Living Korea Guide

Tag: lease report korea

  • Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit

    Fixed Date in Korea for Foreign Tenants: Protect Your Deposit

    The standard lease contract asks the tenant to complete a move-in report (전입신고) by an agreed date after moving in. For a registered foreign resident, that step has a different name. The report of a change of residence (체류지 변경신고) is the move-in report the Housing Lease Protection Act asks for.

    It is one of three records that protect a deposit: living in the home, that report, and a fixed date (확정일자) on your contract. This guide covers what each record does and where to get the fixed date. It also covers the lease report that can stand in for the fixed date.

    What this guide covers
    01 When your protection starts
    02 Why the change-of-residence report counts as a move-in report
    03 Where to get a fixed date and what it costs
    04 When you must file a lease report
    05 How to secure your deposit, step by step
    06 What keeps your protection in place
    07 What to say at the counter
    08 Frequently asked questions

    When your protection starts

    Rules verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act, Article 3 · Article 3-2

    Article 3 (1) of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) sets two conditions: the home is handed over to you, and your registration is complete. From the next day, your lease holds against third parties, even without a registered lease. Under Article 3 (4), a new owner of the home takes over the landlord’s position.

    Article 3-2 (2) adds a third record. With both conditions met and a fixed date on the contract, you are repaid ahead of later-ranking creditors. That applies when the home is sold at auction or in a public sale for unpaid taxes.

    Three records and what each one does
    Housing Lease Protection Act · Immigration Act
    Record Korean What it gives you Rule
    Living in the home 주택의 인도 First half of the condition. You must actually take over the home Act, Article 3 (1)
    Change-of-residence report 체류지 변경신고 Second half. With handover, the lease holds against third parties from the next day Act, Article 3 (1) · Immigration Act, Article 88-2 (2)
    Fixed date on the contract 확정일자 With the two above, repayment ahead of later creditors in an auction or public sale Act, Article 3-2 (2)

    None of the three replaces another. The first two make the lease count against people outside the contract. The fixed date decides your place in line when money from a sale is paid out. Missing any one leaves a gap.

    Why the change-of-residence report counts as a move-in report

    Rule verified September 2026 · Immigration Act, Article 88-2 · Article 36

    Article 3 of the Act is written in the terms of resident registration (주민등록) and the move-in report. Article 88-2 (2) of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법) connects them to foreign residents. It says registration as a foreign national (외국인등록) and the change-of-residence report take the place of resident registration and the move-in report.

    The Immigration Act even uses the same word. Article 36 (1) tells a registered foreign resident who moves to file a 전입신고 within 15 days of moving in. It goes to the new city, county or district office, the community center (읍·면·동), or the immigration office for the new address. You bring your ARC, and the office writes the new address on it.

    If you register as a foreign national for the first time at the new home, that registration itself fills the same role. Article 88-2 (1) also covers paperwork. Where a procedure asks for a resident registration certificate (주민등록등본), your ARC or a certificate of foreign registration (외국인등록 사실증명) takes its place.

    Overseas Koreans who hold a domestic residence report (국내거소신고) follow a separate rule. Article 10 (4) of the Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans treats that report as foreign registration. A report of moving counts as a change-of-residence report.

    Where to get a fixed date and what it costs

    Fees verified September 2026 · Ministry of Justice rule on fixed dates, Article 8 · Supreme Court rule, Article 13

    Article 3-6 (1) of the Act lists who can put a fixed date on a lease. Two separate rules set the fees. A Ministry of Justice rule covers community centers. A Supreme Court rule covers courts, registry offices and the online route.

    Where to get a fixed date
    Housing Lease Protection Act Article 3-6 · fee rules of the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Court
    Where How Fee
    Community center (동 주민센터) or 읍·면 office, or a city, county or district branch office In person, with the original contract and ID 600 KRW per contract. 100 KRW more for every 4 pages over 4
    District court, its branch, or a registry office (등기소) In person 600 KRW per contract, same page rule
    Internet Registry Office (인터넷등기소) Online, by the landlord or the tenant, with a digital certificate the court administration designates 500 KRW
    Notary (공증인) In person Set by the notary fee rule

    For an in-person visit, Article 2 (2) of the Ministry of Justice rule gives examples of accepted ID. The list names a resident registration card, a driver’s license, a passport and an alien registration card. The online route has its own clock under the Supreme Court rule (Article 8). A weekday application in working hours is stamped the same day. After 4 p.m. it may move to the next working day, and after 6 p.m. or on a weekend or holiday it does.

