When a child is born, and when a family member dies, Korean administration sets a one-month deadline. The Act on the Registration of Family Relationships requires a birth report within 1 month of the birth and a death report within 1 month of learning of the death, with a fine of up to 50,000 won if late. Annex 3 of the Supreme Court Rule splits the amount into five bands by how late you are. We read the Act and the annex as written.
1. Both births and deaths have 1 month. A birth is due within 1 month of the birth; a death within 1 month of the day the person obliged learned of it.
2. Late reports cost 10,000 to 50,000 won. By the period of neglect: under 7 days 10,000 won, under 1 month 20,000, under 3 months 30,000, under 6 months 40,000, and 6 months or more 50,000 won.
3. Ignoring a reminder doubles it. If the city, town or township head sets a deadline and you still do not report, the fine is up to 100,000 won, from 20,000 to 100,000 won.
Birth reports — articles 44 and 46
| Item | What the law says | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Within 1 month of the birth | Art. 44(1) |
| Who reports | Father or mother for a child born in marriage, the mother for a child born outside marriage | Art. 46(1) and (2) |
| If they cannot | (1) relatives living together, (2) the doctor, midwife or other person at the delivery, in that order | Art. 46(3) |
| Attachment | A birth certificate written by a doctor or midwife | Art. 44(4) |
Hospitals notify first — birth notification (arts. 44-3 and 44-4)
For births at a medical institution, its head submits the birth information to the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service within 14 days of the birth, which then notifies the city, town or township head of the mother’s address (art. 44-3). That head checks whether a birth report was filed within the 1-month deadline and, if not, reminds the person obliged to report within 7 days. If there is still no report, they record the birth ex officio with the supervising court’s permission (art. 44-4).
Birth notification does not replace the parents’ duty to report. Ex officio recording is a backstop for when no report ever comes; the 1-month deadline and fine still apply.
Death reports — articles 84 and 85
| Item | What the law says | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Deadline | Within 1 month of the day the death became known | Art. 84(1) |
| Who must report | Relatives living together | Art. 85(1) |
| Who may report | Relatives and housemates, the manager of the place of death, the local dong head or village head | Art. 85(2) |
| Attachment | A medical or post-mortem certificate (or other proof set by Supreme Court Rule if unavoidable) | Art. 84(1) and (3) |
| Where | Place of death, burial or cremation, and so on | Art. 86 |
If late — Rule Annex 3
| Period of neglect | Not reported in time (Act art. 122) | Not reported after reminder (Act art. 121) |
|---|---|---|
| Under 7 days | 10,000 won | 20,000 won |
| 7 days to under 1 month | 20,000 won | 40,000 won |
| 1 to under 3 months | 30,000 won | 60,000 won |
| 3 to under 6 months | 40,000 won | 80,000 won |
| 6 months or more | 50,000 won | 100,000 won |
Annex 3 belongs to the Rule on the Registration of Family Relationships, a Supreme Court Rule. Rule article 50(6) allows a one-half reduction in light of the motive and results, with a written explanation attached. Late reports must still be accepted (Act art. 40).
The fine is imposed by the city, town or township head who accepted the report or sent the reminder (Rule art. 50(1)). To object, file with that head within 30 days, after which the family court decides the fine (Act art. 124(2) and (3)).
Checklist
- ☐ Birth — get the birth certificate and report within 1 month, by father or mother
- ☐ Death — with a medical or post-mortem certificate, within 1 month of learning of it, by relatives living together
- ☐ Already late? Report now — under 7 days is the 10,000 won band
- ☐ Got a reminder? Meet its deadline — otherwise the amount doubles
Questions that remain
The hospital sent a birth notification — do I still need to report?
Yes. The duty under article 44(1) stands, and the notification is what lets the local head check and send reminders (art. 44-4).
How does a death report relate to inheritance?
This post covers only family-registration reports. Inheritance tax deadlines are in inheritance tax.
Sources
- Act on the Registration of Family Relationships [in force 27 Dec 2024] [Act No. 19841] — original text (checked 30 September 2026). Source for article 38 (reminders), article 40 (accepting late reports), articles 44, 44-3 and 44-4 (birth reports and notification), article 46, articles 84 to 86 (death reports), articles 121 and 122 (up to 100,000 and 50,000 won) and article 124 (imposition and objection).
- Rule on the Registration of Family Relationships [in force 19 Jul 2025] [Supreme Court Rule No. 3220] — original text. Source for article 50 (imposition and reduction) and Annex 3, standards for fines.
Where to check further
- Filing birth and death reports — city, town or township offices, community service centres, or the Supreme Court’s online family registration system.
- After a birth — parental leave.
Written on 30 September 2026. Articles and annexes are from the National Law Information Center; the tables are ours.
