Registration Requirements for a Motor Vehicle Trading Business (Used Car Dealership) — 660㎡ Display Facility and Building Use

Procedure

1. 1. Preliminary review of the site

   Check the zoning with the land use plan confirmation certificate and the building use with the building register. Also check whether the use allows a trading business and, for a knowledge industry center or a sectional-ownership commercial building, whether the management bylaws allow that type of business.

2. 2. Checking the display facility area

   The basic standard for a motor vehicle display facility is a total floor area of 660㎡ or more. Where several trading business operators share one display site, the area standard may apply differently, so decide first whether the site will be shared.

3. 3. Checking additional requirements under municipal ordinance

   Some local governments add requirements by ordinance, such as the width of the road that the display site must adjoin. Sites with the same conditions can have different outcomes in different cities, counties or districts, so check the ordinance for the location of the place of business.

4. 4. Lease contract and document preparation

   Once it is confirmed that registration is possible, sign the lease. Including a special clause in the contract stating that 'the contract is cancelled without penalty if registration of the trading business is not possible' can reduce losses. Then prepare the registration documents, such as the facility layout plan and office materials.

5. 5. Applying for registration

   Apply for registration of the motor vehicle trading business with the city, county or district (si/gun/gu) office having jurisdiction over the place of business. Start business once the registration certificate is issued after an on-site check. If you employ sales staff, have them obtain and wear a salesperson identification card issued by the federation of motor vehicle trading business associations, and have them receive the prescribed training.

Required documents

• Application for registration of motor vehicle management business
• Business plan
• Layout plan of the display facility and office, and area data
• Building register and land use plan confirmation certificate
• Proof of the right to use the facilities, such as a lease contract
• Identification documents of the representative; for a corporation, the certificate of registered matters of the corporation

Fees

The government fee for the registration application itself follows the local government's standards. In the industry, fees for handling registration range from several hundred thousand won to several million won and vary with the preliminary site review, preparation of drawings and whether the display site is shared. We will advise you after a consultation based on the materials for the candidate site.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 53
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, attached Table 21-5
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 111
• Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 59
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 123

Checked against the statutes on 2026-09-30

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

• Whether registration is possible depends on the site conditions, so check the building use, area and ordinance requirements before signing a lease.

Frequently asked questions