    What the office checks before stamping
    ✓ A complete contract: both parties, the home, the term, the rent and deposit
    ✓ Signatures or seals of both parties, or their agents
    ✓ Blank gaps inside the text crossed out with a line
    ✓ Corrections marked with the number of changed characters, and signed
    ✓ A seal across the page joins (간인) if the contract has two or more pages
    ✓ No fixed date on it already, unless new terms were added for a new contract

    The list comes from Article 3 of the Ministry of Justice rule. A contract that fails one line goes back to you, so check the pages before you leave home. The standard contract’s signature page already asks both sides to seal across each page join.

    When you must file a lease report

    Rules verified September 2026 · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions, Article 6-2 · Enforcement Decree, Article 4-3

    A second law, the Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률), adds a report for larger leases. It is separate from the Immigration Act report, but it can save you the fixed-date trip.

    The lease report in six points
    ✓ Which leases: a deposit over 60 million KRW, or a monthly rent over 300,000 KRW. A renewal that only extends the term, with no change in money, is left out
    ✓ Where: special self-governing cities and provinces, cities, districts, and counties in metropolitan cities and Gyeonggi-do
    ✓ When: within 30 days of the contract date, not the move-in date
    ✓ Who: landlord and tenant jointly. Either one can file alone by handing in a contract that both signed and that lists every required item
    ✓ To whom: the city, county or district office. A local ordinance can pass the work to community centers
    ✓ If you skip it: a fine of up to 1 million KRW (Article 28 (5))

    The link to the fixed date is Article 6-5 (3). Once a report filed with the contract is accepted, the contract counts as having a fixed date. So one trip can cover both. The report is written with foreign tenants in view. Article 6-2 of the Enforcement Rule asks for a foreign registration number in place of a resident number.

    Article 6-5 (1) also treats a move-in report under the Resident Registration Act (주민등록법) as a lease report. The lease report above is the direct route, and it is the one this guide uses.

    How to secure your deposit, step by step

    The law does not force an order among these steps, except that the fixed date needs a signed contract first. The sequence below keeps the one-day gaps short.

    Step 1 — Keep the signed original and your ARC together

    Both offices ask for them. The fixed-date desk needs the original contract, not a copy. The immigration report needs your ARC.

    Step 2 — Take over the home on the handover date

    Handover is the first half of the Article 3 condition. Article 2 of the standard contract sets the date, and the lease term runs from it.

    Step 3 — File the change-of-residence report within 15 days

    Go to the community center, the city, county or district office, or the immigration office for the new address. The next day is the earliest your lease can hold against third parties, so a later report means a later start.

    Step 4 — Get the fixed date, or file the lease report with the contract

    If your lease meets the reporting amounts, file the report with the contract attached and let it count as the fixed date. If not, ask for the fixed date. A community center can do the fixed date, and may take the report too, depending on local rules.

    Step 5 — Keep what you receive

    Keep the contract with the fixed-date stamp, or the lease report certificate (임대차 신고필증), with the contract. Your ARC now shows the new address.

    What keeps your protection in place

    Protection is not a one-time stamp. Annex 1 of the standard contract says to keep both possession and registration for the whole lease term. Two events change what you need.

    When something changes
    Annex 1 of the standard contract · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions
    Event What to do Rule
    The deposit goes up during the term or at renewal Get a new fixed date for the added amount Standard contract, Annex 1
    A reported lease changes its deposit or rent Report the change within 30 days Reporting Act, Article 6-3
    The lease is cancelled after a report Report the cancellation within 30 days Reporting Act, Article 6-3
    The lease ends and the deposit is not returned A lease registration order (임차권등기명령) keeps your rights after you move Act, Article 3-3

    The last row matters if you must move before you are repaid. Once the lease registration is in place, Article 3-3 (5) lets you keep the rights you already had. That holds even after you stop living there or move your registration.

    What to say at the counter

    Community center counters run in Korean. Show the Korean line on your phone, or read the romanized line aloud.

