Is Airbnb Legal in South Korea? 2026 Rules, Permits & Taxes

Registration required

Yes

Taxes on a stay

10%

Fine for hosting without a permit

Up to ₩20,000,000

Next rule change

Nov 12, 2026

The rules in brief

Who needs it

An individual who lives in a house or apartment in an urban area and rents rooms to foreign tourists. Rural and semi-rural areas use the rural homestay report; companies cannot apply.^1,3,8,9,22

Issued by

The district head (구청장), city head or county head where the home is located, under the Tourism Promotion Act

Valid for

The fee schedule has a new-registration fee and a change-registration fee but no renewal fee, and changes to registered details must be filed as a change registration.

Processing

14 days in total

On listings

The number must appear on every listing

Platform checks

Airbnb requires accommodation licence details for every Korean listing: new listings since October 2024 and existing listings by 16 October 2025, after which listings without them cannot accept bookings. Under the Public Health Control Act, platforms must check the lodging notification certificate of general lodging (숙박업) hosts from 12 November 2026.

Fees

Who qualifies

• The host is a resident of an urban area and lives in the home being registered.
• The home is a detached, multi-family, apartment, row or multi-household house; officetels and neighbourhood commercial buildings are not accepted.
• Total floor area is under 230 m².
• The host can give guidance in foreign languages (translation apps and similar aids count since October 2025).
• At least one fire extinguisher, plus a unit-type smoke alarm in every guest room and a carbon monoxide alarm where heating is individual.
• A price list is posted at the home and on any online listing, and the posted prices are charged.
• Apartment rules (관리규약) that require management consent are met.

How to apply

1. 1 Check that the home qualifies: an urban-area house or apartment under 230 m² in which you are a registered resident.
2. 2 Submit the application form with a business plan, your name and resident registration number, a floor plan, and proof of ownership or a lease to the district, city or county tourism office; apartments may also need the consent the building rules require.
3. 3 An officer reviews the documents and visits the home; the registration certificate is issued about 14 days after the application.
4. 4 Once registered, obtain a business registration certificate (사업자등록증) from the tax office; no separate lodging notification is needed.

Permit rules

Post a price list and charge it

From 4 August 2026 a registered urban homestay must post a price list at the home and on any online listing and charge the posted prices; a first breach brings a 5-day suspension.^2,10 Applies to: urban homestay hosts · In force since August 4, 2026

Business hosts show registration numbers

Business hosts in Korea must display their business name, address, contact details, business registration number and e-commerce number on every listing.²³ Applies to: business hosts

Airbnb requires licence details

New Airbnb listings have needed accommodation licence details since October 2024, and listings created earlier had to submit them by 16 October 2025 or stop accepting bookings until they do.²² In force since October 16, 2025

Platforms must check lodging certificates from 12 November 2026

From 12 November 2026 online platforms may not broker a general lodging (숙박업) booking unless they have checked the host's lodging notification certificate.⁵ Applies to: general lodging hosts · Takes effect November 12, 2026

Everything else needs a lodging notification

A home that does not fit the homestay, rural homestay or hanok routes can only be run as a general (숙박업) lodging business, which must be notified to the district head with the facilities the Ministry sets.^5,6 Applies to: second homes and other lodging

Registered homestays need no lodging notification

A registered urban homestay, hanok experience business or rural homestay is excluded from the general lodging definition, so it needs no separate lodging notification.⁶ Applies to: registered homestays

Rural homestay report

Owner-residents of rural and semi-rural areas report a rural homestay to the city, county or district head, who must reply within 10 days.⁷ Applies to: rural homeowners

Rural homestays post the certificate and prices

Rural homestay hosts must post the report certificate and a price list where guests can see them.⁷ Applies to: rural homeowners

Hanok stays register as hanok experience businesses

A traditional hanok can be registered as a hanok experience business; the space used for overnight stays must be under 230 m² unless the hanok is a designated heritage building or in a hanok village named by local ordinance.² Applies to: hanok owners

The host must live in the home

The urban homestay is defined as a resident of an urban area renting out the home they live in. A second home, an investment flat or a home the host does not live in cannot be registered.¹

Foreign tourists only

A registered urban homestay may host foreign tourists. Renting to Korean residents is outside the registration, except for village-enterprise homestays in designated urban regeneration areas.^1,25 Applies to: urban homestay hosts

