Manufacturer Registration and Self-Certification for Direct Vehicle Imports — Requirements to Check Before Importing Electric Vehicles

Procedure

1. 1. Define the form of import

   The documents and the certification method differ depending on whether you import as the domestic agent of a foreign manufacturer, import vehicles of a manufacturer that has been assigned a vehicle identification number (VIN) marking code, or import directly in small quantities. First decide the vehicle category (passenger car, bus or van, truck, or special-purpose vehicle) and the number of vehicles you plan to import per year.

2. 2. Apply for registration as a motor vehicle manufacturer, etc.

   Submit the application for registration as a motor vehicle manufacturer, etc. to the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, attaching the production scale, a copy of the VIN marking code assignment certificate received from the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) or the highest annual production record of the same type in the most recent 3 years, and details of the safety standard testing facilities and safety inspection facilities secured. To sell the vehicles, also submit details of, or a plan for, securing after-sales service facilities and technical personnel.

3. 3. Determine self-certification capability

   Self-certification capability is recognized only when the manufacturer has been assigned a VIN marking code, manufactures 2,500 or more vehicles per year or 500 or more vehicles of the same type per year, and has safety standard testing facilities for each vehicle category. An importer that, as the domestic agent of the original foreign manufacturer, has submitted a contract on the correction of manufacturing defects is deemed to have the capability.

4. 4. Technical review and safety inspection

   If the self-certification capability requirements are not met, self-certification is carried out after undergoing a technical review and a safety inspection by the performance testing agent on matters such as measurement of specifications, weight distribution and the safety of the running gear. After certification, give notice of the vehicle specifications and affix the self-certification mark to the vehicle.

5. 5. Related certifications and registration

   Certification related to exhaust emissions and noise and confirmation of eligibility for electric vehicle subsidies are procedures separate from self-certification, so schedule them separately. A vehicle that has completed certification can be operated after new registration.

Required documents

• Application for Registration or Change of a Motor Vehicle Manufacturer, etc. and Reissuance of the Registration Certificate
• Motor vehicle production scale (manufacturing and assembly records for the most recent 3 years)
• Copy of the VIN marking code assignment certificate (importers) or the highest annual production record of the same type
• Details of the safety standard testing facilities and motor vehicle safety inspection facilities secured
• For a domestic agent: the contract containing matters on the correction of manufacturing defects (if in a foreign language, attach a notarized Korean translation)
• Details of, or a plan for, securing after-sales service facilities and technical personnel (when selling)
• Business registration certificate or corporate register certificate (if you do not consent to the shared use of administrative information)

Fees

In the industry, fees for preparing manufacturer registration and self-certification documents start from around several hundred thousand won and vary widely with the number of vehicle models and the scope of the technical review. We will advise you of the fee after reviewing your import plan in a consultation.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 30
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 32
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 33
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 34
• Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 35

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-03

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

• If the customs clearance and certification schedules do not match, the vehicles end up sitting in storage for longer. Check the registration and certification schedule before signing the contract.

Frequently asked questions