    체류지 변경신고 하러 왔습니다.
    Che-ryu-ji byeon-gyeong-sin-go ha-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to report a change of residence.”
    Say this first. Hand over your ARC with it.
    확정일자 받으러 왔습니다.
    Hwak-jeong-il-ja ba-deu-reo wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I am here to get a fixed date.”
    Use this at the same desk after the report, or on its own.
    계약서 원본하고 외국인등록증 가져왔습니다.
    Gye-yak-seo won-bon-ha-go oe-gu-gin-deung-nok-jeung ga-jyeo-wat-seum-ni-da.
    “I brought the original contract and my alien registration card.”
    Say this as you hand the two over.
    주택 임대차 계약 신고도 여기서 할 수 있나요?
    Ju-taek im-dae-cha gye-yak sin-go-do yeo-gi-seo hal su in-na-yo?
    “Can I also file the housing lease report here?”
    Ask this if your lease meets the reporting amounts.
    임대차 신고필증 받을 수 있을까요?
    Im-dae-cha sin-go-pil-jeung ba-deul su i-sseul-kka-yo?
    “Could I get the lease report certificate?”
    Ask this at the end, after the report is accepted.

    Frequently asked questions

    Can a foreigner rent an apartment in South Korea?
    The lease rules are written with foreign tenants in view. The fixed-date rule lists the alien registration card as accepted ID. The lease report asks for a foreign registration number. And Article 88-2 of the Immigration Act lets your registration and change-of-residence report stand in for the Korean resident’s steps.
    How do I report a change in address in Korea?
    File a change-of-residence report within 15 days of moving in, under Article 36 of the Immigration Act. Go to the city, county or district office, the community center, or the immigration office for the new address, with your ARC. Hi Korea’s e-application also takes it.
    When does my protection start?
    The day after both conditions are met: you have taken over the home, and your change-of-residence report is filed. That is Article 3 (1) of the Housing Lease Protection Act, read with Article 88-2 (2) of the Immigration Act.
    Do I still need a fixed date if I file the lease report?
    Not if you file the report with the contract attached. Article 6-5 (3) of the Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions treats the accepted report as a fixed date. A report filed without the contract does not.
    What if my landlord raises the deposit?
    Get a new fixed date for the added amount, as Annex 1 of the standard contract says. If the lease was reported, report the change within 30 days. During the term, an increase is capped at 5% and cannot come within a year of the last one.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and fees change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · Article 3 · Article 3-2 · Article 3-3 · Article 3-6
    · Immigration Act (출입국관리법) · Article 36, change of residence · Article 88-2
    · Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans (재외동포의 출입국과 법적 지위에 관한 법률) · Article 10
    · Ministry of Justice rule on fixed dates (주택임대차계약증서상의 확정일자 부여 및 임대차 정보제공에 관한 규칙) · full text, Articles 2, 3 and 8
    · Supreme Court rule on fixed dates (주택임대차계약증서의 확정일자 부여 및 정보제공에 관한 규칙) · full text, Articles 6, 8 and 13
    · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률) · Article 6-2 · Article 6-3 · Article 6-5 · Article 28
    · Enforcement Decree and Rule of that Act · Decree Article 4-3, amounts and areas · Rule Article 6-2, report items and filing
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws and fees are amended from time to time. Confirm the details with the office that handles your report before you go. For questions about your stay and the change-of-residence report, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.
  • Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says

    Korean Standard Lease Contract in English: What Each Part Says

    Since 10 March 2026, the Ministry of Justice has published the standard housing lease contract (주택임대차 표준계약서) in English, Chinese and Vietnamese. Each file keeps the Korean text and pairs it with the translation, line by line. You and your landlord can point at the same clause on the same page.

    The translation follows the October 2023 version of the form, the latest one on the Ministry’s list. This guide goes through each part in order: the first page, the 13 articles, the special terms and the two annexes. For each part, it gives the Korean label and what the blank asks for. It does not tell you whether to sign.

    What this guide covers
    01 Where to get the translated contract
    02 Which form your landlord has to use
    03 What the first page asks
    04 What the 13 articles set
    05 What the special terms add
    06 What the two annexes are for
    07 How “resident registration” applies to a foreign resident
    08 Frequently asked questions

    Where to get the translated contract

    Files verified September 2026 · Ministry of Justice notice of 10 March 2026

    The files sit on one notice in the Ministry of Justice’s housing lease library: 주택임대차 표준계약서 번역본(영어, 중국어, 베트남어) 다운받기. There is one pair of files per language, and each file has a view button (바로보기) that opens it in your browser.

