Moving within Korea comes with three deadlines that are easy to miss: the mover's contract, your deposit, and your address report. The address report is the one with a fine attached. You have 15 days after you move in, and filing late can cost ₩100,000 or more.
This guide is for foreign residents moving from one home in Korea to another. If you are arriving from abroad, start with the moving to Korea checklist.
Timeline: from 4 weeks before to 15 days after
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks before | Tell your landlord your move-out date and agree when the deposit comes back. Check the new home's deposit risk and budget the first month. |
| 2 weeks before | Book a licensed mover. For a packing move, get the standard contract. |
| 1 week before | In a high-rise apartment, book the gondola lift or the elevator with the management office. |
| Before moving | Ask your city gas company to disconnect the stove and the middle valve. Cancel gas auto-debit. |
| Moving day | Report the electricity meter reading. Settle water and management fees. Get your deposit back. Get a confirmed date at the new home and file your address change. |
| Within 15 days of moving in | File the place-of-stay change report, if you did not file on moving day. F-4 holders with a domestic residence report have 14 days. |
4 weeks before: check the new home
Before you sign for the next place, check the deposit risk and the cost.
- Use Seoulstart's deposit safety check to see the new home's deposit risk before you sign.
- Use the move-in cost calculator to see how much cash you need for the first month at the new place.
- Compare median rent and deposit by city and district on Seoulstart's rent pages, so you know whether the asking price is in range.
- Look up reported contracts month by month in the price explorer.
- If you are switching between jeonse (전세) and monthly rent (월세), run the numbers in the jeonse vs wolse calculator.
The lease documents checklist lists the records to request before you pay anything. If you are not sure whether to move at all, read the lease renewal guide.
Choosing a move type
The FTC moving-goods standard terms (이사화물 표준약관) name three main types of move:
| Type | Korean | Who packs | What the mover does |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ordinary move | 일반이사 | You | Transports only. You pack and unpack. |
| Packing move | 포장이사 | The mover | Packs, transports, and unpacks and arranges everything. |
| Storage move | 보관이사 | The mover | Stores your belongings for a period, then delivers them. |
You will also see movers advertise a half-packing move (반포장이사) or a small truck (용달). These are industry terms. Easy Law's summary of the standard terms lists only the three types above, so ask each mover in writing what is included.
What a move costs
Easy Law does not give a price figure for a packing move, and quotes vary. It says the cost depends on:
- Distance.
- How much you are moving.
- Working conditions at both homes.
- Extra services.
- The date. Peak season, "no-spirit days" (손 없는 날), and public holidays can cost more than ordinary weekdays.
Easy Law says a home-visit estimate (방문견적) is the best way to get an accurate price. Get written estimates from several licensed movers, then compare them line by line.
Booking a mover
Check the licence
A moving company runs a freight-forwarding business (화물자동차 운송주선사업) under the Trucking Transport Business Act. It needs a licence from the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. Licensed movers carry damage-guarantee insurance of ₩5 million or more. A mover without cargo liability insurance (적재물배상보험) faces an administrative fine of up to ₩5 million.
To check a licence:
- Ask for a copy of the freight-forwarding licence when you get the estimate or sign the contract.
- Search the licensed-mover database (허가이사종합정보) at www.허가이사.com.
- Or ask the local freight-forwarding association or the transport department (교통행정과) at your city, county, or district office.
What the estimate must show
Under the standard terms, a written estimate (견적서) lists:
- The mover's name, business registration number, representative, address, and phone number, plus the name of the person who wrote the estimate.
- Your name, address, and phone number.
- Pickup and delivery dates and places, the main items (type, weight, volume), and the unit rate.
- Working conditions: the type and number of vehicles, the number of workers, whether packing and unpacking are included, and the equipment used.
- The total fee and its breakdown.
- For a storage move, the storage place, period, and fee.
The mover cannot put a higher amount in the contract than the estimate shows. The exception is when you change the job and the mover tells you the extra cost in advance.
The deposit and the balance
When the mover hands you the contract, it can ask for a deposit (계약금) of 10% of the total fee. For a packing move, you pay the balance (잔금) once you have confirmed that everything has been unpacked and arranged. For an ordinary move, you pay it once everything is delivered.
If someone cancels
The FTC Consumer Dispute Resolution Standard (소비자분쟁해결기준) sets the compensation:
| Situation | What happens |
|---|---|
| Mover cancels up to 2 days before the moving date | You get the deposit back plus 2 times the deposit |
| Mover cancels 1 day before | You get the deposit back plus 4 times the deposit |
| Mover cancels on the moving day | You get the deposit back plus 6 times the deposit |
| Mover gives no notice and does not come | You get the deposit back plus 10 times the deposit, or your actual loss |
| Mover arrives 2 hours or more after the agreed pickup time | You can cancel, get the deposit back, and receive 2 times the deposit |
| You cancel before the moving day | You lose the deposit |
| You cancel on the moving day | You pay the deposit plus the same amount again |
Moving day
Protect your belongings
Easy Law gives six steps to prevent disputes:
- Sign a written contract with the mover and keep a copy.
- Check that the mover has damage-guarantee insurance or a guarantee deposit.
- Keep valuables with you before the move.
- Before work starts, point out items that are already damaged, and mark items at risk.
- If a problem comes up during the work, raise it with the site leader right away.
- For a storage move, sign a separate storage contract.
Take photos of fragile items before packing starts, in case you need to claim later.
Get your deposit back before you hand over the keys
Ask your landlord for the deposit on moving day, before you hand over the keys. Settle the last bills first.
