Worried you’ll be fined if you don’t report your short-term rental?
If you’re booking a room through a short-term rental platform like Samsam M2 or plott LIFE, you may have seen that failing to report your lease can lead to a fine—and felt a little alarmed.
“I’m only staying for a month. Do I still need to report it?”
“What if I miss it and get fined?”
Whether you need to report your lease depends on the deposit and rent, the location, and why you’re staying.
Here’s what to check before signing a short-term rental contract, based on guidance from the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and the Real Estate Transaction Management System.
First, check the rental reporting rules
Which leases need to be reported?
Residential leases must be reported if the deposit is over ₩60,000,000 or the monthly rent is over ₩300,000.
A deposit of exactly ₩60,000,000 or rent of exactly ₩300,000 doesn’t meet the threshold—you must exceed either amount.
Some counties in provincial areas outside Gyeonggi-do may be exempt. If your rental is in one of these areas, check with the local district office.
You must report the lease within 30 days of signing.
Guidance says both the landlord and tenant should sign or stamp the report.
For example, if you sign on October 1, your report is due by October 31.
How much is the fine for not reporting?
The grace period ended on June 1, 2025. You may be fined if you don’t report your lease or report it late.
Late-reporting fines depend on the contract amount and how late you file.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport says it lowered the maximum fine for late reporting from ₩1,000,000 to ₩300,000.
Fine rules can change, so check the current amount before reporting.
Sources: Real Estate Transaction Management System service guide, Easy-to-Find Life Legal Information, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport press release (April 2025) (checked October 2026)
Are short-term leases exempt?
Do I need to report a short-term rental?
A short stay isn’t automatically exempt. A 2021 Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport press release says:
Short-term leases for clearly temporary stays, such as a business trip or an experience stay, are exempt if you have a registered primary residence elsewhere.
It also says local governments may waive the fine for these cases, even if the lease wasn’t reported.
This may apply to temporary stays when you have another home, such as during a business trip or home renovation. If you’re moving to a new place, check whether your short-term lease meets the reporting criteria.
How does the ₩300,000 monthly-rent threshold apply to weekly stays?
Short-term rentals often charge by the week or day, so it’s not always clear how the “over ₩300,000 monthly rent” rule applies.
Whether a platform-based short-term rental counts as a residential lease that needs reporting may also depend on how the contract is structured.
For an accurate answer, call the reporting help line (1533-2949, weekdays 9:00–18:00, press 1 for residential lease reports) and explain your contract terms.
This article provides general information only. For legal advice, contact the Korea Legal Aid Corporation (132) or a qualified professional.
Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport press release (2021 guide to the residential lease reporting system), Real Estate Transaction Management System (checked October 2026)
Lease reporting and moving-in registration are different
Are lease reporting and moving-in registration the same?
No, they’re separate processes.
Moving-in registration updates your address in the resident registry. Lease reporting records the details of your rental contract.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport says that submitting your lease contract with the report automatically gives it a fixed date stamp, at no charge.
For short-term rentals, some rooms allow moving-in registration and others don’t.
The host decides for each listing—not the platform.
At plott LIFE, company-managed listings don’t support moving-in registration. For listings from individual hosts, the host decides.
Sources: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport press release; official guidance from Samsam M2 and plott LIFE (as of 2026)
What to check before signing
① Check whether your deposit or monthly rent exceeds the threshold (deposit over ₩60,000,000 or rent over ₩300,000)
② Check whether the property is in a covered area
③ Confirm whether you’re staying temporarily while keeping another home or moving to a new residence
④ If you need to report the lease, both parties must sign. Ask the host in chat if they can help
⑤ If anything’s unclear, check with the reporting help line (1533-2949) or the local community service center where the property is located
Your reporting deadline depends on when the contract is completed
You have 30 days from the contract date to report, so it helps to know when your booking is officially complete.
Date used to calculate the reporting deadline | Samsam M2 | plott LIFE |
|---|
When the contract is complete | After the host approves and you pay; the contract is complete once payment goes through | Instant-confirmation rooms are confirmed when you book. For other individual-host listings, the contract is complete once the host approves after payment. |
Check with your district office or the help line to confirm which date legally counts as the contract date.
On plott LIFE, look for “Instant confirmation” in the room listings to find rooms that confirm right away.
Not all rooms offer instant confirmation, so check the booking method on the listing page first.
Sources: Official guidance from Samsam M2 and plott LIFE (as of 2026)
FAQ — Reporting a short-term rental
Q. Which leases need to be reported?
A. Residential leases with a deposit over ₩60,000,000 or monthly rent over ₩300,000 must be reported.
You have 30 days from the contract date to file.
Q. Do I need to report a short-term rental?
A. A short stay isn’t automatically exempt.
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport says short-term leases for clearly temporary stays may be exempt if you have a registered primary residence elsewhere.
Check with the reporting help line (1533-2949) to see if your platform-based rental qualifies.
Q. What happens if I miss the reporting deadline?
A. You may be fined.
Late-reporting fines depend on the contract amount and how late you file. The Ministry says it lowered the maximum fine to ₩300,000.
Q. Does reporting my lease also give it a fixed date stamp?
A. Yes. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport says submitting your lease contract with the report automatically gives it a fixed date stamp, at no charge.
Check the details with your district office or the help line.
Q. Are lease reporting and moving-in registration the same?
A. No, they’re separate processes.
Moving-in registration updates your address in the resident registry. Lease reporting records your contract details.
Q. Can I register my address at a plott LIFE listing from an individual host?
A. The host decides for each listing. Company-managed listings don’t support moving-in registration.
Know your contract date before you get started
Your reporting deadline starts from the contract date, so knowing when your booking is complete makes it easier to calculate.
While you wait for approval on Samsam M2, take a look at rooms on plott LIFE that confirm instantly.
plott LIFE — Short-term rentals made simple
Company-managed listings from ₩0 deposit · Flexible stays of 7 days or more · All-in-one monthly rent · Fully furnished studios