    The translated standard lease contract
    Ministry of Justice · posted 10 March 2026
    Language Title on the file Files
    English Standard Residential Lease Contract HWP · PDF
    Chinese 住房租赁标准合同 HWP · PDF
    Vietnamese Hợp đồng Thuê Nhà ở Tiêu chuẩn HWP · PDF

    All three files keep the Korean text beside the translation. So if your landlord or broker reads Korean, both of you can point at the same line. The PDF opens on any phone. HWP is the file format of the Korean word processor Hangul, and it is the version you can type into.

    The Ministry lists these files under the Korea Open Government License Type 4 (공공누리 제4유형). That license allows use with the source named, but not commercial use or changes. For that reason, this guide links to the notice rather than copying the text. Open the file next to this page and follow along.

    Which form your landlord has to use

    Article 30 of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) sets the rule. When a housing lease is made in writing, the standard form is used first. The Minister of Justice sets that form with the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The exception is simple: both sides agree to use a different form.

    So a broker’s own contract is lawful if you both agree to it. This is a priority rule, not a ban. If the paper in front of you is a different form, the translated standard contract still works as a checklist. Each article below has a line you can look for in the other form.

    Two more rules apply whichever form you sign. Article 10 of the Act voids any term that breaks the Act and is unfavorable to the tenant. And disputes over the use of the standard contract are among the cases the Housing Lease Dispute Conciliation Committee can mediate (Article 22).

    What the first page asks

    Page one describes the home and the kind of contract. Most of it is plain facts: address, area, and which rooms you are renting. Two lines need more attention, because they are where the landlord states what is already owed on the building.

    Page one, line by line
    Korean label · wording on the English form · what goes in the blank
    Korean label On the English form What goes there
    소재지(도로명주소) Location (road-name address) The street address of the building
    임차할 부분 Portion to be leased Building, floor and unit number, and the area in square meters
    계약의 종류 Type of contract New contract, renewal by agreement, or renewal by the tenant’s right under Article 6-3. For a renewal, the previous term, deposit and rent
    미납 국세·지방세 Unpaid national or local taxes The landlord ticks “none” and signs, or ticks “yes” and the details go on the broker’s explanation form
    선순위 확정일자 현황 Senior leases assigned with fixed dates Earlier tenants who hold a fixed date. Same two choices, same signature
    확정일자 부여란 Fixed-date assignment Space for the fixed-date stamp. No separate application is needed once a lease report with the contract attached is accepted
    보증금 있는 월세 · 전세 · 월세 Lease with deposit and monthly rent · Lease with deposit · Lease with monthly rent Tick one

    One line reads differently in the Vietnamese file. For the unit, the Korean asks for 동·층·호, and the Vietnamese renders 동 as Phường/Xã, an administrative ward. In a detailed address, 동 is the building number inside a complex, as in 101동.

    The two lines on unpaid taxes and senior leases are the only places on page one where the landlord signs. When the answer is “yes”, the details go into the broker’s explanation form (중개대상물 확인·설명서). They sit on page 2, under the item for actual rights and rights not shown on the register.

    The Act backs these lines with a duty. Under Article 3-7, added in 2023, the landlord must show you two things when the contract is made. The first is the fixed-date record for the house. The second is proof of tax payment. Before signing, the landlord can meet each duty instead by consenting to let you look the record up yourself.

    What the 13 articles set

    The 13 articles are the body of the contract. The table sums up what each one sets, in plain words. The exact wording is in the file, with the Korean and the translation side by side.