Individuals only, no companies

Seoul's guide states that the registration cannot be held in a company's name and must be in the name of an individual registered as resident at the address.⁸ Applies to: urban homestay hosts

Urban areas only

The urban homestay covers urban zones; rural and semi-rural areas under the Rural Development Act are excluded and use the rural homestay report instead.¹

Eligible house types

Detached and multi-family houses, apartments, row houses and multi-household houses qualify. Seoul's guide excludes officetels and neighbourhood commercial buildings.^1,8 Applies to: urban homestay hosts

Officetels and goshiwons are not allowed

Airbnb does not permit officetels (studio-type business facilities) or goshiwons as listings anywhere in Korea, and hosting in them can lead to enforcement action.²²

Homes over 30 years old can qualify

Since October 2025 a home more than 30 years past building approval can be registered if it meets the safety rules of the Building Act and the Building Management Act.¹¹ Applies to: urban homestay hosts · In force since October 10, 2025

Apartment rules may require consent

Where an apartment's management rules require the management body's consent for a homestay, the application needs the consent form. Consent scope varies by council and building.²⁵ Applies to: apartment and multi-household hosts

Rural homestay: own it and live in it

A rural homestay host must be a rural or semi-rural resident who has lived in the district for six months, in a detached house they own, with limited exceptions for long-term tenants.⁷ Applies to: rural homeowners

1. 1. Seoul

   Seoul

   Seoul urban homestays are registered with the district (자치구) tourism office, which reviews the papers and visits the home before issuing the certificate. Seoul's guide lists detached, multi-family, apartment, row and multi-household houses and excludes officetels and neighbourhood commercial buildings. The guide was last edited in February 2019, so the national standards above take precedence.⁸

   • Apply to your district head (구청장); companies cannot apply
   • Home under 230 m² in which the applicant actually lives
   • Officetels and neighbourhood commercial buildings cannot be registered
   • Review and site visit by the district tourism office, then a registration certificate

2. 2. Jeju

   Jeju Special Self-Governing Province

   Jeju layers a voluntary safety certification on top of the national rural homestay (농어촌민박) report. The administrative city mayor or township head certifies a homestay that has been reported and operating for at least three months and scores 80 points or more on a 15-item check, and certified homes can borrow up to KRW 40 million in running funds and KRW 50 million for repairs.¹²

   • Certification applies only to homestays already reported under the Rural Development Act and open for 3 months
   • The reporter must live in the house and run it personally
   • Requirements include security cameras, safety training and fire insurance
   • Applications go to the Jeju-si or Seogwipo-si farm office for town districts (동), or to the township (읍·면) office

3. 3. Jeonju-si

   Jeonbuk State

   Jeonju Hanok Village has around 160 hanok stays clustered together, and its hanok experience businesses (한옥체험업) are registered under the Tourism Promotion Act. The city has awarded a 'Hanok Star' quality seal to hanok experience businesses and restaurants in the village since 2020.^13,14

   • About 160 hanok stays are clustered in the village
   • Stays register as hanok experience businesses under the Tourism Promotion Act
   • Stay space under 230 m² under the national standard, with exceptions for heritage hanok and hanok villages named by ordinance
   • City quality seal 'Hanok Star' for stays and restaurants since 2020

4. 4. Busan

   Busan Metropolitan City

   Busan's districts keep the registers of urban homestays (Yeongdo-gu lists its registered homes in a public directory), and Gijang-gun publishes the register of rural homestays. Yeongdo-gu posted a self-inspection checklist for urban homestays on 27 May 2026. The city's special judicial police announced a crackdown on unregistered lodging around Haeundae, Songjeong and Dadaepo for 7 July to 14 August 2025, with criminal charges and fines for violators.^15,16,17,18

   • Urban homestays appear in district directories, for example Yeongdo-gu's, under foreign tourist urban homestay
   • Gijang-gun publishes a register of its rural homestays (농어촌민박)
   • Yeongdo-gu posted an urban homestay self-inspection checklist on 27 May 2026
   • City crackdown on unregistered lodging near Haeundae, Songjeong and Dadaepo, 7 July to 14 August 2025

5. 5. Gangneung-si

   Gangwon State

   Gangneung takes rural homestay (농어촌민박) reports at the public health centre's hygiene division, free of charge. The home must be a detached or multi-family house under 230 m², in a township area outside agricultural promotion zones or, in urban neighbourhoods (동), outside residential, commercial and industrial zones except in fishing villages. An owner must have been registered as living in Gangneung for six months before filing and a tenant for three years, and a tenant must keep the business running for two years.¹⁹

