SORA RENTAL NOTE · 10
Changing your deposit or rent?
Does a renewed lease need another report?
When renewing a studio lease near Korea University, first check whether the deposit or monthly rent has changed. A renewal that meets the reporting area's and amount thresholds must be reported when the amount changes. A renewal that only extends the term at the same deposit and rent is excluded.
Understand it with a comic
Compare the deposit, monthly rent and term with the previous agreement.
A renewal that keeps the same deposit and monthly rent is excluded from rental contract reporting.
Check whether the renewal or change is reportable, then file within 30 days of the applicable starting date.
Check your reporting certificate and whether a fixed date was granted. Confirm address reporting separately.
These scenes illustrate common situations. Read the article below for the detailed conditions and exceptions.
THE SHORT ANSWER
Report a change in the amount. A term-only extension is excluded.
- 01
Report a renewal with a different deposit or monthly rent.
For a reportable residential lease in Seoul, if you agree to increase or decrease the deposit or monthly rent on renewal, the general rule is to report within 30 days of concluding the renewal agreement.
- 02
File a change report if the amount changes during an already reported lease.
If you change the deposit, rent or other reportable lease price during the contract term after the original report, file a change report within 30 days of the date the change is finalized.
- 03
A renewal that only extends the term at the same deposit and rent is excluded.
The Enforcement Decree excludes contracts that only extend the lease term without increasing or decreasing the deposit or rent. The same distinction applies when you exercise your statutory right to request renewal.
Check the area and amount thresholds for Korea University studios too. Seoul is a reporting area. The amount threshold is met if the deposit exceeds KRW 60 million or monthly rent exceeds KRW 300,000. Exceeding either threshold is enough.
CASE BY CASE
Find the situation that matches your contract.
- Refundable deposit
- Monthly rent
- Duration
| Situation | Reporting requirement | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit or rent changes on renewal | Report required — if the renewal meets the area and amount thresholds | Within 30 days of concluding the renewal agreement |
| Deposit or rent changes during the lease term | Change report required — for a price change to an already reported lease | Within 30 days of the date the change is finalized |
| Only the term is extended; deposit and rent stay the same | Excluded from reporting | No new reporting deadline |
| Implied renewal on the same terms | Generally no new rental report | Check again if you later agree to change the amount |
| Statutory renewal request plus an amount change | Report required | Within 30 days of concluding the renewal agreement |
| Statutory renewal request with unchanged amounts | Excluded if only the term is extended | No new reporting deadline |
The 30 days run from concluding the agreement or finalizing the change, not from moving in. A contract may be legally concluded before the written document is signed, for example when the property, rent and term have been agreed and a contract deposit has been paid. Do not simply assume a later paperwork date is the starting date.
KOREA UNIVERSITY ROOM EXAMPLES
Three examples from studio rentals.
- Existing lease
- Changed / renewed lease
- Rental contract report
Monthly rent: KRW 650,000 → 680,000
If the monthly rent for your Anam studio changes on renewal, the renewal is reportable. Count 30 days from concluding the renewal agreement.
One more year at the same deposit and rent
A renewal that only extends the term without changing the amounts is excluded. This is also a separate issue from whether an address-registration report is needed.
Only the deposit changes mid-lease
If the deposit under your already reported Korea University studio lease changes during the term, check the requirement to file a change report within 30 days of finalizing that change.
Read what changed, not just the document's title.
- Calling a document an “extension,” “new contract” or “renewal” does not by itself determine whether a report is required.
- Compare the deposit and monthly rent with the previous agreement.
- If it is unclear whether something counts as a change in the lease price, such as a change in management fees alone, take the contract to the competent community center or ask the rental-reporting call center.
- Separately check the Housing Lease Protection Act's limits on how much and how often rent or the deposit may be increased.
PRACTICAL CHECKLIST
Four checks after renewing your lease.
- Changed / renewed lease
- Rental contract report
- Certified contract date
- PAST REPORT
Check your previous rental report.
Use the Real Estate Transaction Management System to find the reported details and receipt number.
- COMPARE
Compare the old and new deposit and rent.
Check whether either amount changed and identify the date the change was agreed or the renewal agreement was concluded.
- 30 DAYS
Count from the renewal agreement or finalized change.
Prepare for the deadline from the relevant agreement date. Do not wait until moving in or until the new lease term starts.
- FILE & KEEP
Report online or at the community center for the property.
Use the Real Estate Transaction Management System or the competent eup, myeon or dong community center. Keep the reporting certificate or processing result with the contract.
Reporting is a joint obligation, but one person can complete the procedure. Landlord and tenant are generally required to report jointly. However, a report signed or sealed by one party, with the lease and other required supporting documents, may be accepted as a joint report. Another option is to submit the lease itself if it contains the required reporting information and the parties' signatures or seals (Enforcement Rule, Article 6-2(3) and (9)). If you are making a unilateral report because the other party refuses to cooperate, check the separate requirements, including a statement explaining the reason.
FAQ
Common renewal questions
We signed a new document, but the deposit and rent are unchanged. Must we report?
A renewal that only extends the term without increasing or decreasing the deposit or monthly rent is excluded even if you sign a new document. What matters is whether the amounts actually changed, not the document's title.
Do we need another report after an implied renewal?
An implied renewal on the same terms generally does not require a new rental report. If you later agree to change the deposit or rent, check that change's reporting requirement separately.
I exercised my statutory right to request renewal, and the rent increased.
Because the renewed lease has a different monthly rent, it must be reported within 30 days of concluding the renewal agreement if the area and amount thresholds are met. Whether the statutory renewal right was exercised is also part of the reported information.
Does renewing the lease mean I must register my address again?
If you continue living in the same home and your registered address is unchanged, renewing the lease alone does not require a new move-in address report. Address registration and rental contract reporting are separate procedures. Registered foreign residents use the applicable immigration address procedure, rather than the Korean citizen resident-registration procedure.
What if I do not report?
Failing to report a reportable contract or change by the deadline, or filing a false report, may lead to an administrative fine. The amount and any reduction depend on the circumstances, such as the delay, contract value and voluntary reporting. Check your case with the reporting authority.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Official materials checked on October 3, 2026.
- Korean Law Information Center · Act on Report on Real Estate Transactions, Etc. Article 6-2: new and renewed leases; Article 6-3: price changes and the 30-day deadline↗
- Korean Law Information Center · Enforcement Decree Article 4-3: deposit over KRW 60 million or rent over KRW 300,000; exclusion for term-only extensions with unchanged amounts↗
- Korean Law Information Center · Enforcement Rule Report contents, joint and unilateral reports, and filing procedures↗
- Ministry of Government Legislation · Easy Law Official guidance on reporting areas, amount thresholds and methods↗
- MOLIT · Real Estate Transaction Management System Report a residential lease and check reporting history↗
- Enforcement Rule, Article 6-2 Joint reporting, supporting documents submitted by one party, and submission of the lease itself
This is general information based on legislation and official guidance checked on October 3, 2026, not legal advice. Reporting requirements can depend on the property's actual use and location, the deposit and rent, when the contract or change was agreed, and the type of agreement. For your contract, have the lease and previous reporting certificate ready and ask the Real Estate Transaction Management System, the community center for the property or the residential lease reporting call center (1533-2949).