The pattern of China’s cultivated land has been stable, but there remains a need to improve grain productivity. It is necessary to clarify the background status of cultivated land resources and implement more effective management measures. However, current comprehensive evaluation systems of cultivated land quality do not adequately support the management of cultivated land resources because no national-scale research based on factor restriction exists. Our study analyzed the natural background status and restrictive factors of cultivated land resources in China using data from the third national land survey’s cultivated land resource quality classification. The results showed that 1) The quality of cultivated land resources in China was not high, with medium cultivated land accounting for the majority (57.30%). The factors reflecting the quality of cultivated land were significantly different. The average grade of soil texture was 1.39, and the overall situation was good. Conversely, biodiversity, soil pH value, secondary land types of cultivated land, and crop ripening had average grades of 2.01, 2.06, 2.26, and 2.33, respectively, suggesting relatively poor conditions. 2) There were significant differences in the restrictive factors of cultivated land quality in China. Secondary land types of cultivated land, with a restrictive degree of 1.09, was the only shortcoming factor at the national level. Crop ripening (0.96) and biodiversity (0.87) also contributed to strong restrictions on cultivated land, while soil heavy metal pollution had almost no impact. Different natural regions had different restrictive factors. Crop ripening, secondary land types of cultivated land, and natural region belonged to short-board factors in 31, 24, and 23 natural regions in China, respectively. 3) The regional differences in cultivated land quality in China were significant, and cultivated land resources could be categorized into six management modes. Among them, three eastern regions were mainly to stabilize the existing cultivated land pattern and improve infrastructure construction. The three western regions mainly develop cultivated land resources cautiously and strengthen the ecological protection of cultivated land. The results demonstrated that analyzing the natural background status and its restrictive degree in different regions of cultivated land resources in China based on cultivated land quality factors can clarify the natural background differences of cultivated land resources in China, and provide a basis for classified management of cultivated land resources. This is an important foundation for the protection and utilization of cultivated land resources in the new era.