If the landlord does not return the deposit when the lease ends, you can apply to the district court for a tenancy registration order (임차권등기명령). Once the tenancy registration is recorded, you keep the opposability (대항력) and priority repayment rights you already had, even if you move out. The deposit return guide covers the order of steps. If it turns into a dispute, read the landlord deposit dispute guide.
At the new home: confirmed date and address report
Your deposit protection at the new home depends on two filings.
- Address report. Your lease has effect against third parties from the day after you move in and file your address report. For foreign residents, the place-of-stay change report counts as that filing.
- Confirmed date (확정일자). Opposability plus a confirmed date on the lease gives you priority repayment of your deposit if the home goes to auction.
Easy Law advises tenants to file the move-in report and get the confirmed date on moving day if possible. The legal deadline for the address report is 15 days, but your protection starts only the day after you file. So file early.
To get a confirmed date, go to the community service center with the original lease and ID. Your foreigner registration card (외국인등록증) is accepted. The fee is ₩600 per contract, plus ₩100 for every 4 pages beyond the first 4.
Changing your address within 15 days
Who, when, and where
A registered foreign resident who moves must file the place-of-stay change report within 15 days of moving in. You can file at either of these offices for your new address:
- The city, county, or district office, or the community service center (주민센터).
- The immigration office.
One filing is enough. If you file at immigration, immigration notifies the new community service center itself. Under Immigration Act Article 88-2, this report replaces the Korean move-in report (전입신고), so you do not file that separately.
What to bring
- Your foreigner registration card. The office writes the new address on it and gives it back.
- The change-of-address form (별지 제34호서식).
- Proof of the new address, such as your lease contract, a sale contract, or another document that shows you moved.
A visit to an immigration office needs a booking through HiKorea.
Filing online through HiKorea
- Sign up at HiKorea (www.hikorea.go.kr).
- Go to e-application (전자민원) and choose the place-of-stay change report (체류지변경신고/거소이전신고).
- Log in with your certificate. Banks and other financial institutions issue these.
- Enter the new road-name address or lot-number address.
- Submit.
Online filings are processed within 3 days, not counting weekends and public holidays. An online filing does not write the new address on the back of your card. If you want it written on, visit immigration in person. If you have a mobile foreigner registration card (모바일외국인등록증) and file online, the change is stored on the mobile card instead.
Menu names on HiKorea can change. If you get stuck, call the Immigration Contact Center at 1345. It answers weekdays from 09:00 to 22:00, except holidays. Until 18:00 it covers 20 languages, including English, Chinese, Vietnamese, and Russian. After 18:00, only Korean, English, and Chinese are available.
If you are late
Not filing is an offence under Immigration Act Article 98, with a fine (벌금) of up to ₩1 million. Immigration can settle it with a payment notice (범칙금):
| How late | Payment notice |
|---|---|
| Less than 3 months | ₩100,000 |
| 3 months to less than 6 months | ₩300,000 |
| 6 months to less than 1 year | ₩500,000 |
| 1 year to less than 2 years | ₩700,000 |
| 2 years or more | ₩1,000,000 |
After the 15 days pass, you cannot file online. You must visit the immigration office for your new address.
F-4 holders with a domestic residence report
If you are an overseas Korean with a domestic residence report (국내거소신고), the rule is different. You must report a move within 14 days to the new area's city, county, or district office, the community service center, or the immigration office. If you do not report, the sanction is an administrative fine (과태료) of up to ₩2 million.
For more on the card itself, read the ARC registration guide. Also update your address with your bank, phone carrier, and employer.
Utilities and the management fee
Electricity
On moving day, report the meter reading to KEPCO (한국전력공사). Use the KEPCO cyber branch, call 123 (no area code), or phone your local branch. Then pay the bill by card or bank debit. When the electricity user changes because of a move, both the outgoing and the incoming user must tell KEPCO within 14 days.
City gas
Before you move, ask your local city gas company to disconnect the stove and the middle valve. Do not disconnect the hose yourself, because it is very dangerous. The meter is read when the stove is removed, for the final settlement. Cancel your auto-debit too.
At the new home, change the account name (명의변경). If you do not, you take on the previous user's account, and you may have to pay their unpaid bill.
Water
The moving settlement is pro-rated from the last meter reading to moving day, counting 1 month as 30 days. File a request to separate the old and new users' charges with your local waterworks office (상수도사업본부).
Apartments and villas: management fees
In apartments and villas, electricity, gas, and water are often part of the management fee (관리비). In that case, ask the management office to settle the fees up to moving day.
Tenants do not owe the long-term repair reserve (장기수선충당금). If you paid it on the owner's behalf, you can claim it back from the owner when you move out.
If something breaks or goes missing
Under the dispute standard, the mover pays for damage or loss directly. If your item was insured and you received an insurance payout, the mover subtracts that amount.
Tell the mover in writing as soon as you find damage. A 2002 government policy briefing on the FTC standard terms said the mover becomes liable if you notify it of the damage within 30 days of receiving your goods, and that the mover is liable unless it proves it was not at fault. The current text of the terms may be worded differently, so do not wait to report.
If the mover will not settle:
- Call the consumer counselling line at 1372 (no area code). The Korea Consumer Agency (한국소비자원) can explain your options and help resolve the problem.
- Apply for damage relief (피해구제) at the Korea Consumer Agency.
- If that fails, take it to the Consumer Dispute Mediation Committee (소비자분쟁조정위원회).
Keep the estimate, the contract, your before-work photos, and any messages with the mover. You will need them for a claim.