Foreign Tourist Urban Homestay Business Registration | Hwang Yunsang Administrative Office

Procedure

01
Check eligibility: Confirm that the house is in an urban area (excluding rural and semi-rural areas), that the building register lists it as a detached, multi-household, apartment, row or multi-family house, and that the applicant actually lives there. Renting out an entire house the applicant does not live in is not eligible.
02
Check floor area and foreign-language guidance: Use the building register to confirm that the total floor area is under 230㎡, and set up a system in which the applicant or a family member living there can give guests guidance in a foreign language.
03
Install fire safety equipment: Keep at least one fire extinguisher and install a stand-alone smoke detector in each guest room. If heating is individual, a carbon monoxide alarm is also required in each guest room to meet the registration standards.
04
Prepare the application and attachments: Attach the business plan, floor plan and layout of the facilities, and proof of the right to use the house to the tourism business registration application. Some district offices require additional documents such as residents' consent forms or safety inspection checklists for aging buildings, so check before filing.
05
Filing and review at the district office: Submit to the tourism department of the city, county or district office where the house is located; within the 14-day processing period stated on the form, the documents are reviewed and the site is checked, and a tourism business registration certificate is issued if the standards are met.
06
Post-registration management: Post the rate table at the premises and on the booking platform screen and charge only the posted rates, and complete safety and hygiene training. Installing hidden cameras for illegal filming in the lodging facility is subject to dispositions including cancellation of registration.

Filing route

City, county or district office where the house is located (tourism department)

Confirm the current filing office, jurisdiction, and online availability on the official website.

Official check

Actual processing agencyCompetent Korean authority or official service

Statutory and policy authorityCompetent Korean authority or official service

Online routeGovernment24

Deadlines & processing notes

Check deadlines and next steps against the notice, filing date, and any request for additional documents.Official check

Basic documents

Basic documents0 / 8

Tourism business registration application (Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Form No. 1)Business plan (number of guest rooms, foreign-language guidance method, operating plan)Document stating the applicant's name and resident registration number (for a foreign applicant, a document from the home country proving no grounds for disqualification)Floor plan and layout of the facilities (showing guest rooms and fire safety equipment)Proof of the right to use the house (if it cannot be confirmed by the certified copy of the register, e.g. a lease agreement)Photos of the installed fire extinguisher, stand-alone smoke detectors and carbon monoxide alarmsRate table for posting at the premises and onlineAdditional documents required by the district office (residents' consent form, safety inspection checklist for aging buildings, etc., only where required)

Accepting Korean guests outside the registered business scope of serving foreign tourists is subject to business suspension of 1 month for a first violation, 2 months for a second, 3 months for a third and cancellation of registration for a fourth.

Scope of services

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office prepares and translates documents for administrative agencies, submits them on your behalf, and guides you through permit, application, and notification procedures. Services that require the principal’s personal appearance, principal’s application, or electronic signature may be limited in delegation.