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Finding a Home and Protecting Your Deposit: Registry, Fixed Date

Last checked: 2026-11-03

This article was translated by AI. If anything differs, the Korean original prevails. Read the Korean original

When you rent a home in Korea, you often leave a large deposit. Following the steps below can lower the risk. But it does not guarantee that you will always get your deposit back. Check carefully before paying a large amount.

Jeonse and monthly rent

Before signing: check the property registry

Anyone can view the property registry (등기부등본) on the Supreme Court Internet Registry Office (대법원 인터넷등기소). Even if a licensed real estate agent explains it, check it yourself.

When you sign

  1. Check with an ID that the person signing and the owner in the registry are the same.
  2. If it is an agent, check the power of attorney and the seal certificate.
  3. If there are several owners, it is better to sign with all of them.
  4. Ask the licensed agent to explain the rights on the property and how your deposit is protected.
  5. Check the property registry again right before you pay the final balance.

After you move in: do this right away

In 2016, the Supreme Court ruled that a foreigner's residence change report has the same effect as a move-in report under the Housing Lease Protection Act. If you move in, live there and finish the report, from 0:00 the next day you can assert your rights even if the landlord changes. The government has pushed a plan to make this point earlier, so the law may change. Check before signing. If you also have a fixed date, you can be paid your deposit before lower-ranking creditors in an auction. Write the building and unit number exactly.

  1. Report your change of residence (체류지 변경신고, the same as a move-in report). Official guidance says 14 days or 15 days, depending on the source. Do it on the day you move, and within 14 days at the latest.
  2. You can report at a community center (주민센터), a city, county or district office, an immigration office, or the Hi Korea e-civil service. Prepare your registration card, the contract and other documents.
  3. Get a fixed date (확정일자) stamped on the original contract. You can get it at a community center, a registry office, or a notary.

When you move out

If you move out or change your address before you get your deposit back, you may lose your rights. If you must move first, apply for a lease registration order (임차권등기명령), and move after the registration is complete.

Where to ask

For deposit problems, ask the Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation and the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (대한법률구조공단). For the residence change report, ask the Foreigner Support Center (외국인종합안내센터).

Please check

Be extra careful if the price is much cheaper than the market or if someone rushes you to sign. There can also be debts that do not show in the registry, such as the landlord's unpaid taxes.

Ask by phone

Foreigner Support Center (외국인종합안내센터)1345
Korea Housing & Urban Guarantee Corporation (HUG) (주택도시보증공사)1566-9009
Korea Legal Aid Corporation (대한법률구조공단)132

Official sources

This is general information. Your situation may differ, so please confirm with the official agency. Report a mistake

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