process of public participation has been fundamentally established.