Culture & content businesses
How to Report an Art Service Business — 6 Business Types: Gallery, Auction, Advisory, Rental and Sales, Appraisal and Exhibition, 3-Day Processing
Under Article 18 of the Art Promotion Act, from July 26, 2026 anyone who wants to run a gallery business, art auction business, art advisory business, art rental and sales business, art appraisal business or art exhibition business must file an art service business report with the mayor of a special self-governing city, the governor of a special self-governing province, or the mayor, county governor or district head where the main place of business is located. Online businesses that provide services through information and communications networks are included, and only businesses whose operation involves the state, a local government or a public institution are excluded. The report uses Form No. 1 of the Enforcement Rule, processing takes 3 days, and the fee is the amount set by the local ordinance; once accepted, you receive a report certificate and post it at the place of business or on your website. Operating without reporting leads to fines from 2,000,000 won for a first violation up to 5,000,000 won, and you may be ordered to suspend or close the business.
Procedure
1. Identify which of the 6 business types applies
A gallery business discovers or develops artists and brokers, rents or sells artworks through art exhibitions, and an art auction business brokers or sells artworks through auctions. An art advisory business repeatedly provides opinions on the valuation, acquisition or disposal of artworks for profit, an art rental and sales business brokers, rents or sells artworks by means other than galleries and auctions, an art appraisal business evaluates authenticity or quality and issues appraisal reports, and an art exhibition business plans, holds or operates exhibitions. The same applies to businesses run on online platforms, and if you run several types you mark all of them on the report.
2. Check disqualifications and the right to use the premises
Minors, persons under adult guardianship, persons declared bankrupt and not reinstated, and persons without an address in Korea cannot file the report. The same applies to anyone who, in connection with an art service business, received a prison sentence, a suspended sentence or a fine for document forgery, fraud, embezzlement, breach of trust or similar offenses less than 1 year ago, and to anyone whose business closure order was less than 1 year ago; a corporation or organization whose representative, officer or auditor falls under these grounds also cannot file. If the main place of business is owned by someone else, prepare documents proving the right to use it, such as a lease agreement.
3. Complete the report and submit it to the city, county or district office
On the art service business (change) report, enter the reporting person's information, the trade name, the location of the main place of business and the business types, and submit it to the city, county or district office where the main place of business is located. The corporate register, business registration certificate and building register are checked by the official through shared use of administrative information, and if you do not consent to checking the business registration certificate you attach it yourself. Processing takes 3 days and the fee is the amount set by the local ordinance.
4. Post the certificate and keep transaction records
Once the report is accepted, you receive an art service business report certificate and must post it at the place of business or on your own website. Gallery, auction, advisory, and rental and sales businesses must keep records of the artworks they have distributed, and auction businesses must also publish hammer prices and whether payment has been completed and give advance notice when putting up artworks owned by themselves or their relatives. A buyer of an artwork may request a certificate of authenticity or an equivalent certificate.
5. Change, succession and closure reports
If you change the trade name, the location of the main place of business, the representative's name or the business types, file a change report on the same form. A person who acquires the business by transfer, inheritance or merger must file a succession report within 30 days of that date, and a business that closes must file a closure report with the certificate attached within 14 days. If you file a new report within 1 year of a closure report, you succeed to the status held before the closure.
Required documents
- Art service business (change) report (Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Form No. 1)
- Documents proving the right to use the main place of business, such as a copy of the lease agreement (only if the property is owned by someone else)
- Business registration certificate (attach directly if you do not consent to shared use of administrative information)
- Corporate register certificate (corporations) and building register certificate (checked by the official)
- Art service business succession report (Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Form No. 5) with documents proving the transfer, inheritance or merger (for succession)
- Art service business closure report (Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Form No. 4) with the report certificate (for closure)
- Letter of authorization (if submitted by an agent)
Fees
Industry range of several hundred thousand won · We quote after consultation depending on the number of business types, whether the business operates online, and whether it is a new report or a change or succession report. Government fees are separate.
Legal basis and review date
- Art Promotion Act, Article 2
- Art Promotion Act, Article 15
- Art Promotion Act, Article 16
- Art Promotion Act, Article 18
- Art Promotion Act, Article 19
- Art Promotion Act, Article 20
- Art Promotion Act, Article 33
- Art Promotion Act, Addenda (No. 19568, July 25, 2023)
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Article 10-2
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Article 10-3
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Article 10-4
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Article 10-5
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Article 16-2
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Annex 1
- Enforcement Decree of the Art Promotion Act, Annex 2
- Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Article 2
- Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Article 3
- Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Article 4
- Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Form No. 1
- Enforcement Rule of the Art Promotion Act, Form No. 5
Check these first
- Filing a report by false or other improper means, or continuing to operate in violation of a business suspension order, is subject to business closure, and after a closure order you cannot file a new report for 1 year.
- If a gallery, auction, advisory, or rental and sales business violates Article 15, Paragraph 5 of the same Act, for example by not keeping records of artworks it has distributed, the disposition standard is a warning for a first violation, 10 days of business suspension for a second, 1 month for a third and 3 months for a fourth or later.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to file an art service business report if I broker or sell artworks online?
What happens if I do not file an art service business report?
How long does an art service business report take and where is it filed?
Do I need to file a new report if I take over a gallery?
Does an administrative agent handle art service business reports?
Contact us
Hwang Yunsang Administrative Office in Songdo, Incheon prepares and submits administrative documents and explains the procedure. If your situation is similar, send us a message.
📍 2697, 26F POSCO Tower-Songdo, 165 Convensia-daero, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, Republic of Korea · 📞 010-3374-2687 · 🌐 hwangadmin.com
This guide is general information based on public sources. Requirements, documents and deadlines differ by case and by the competent agency, so please confirm them before you proceed.