    The 13 articles in one table
    Korean title · title on the English form · what the article sets
    No. Title What it sets
    1 보증금과 차임 및 관리비
    Deposits, Rents, and Management Fees    		 The deposit, the earnest money paid at signing, dates for the intermediate and final payments, the monthly rent and its payment day, and management fees. A fixed fee of 100,000 KRW or more a month is broken into eight items
    2 임대차기간
    Term of lease    		 The handover date, and a lease term that runs from the day of handover
    3 입주 전 수리
    Repairs before move-in    		 Whether repairs are needed, the deadline, and what happens if they are not done. One listed option is to deduct the cost from the deposit or rent
    4 임차주택의 사용·관리·수선
    Use, Management, and Repair    		 No structural change, subletting, transfer or non-residential use without the landlord’s consent. Who pays for which repairs during the lease
    5 계약의 해제
    Rescission    		 Until the intermediate payment, or the final payment if there is none, the landlord can cancel by paying back double the earnest money. The tenant can cancel by giving it up
    6 채무불이행과 손해배상
    Non-Performance and Compensation    		 If one side fails to perform, the other sets a reasonable deadline, then may cancel and claim damages
    7 계약의 해지
    Termination    		 The tenant may end the lease if part of the home becomes unusable without the tenant’s fault. The landlord may end it if unpaid rent reaches two payments, or if Article 4 (1) is broken
    8 갱신요구와 거절
    Request for and Refusal of Contract Renewal    		 The tenant may ask to renew between six and two months before the end. The landlord may refuse only on the grounds in Article 6-3 (1) of the Act
    9 계약의 종료
    Termination or Expiration of Contract    		 The tenant returns the home in its original state, and the landlord returns the deposit at the same time. Normal wear and aging are not the tenant’s to restore
    10 비용의 정산
    Settlement of Expenses    		 Utilities and management fees are settled at the end. The tenant may claim back the long-term repair reserve from the owner or the management office
    11 분쟁의 해결
    Resolution of Disputes    		 The two sides try talks, or mediation by the Housing Lease Dispute Conciliation Committee
    12 중개보수 등
    Brokerage Fee, etc.    		 The broker’s fee as an amount or a rate, with VAT in or out. Each side pays its own share
    13 중개대상물확인·설명서 교부
    Explanation Manual for Verifying the Premises    		 The broker gives each side the explanation form and a copy of the broker’s guarantee certificate on a set date

    Article 4 comes with a note on the form that splits repair costs. Repairs from aging or defects in main systems, such as heating, water and sewage, and wiring, fall to the landlord. Damage caused by the tenant, small routine repairs, and consumables such as light bulbs fall to the tenant. The note cites Article 623 of the Civil Act and court rulings.

    What the special terms add

    Special terms (특약사항) come after Article 13. The form already prints six of them, plus a blank space marked “Other” (기타) for terms the two sides add.

    The printed special terms
    ✓ Move-in report and fixed date by a set date. The tenant fills in a date. The landlord may not put a mortgage or other security right on the home until the day after that date
    ✓ If the landlord breaks that term, the tenant may cancel or end the lease, and the landlord pays for the damage
    ✓ Undisclosed senior leases or unpaid taxes. The tax trigger is an amount written in the blank. If the tenant finds either, the tenant may cancel before the lease starts without losing the earnest money
    ✓ Mediation before court. Agree or disagree to apply to the conciliation committee before filing a lawsuit. The form notes a result within 60 days, 90 at most
    ✓ Demolition or rebuilding plans. None, or yes with a start date and duration
    ✓ Detailed address. If the unit has no detailed address, whether the owner consents to the tenant applying for one

    The third term is the one with a number left open. The form does not suggest an amount. It only sets the rule that applies once the two sides write one in.

    The first term ties into timing. Protection against third parties starts the day after you move in and register, as Annex 1 below shows. The printed term keeps the landlord from adding a mortgage until the day after the agreed date.

    What the two annexes are for

    Rules verified September 2026 · Housing Lease Protection Act Articles 3, 3-2, 6, 6-2, 6-3 and 7 · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions, Article 6-2

    Annex 1 (별지1) is a summary of the rules that protect a tenant, grouped by stage. Annex 2 (별지2) is a form the landlord uses to refuse a renewal. Both come attached to the contract in the same file.

