<p>In China, about 20 <i>Nerita</i> species have been reported, primarily from Taiwan coast and the South China Sea. However, only 8 <i>Nerita</i> species have been documented in the South China Sea according to past reports, indicating a significant discrepancy between the literature and the actual presence and distribution of these species in these waters. Based on the material historically deposited in Marine Biodiversity Collection of South China Sea (SCSMBC) in Guangzhou and the Marine Biological Museum of Chinese Academy of Science (MBMCAS), Qingdao, as well as specimens obtained from investigations in the South China Sea over the past few years, the present paper reports 18 <i>Nerita</i> species from the South China Sea, including one new recorded species: <i>Nerita essingtoni</i> Récluz, 1842; provides taxonomic information, habitat, distribution, and faunal formation data for these species; reports new distributions for three <i>Nerita</i> species in the South China Sea: <i>Nerita argus</i> Récluz, 1841, <i>Nerita signata</i> Lamarck, 1822, and <i>Nerita ocellata</i> Leguillou, 1841. The paper straightforwardly distinguishes among three species complexes using shell characteristics: <i>Nerita undata</i> complex (four species), <i>Nerita histrio</i> complex (three species), and <i>Nerita incerta</i> complex (five species), with keys provided in tabular form. Distribution and habitat notes for each species are based on verified historical collection records, personal collecting and observation, and reliable literature records. This report is part of ongoing work to revise and document the Neritidae of China Seas to understand the resources and conservation of neritids in China.</p>