I-EUMLiving in Korea

Protecting Your Jeonse (전세) and Wolse (월세) Deposit

This page is machine translated from Ieumi's guide written in Korean. If the meaning is confusing, please look at the Korean original text. View original text (Korean)

Foreigners receive the same protection as a moving-in report (전입신고). However, you must follow the correct order.

📌 Key points

Foreigner Registration (외국인등록) and Notification of Change of Residence (체류지 변경신고) replace Resident Registration (주민등록) and Moving-in Notification (전입신고). You get the same opposable power (대항력) under the Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법).

🔢 Do these in order

  1. Before signing the contract — Check the owner and mortgage (근저당) on the Certified Copy of Register (등기부등본).
  2. When signing the contract — Add a special clause: 'No mortgage will be set until 0:00 on the day after reporting the change of residence (체류지 변경신고).'
  3. On the morning of paying the balance — Check the Certified Copy of Register (등기부등본) again.
    ⚠️ A new mortgage (근저당) may have been added after signing the contract.
  4. Pay the balance, move in, report the change of residence (체류지 변경신고), and get a fixed date (확정일자) all on the same day.
  5. Your legal protection (대항력) takes effect at 0:00 the next day.
  6. Check the Certified Copy of Register (등기부등본) one more time the next day.

📍 Where to go

File your move-in report and get the fixed date at your local community service center

⚠️ Things to watch out for

If your deposit is not returned, consult HUG at 1566-9009 (weekdays 9am–6pm).

See also

Basis

  • 대법원 2019-04-11 선고 2015다254507 (법제처 국가법령정보센터 판례) https://www.law.go.kr/LSW/precInfoP.do?precSeq=207117 — 외국인등록 · 체류지 변경신고는 주민등록과 같은 효과(대항력)
  • 주택임대차보호법 제3조 (법제처 — 현행 시행 2026-01-02 판으로 2026-10-05 대조 · 대항력은 다음 날 0시)
  • 찾기쉬운 생활법령 「주택임대차 — 대항력 · 확정일자」 (2026-09-15 기준) https://easylaw.go.kr/CSP/CnpClsMain.laf?popMenu=ov&csmSeq=629&ccfNo=2&cciNo=3&cnpClsNo=1
  • 관계부처 합동 전세사기 방지 대책 (정책브리핑 2026-03-10) https://www.korea.kr/news/policyNewsView.do?newsId=148960599 — 근저당은 접수 즉시 · 대항력을 「전입신고 처리 시」로 앞당기는 개정 계획(Claude 직접 대조)
  • 서울시 미디어허브 (2025-10-14) https://mediahub.seoul.go.kr/archives/2015838 — 계약 전 · 잔금 직전 · 잔금 뒤 등기부 확인
  • HUG 콜센터 https://www.khug.or.kr/hug/web/cs/go/csgo000029.jsp (2026-10-05 확인) — 1566-9009 평일 9~18시

This content was checked on 2026-10-05.

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