    Annex 1 in brief
    What the annex says · where the rule comes from
    Stage What the annex says Source
    Rights Handover plus registration lets you claim the lease against third parties from the next day. Add a fixed date and you are repaid ahead of later creditors. Keep both for the whole term Act, Articles 3 and 3-2
    Before signing Check the register certificate, unpaid taxes, and fixed-date records for a multi-household house. With the landlord’s consent, tax records are at the tax office and fixed-date records at the community center or registry Act, Article 3-6
    Lease report Covered areas only. A deposit over 60 million KRW or rent over 300,000 KRW a month is reported within 30 days to the city, county or district office. A report with the contract attached counts as a fixed date Reporting Act, Articles 6-2 and 6-5
    Rent increase No more than 5% of the current rent or deposit, and not within one year of the contract or the last increase Act, Article 7
    Silent renewal If neither side gives notice in time, the lease renews on the same terms for two years Act, Article 6
    Renewal request Once only, for two years, with any increase capped at 5%. A silent renewal or a renewal by agreement does not use it up Act, Article 6-3
    Higher deposit Get a new fixed date for the added amount Annex 1
    Disputes Conciliation committees at the Korea Legal Aid Corporation, the Korea Real Estate Board, the Korea Land and Housing Corporation and local governments Act, Article 14
    Count the 30 days from the date the contract is made
    In Annex 1, the Korean line counts the 30-day lease report from the contract date (계약체결일). The English line says “within 30 days of this contract’s entering into force”. Article 6-2 of the Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions uses the contract date. Go by the contract date, not the move-in date.

    One more point sits in the Act, not the annex. The annex says a tenant may end a silently renewed lease at any time. Article 6-2 adds that the notice takes effect three months after the landlord receives it.

    Annex 2 is the Notice of Refusal to Renew (계약갱신 거절통지서). It lists the nine grounds in Article 6-3 (1) of the Act as tick boxes. They run from rent arrears of two payments to the landlord’s family moving in. The form states that the refusal takes effect when the notice reaches the tenant.

    How “resident registration” applies to a foreign resident

    Rule verified September 2026 · Immigration Act, Article 88-2

    The contract and Annex 1 speak of resident registration (주민등록) and the move-in report (전입신고). The first special term asks for a date to complete the move-in report and get the fixed date. Read those words through one article of the Immigration Act (출입국관리법).

    Article 88-2 (2) names two procedures: registration as a foreign national (외국인등록) and the report of a change of residence (체류지 변경신고). They take the place of resident registration and the move-in report. So for a foreign resident, the move-in step on this contract is the change-of-residence report. The Immigration Act gives 15 days from the move for that report.

    Overseas Koreans who hold a domestic residence report (국내거소신고) are covered by a separate rule. Article 10 (4) of the Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans treats that report as registration. A report of moving counts as a change-of-residence report.

    Frequently asked questions

    What is the format of a lease agreement in English?
    The official one in Korea is the Ministry of Justice’s translated standard contract. The English file runs 11 pages. It has a first page on the home, 13 articles, printed special terms, a signature page and two annexes. Every Korean line is paired with its English line.
    Is there a standard rental agreement?
    Yes. The Ministry of Justice drafted it with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and outside experts. Article 30 of the Housing Lease Protection Act says it is used first, unless both sides agree on another form.
    How many years contract in South Korea?
    Article 4 of the Housing Lease Protection Act treats a lease with no term, or a term under two years, as a two-year lease. The tenant may still choose to hold to the shorter term. A renewal request adds two more years, once.
    What is the difference between jeonse and wolse?
    The contract offers three boxes. Jeonse (전세) is a lease with a deposit and no monthly rent. Wolse (월세) is a lease with monthly rent. The third, 보증금 있는 월세, has both. Article 12 of the Act applies its rules to jeonse even when it is not registered.
    What are the rights of tenants in South Korea?
    Annex 1 of the standard contract lists the main ones. There is a two-year minimum term, one renewal request, and a 5% cap on increases. With registration, possession and a fixed date, you are repaid ahead of later creditors. Terms that break the Act to the tenant’s disadvantage are void.

    Official sources

    Every rule here comes from the pages below. Laws and forms change, so open the page before you act on it.

    · Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법) · full text · Article 30, standard contract
    · Enforcement Decree of the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법 시행령) · Article 22, disputes the committee mediates
    · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions (부동산 거래신고 등에 관한 법률) · Article 6-2, lease report · Enforcement Decree Article 4-3, amounts and areas
    · Immigration Act (출입국관리법) · Article 88-2, registration in place of resident registration
    · Act on the Immigration and Legal Status of Overseas Koreans (재외동포의 출입국과 법적 지위에 관한 법률) · Article 10
    Information verified as of September 2026. Laws and the standard form are amended from time to time. Confirm the details with the official source before you sign. For questions about your stay, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345.
    This site is not affiliated with the Korean government. Always confirm details with the official source.