How to Register Your Pet in Korea (동물등록제)

Dog registration in Korea is not a nice-to-have admin step. It is the core ownership record used when a dog is lost, transferred, or reported dead.

This guide keeps to the official baseline. Private vet clinics, online vendors, and local offices may charge or operate differently, so confirm the current device cost and paperwork with the place where you register.

Which animals must be registered

Easy Law defines target registration animals as dogs aged 2 months or older in these main situations:

• Dogs kept in housing or semi-housing.
• Dogs kept for companionship outside housing.
• Certain animal-production-business dogs aged 12 months or older.

The National Animal Protection Information System says Korea's animal registration system has been mandatory since January 1, 2014. Seoul's 2026 notice summarizes the registration target as dogs aged 2 months or older.

Cats are different. Seoul's 2026 notice says cats can be selectively registered with an internal device. animal.go.kr's FAQ describes cats as part of a pilot program and says cats can only be registered internally. Do not assume the dog fine rules apply to an unregistered cat.

Two registration methods

animal.go.kr lists two registration methods:

1. Internal wireless identification device insertion (내장형 무선식별장치 개체 삽입).
2. External wireless identification device attachment (외장형 무선식별장치 부착).

animal.go.kr's FAQ lists the official fees as:

Those are official fees. The device itself is separate: animal.go.kr's FAQ says the owner directly buys or brings the wireless identification device or registration tag. A clinic or vendor may quote more than the official fee because the quote includes the device or procedure.

First registration is in person

For first registration, animal.go.kr says you must visit with the animal because a wireless identification device must be attached or inserted. It also says some local ordinances require registration through designated agencies, so if you want to register directly at a city, county, or district office, check first whether that office accepts direct registration.

The most practical path is usually:

1. Choose internal chip or external device.
2. Call a designated vet clinic, registration agency, or local office.
3. Ask what ID and address information they need for a foreign resident.
4. Visit with the dog.
5. Keep the registration certificate or number.

The registration portal is at animal.go.kr, but first-time registration still depends on the animal's identification device being attached or inserted.

To find a clinic that can handle the chip and registration, Seoulstart's vet directory lists English-speaking vets and animal hospitals you can browse by area.

Seoul's 2026 amnesty windows

Seoul's 2026 notice lists two voluntary self-reporting windows:

The same Seoul notice says unregistered owners can face an administrative fine of up to ₩1,000,000. If your dog is not registered and you are in Seoul, use the amnesty period rather than waiting for an enforcement check.

Outside Seoul, ask your city, county, or district office whether a local self-reporting period is open.

Change reports

Registration is not a one-time task. Seoul's 2026 notice lists these reporting windows:

Within 10 days

• The registered animal is lost.

Within 30 days

• The owner changes.
• The owner's resident-registration number, name, address, or phone number changes.
• The registered animal dies.
• A lost registered animal is found again.
• An external collar tag is lost or damaged and needs reissue.
• The animal is no longer being kept in Korea.

animal.go.kr also says changes can be reported through a city, county, or district office, Government 24, or the National Animal Protection Information System.

If your registered dog dies, the death report is separate from the legal handling of the remains. See when your pet dies in Korea.

Cats

Cat registration is useful, but it is not the same as dog registration. Seoul's 2026 notice says cats can be selectively registered with an internal device. animal.go.kr's FAQ says cats are in a pilot program and can only be registered internally.

If your cat is already registered, ask your district office or animal.go.kr how to update the record after a move, transfer, or death.

Foreign microchips

If your dog was already microchipped before entering Korea, animal.go.kr's FAQ says a foreign-implanted internal wireless identification number can be registered if it matches the legal specifications. The system must also confirm, through the overseas animal registration-number lookup, that the animal was microchipped and legally entered Korea.

Bring your import records and ask the registering clinic or office to scan the chip. If the chip cannot be read or does not match the required format, the office may tell you to attach or insert a Korean registration device.

Quick checklist

Before first registration:

• Confirm your dog is a registration target.
• Choose internal chip or external device.
• Call the clinic, agency, or local office and ask what ID and address information they need.
• Bring the dog to the appointment.
• Ask whether the quote includes only the official fee or also the device/procedure cost.

After registration:

• Keep the registration number.
• Report loss within 10 days.
• Report owner, address, phone, death, recovery, tag-reissue, or Korea-departure changes within 30 days.
• If you use an external device, replace it promptly if it is lost or damaged.

@misc{seoulstart-pet-registration-korea,
  author = {{Seoulstart Editorial Team}},
  title = {{How to Register Your Pet in Korea (동물등록제)}},
  year = {2026},
  publisher = {Seoulstart},
  url = {https://seoulstart.com/guides/pet-registration-korea},
  note = {Last updated June 6, 2026}
}