Some Korean rental contracts must be reported to the city, county or district within 30 days. This is the housing lease report, often called the “jeonse and monthly rent reporting system.” It covers contracts with a deposit over 60 million won or monthly rent over 300,000 won; late reports draw fines from 20,000 to 300,000 won by delay and contract amount, and false reports 1 million won. We read articles 6-2 to 6-5 and 28 of the Real Estate Transaction Reporting Act and Annex 3 of its Decree as written.
1. Deposit over 60 million won or rent over 300,000 won, within 30 days. Landlord and tenant report jointly within 30 days of signing; if one refuses, the other may report alone (Act art. 6-2, Decree art. 4-3).
2. Renewals that only extend the term are excluded. A renewal with no change in deposit or rent is outside the rule; a changed amount brings it back in.
3. Reporting brings a fixed date with it. If the contract is submitted, the report counts as a fixed-date stamp (Act art. 6-5(3)). A tenant’s move-in registration counts as the report (para. 1).
Who and what — Act art. 6-2, Decree art. 4-3
| Item | What the articles say | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Contracts | Housing leases with a deposit over 60 million won or monthly rent over 300,000 won (excluding renewals that only extend the term without changing deposit or rent) | Decree art. 4-3(1) |
| Areas | Special self-governing cities and provinces, cities, autonomous districts, and counties within metropolitan cities and Gyeonggi | Decree art. 4-3(2) |
| Deadline | Within 30 days of signing, reported jointly to the authority where the home is | Act art. 6-2(1) |
| If one side refuses | The other may report alone | Act art. 6-2(3) |
| Changes and cancellations | Within 30 days of a change in deposit or rent, or cancellation, becoming final | Act art. 6-3(1) |
“Housing” follows article 2 of the Housing Lease Protection Act and includes rights to acquire a home. Given the area test, counties outside metropolitan cities and Gyeonggi read as outside the rule (our reading).
When another filing counts — Act art. 6-5
- (1) A tenant’s move-in registration under the Resident Registration Act counts as the lease report.
- (2) Filings by public housing providers and registered rental businesses under their own laws also count.
- (3) Once the report is accepted, a fixed date is treated as granted — only where the lease contract is submitted.
So reporting with the contract attached saves a separate trip for the fixed date. Why the fixed date matters is covered in preventing jeonse fraud.
If late — fines (Act art. 28(5), Decree Annex 3)
The Act sets a fine of up to 1 million won for not reporting (including refusing to report jointly) or reporting falsely, and Annex 3 of the Decree sets the amounts.
| Time unreported | Contract under 100m · 100m–under 300m won | 300m–under 500m · 500m+ won |
|---|---|---|
| 3 months or less | 20,000 · 30,000 won | 40,000 · 50,000 won |
| Over 3 to 6 months | 40,000 · 80,000 won | 120,000 · 150,000 won |
| Over 6 months to 1 year | 60,000 · 100,000 won | 160,000 · 200,000 won |
| Over 1 to 2 years | 80,000 · 130,000 won | 200,000 · 250,000 won |
| Over 2 years, or refusing to report jointly | 100,000 · 150,000 won | 250,000 · 300,000 won |
A false report is 1 million won regardless of time or amount. Under the annex’s general standard, the authority may raise or lower the amount by up to one half depending on motive, result and frequency, but never above the 1 million won statutory cap.
The annex is the version amended on 29 April 2025. It does not say how the “contract amount” is worked out for leases with monthly rent, so we have not settled that here.
Checklist
- ☐ Deposit over 60 million won or rent over 300,000 won?
- ☐ 30 days from signing — mark it on the calendar
- ☐ Submit the contract with the report to get the fixed date too
- ☐ Renewing at a new amount or ending early? Report the change or cancellation within 30 days
- ☐ The other side will not cooperate? Report alone
Questions that remain
A 50 million won deposit and 400,000 won rent?
The deposit is 60 million won or less, but rent exceeds 300,000 won, so the “or” test is met and the contract must be reported.
We extended for two more years on the same terms.
A renewal that only extends the term with no change in deposit or rent is excluded by the bracket in Decree article 4-3(1). Any change in amount makes it reportable.
Sources
- Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions [in force 17 May 2024] [Act No. 20194] — original text (checked 1 October 2026). Article 6-2 (30 days, joint, alone), article 6-3 (changes and cancellations, 30 days), article 6-5 (move-in registration and fixed date treated as made) and article 28(5) (up to 1 million won).
- Enforcement Decree of the Act [in force 1 Oct 2026] [Presidential Decree No. 36740] — original text. Article 4-3 (60 million won, 300,000 won, areas) and Annex 3, standards for fines, item 2(e) (20,000 to 300,000 won; 1 million won) and the general standard (one half).
Where to check further
- Reporting — the city, county or district where the home is (the reporting authority); by local ordinance this may be delegated to town and neighbourhood offices (Act art. 6-2(5)).
- Before you sign — jeonse contract checklist.
Written on 1 October 2026. Articles and the annex are from the National Law Information Center; the tables are ours.