   • Township (읍·면) homes qualify outside agricultural promotion zones
   • Urban neighbourhood (동) homes: not in residential, commercial, industrial or agricultural promotion zones, except residential zones in fishing villages
   • Detached or multi-family house with a floor area under 230 m²
   • Resident registration in Gangneung: owner 6 months before filing, tenant 3 years; a tenant keeps the business for 2 years

6. 6. Gyeongju-si

   North Gyeongsang Province

   Gyeongju is the clearest local example of the village-enterprise exception: on 11 March 2024 the city gave four 'village hotels' in Hwangchon the special case that lets a foreign tourist urban homestay also take Korean guests, the first in North Gyeongsang and the second in Korea. The exception covers only village enterprises set up under an urban regeneration plan, and foreign guests keep priority. Other Gyeongju hosts follow the national routes described above.^1,20

   • Village enterprises set up under an urban regeneration plan may host Korean guests in a foreign tourist urban homestay
   • Four Hwangchon village hotels received the special case on 11 March 2024, first in North Gyeongsang and second in Korea
   • Nine more village hotels, including Gyeongju Mansion and Hwango Yeonga, were preparing to register in the first half of 2024
   • The exception applies to village enterprises only, so individual hosts stay foreign-guest only

7. 7. Yeosu-si

   South Jeolla Province

   Yeosu publishes a list of lodgings that file their room rates with the city in advance, and the 2026 list shows 200 businesses, 11 of them minbak (home stays). The list sets three rate seasons: spring (1 April to 30 May), summer peak (15 July to 20 August) and autumn (1 September to 30 October), with weekend rates on public holidays and from 31 December to 1 January. Hosts register under the national routes described above; the advance rate list is the local layer on the city's tourism site.²¹

   • 2026 advance rate-filing list: 200 businesses, 11 of them minbak
   • Spring season 1 April to 30 May; autumn season 1 September to 30 October
   • Summer peak season 15 July to 20 August
   • Weekend rates apply on public holidays and from 31 December to 1 January

Floor area under 230 m²

The total floor area of the home must be under 230 m². The cap applies to the whole home the host lives in, not just the rooms let.² Applies to: urban homestay hosts

No annual night cap or minimum stay in the standards

The registration standards cover floor area, language service, fire safety devices and a posted price list. They set no annual night cap, minimum stay or guest limit.² Applies to: urban homestay hosts

Extinguisher and alarms

Hosts need at least one fire extinguisher, a unit-type smoke alarm in every guest room and, where heating is individual, a carbon monoxide alarm.² Applies to: urban homestay hosts

Foreign-language guidance, eased in 2025

Hosts must be able to guide guests in foreign languages. Since October 2025 a host who uses translation apps or similar aids to give guests real guidance can meet this test.¹¹ Applies to: urban homestay hosts · In force since October 10, 2025

Keep a guest stay register

Airbnb's host checklist lists a guest stay register (숙박일지) that officers can ask to see during inspections.²⁵ Applies to: urban homestay hosts

What the host still handles

• Business registration (사업자등록) with the tax office once the homestay is registered
• VAT registration and returns: quarterly, due 25 April, 25 July, 25 October and 25 January, or twice a year for a small business with under KRW 48 million of revenue in the preceding year
• An online sales business report (통신판매업 신고) when the E-Commerce Act thresholds are met^8,23,24

• Running a lodging business without the required notification: up to 2 years in prison or a fine of up to KRW 20 million, and the district head can order the premises closed.⁵
• Price list not posted or posted prices not charged: a 5-day suspension for a first breach of the urban homestay rules, rising to 15 days, 1 month and then cancellation of the registration.¹⁰
• Business details missing or false on a listing: a fine of up to KRW 10 million and/or an administrative penalty of up to KRW 5 million under the E-Commerce Act.²³
• Airbnb listings that miss the licence submission deadline cannot accept bookings until the licence is submitted.²²

1. February 1, 2027 Upcoming
   Urban homestays move into the Tourism Promotion Act with new duties

   Registered urban homestay and hanok experience hosts must take safety and hygiene training and may not install hidden cameras, and a conviction for specified sex or prostitution offences bars a person from operating one.⁴

2. November 12, 2026 Upcoming
   Platforms must check lodging notification certificates

   Under a new article 4-2 of the Public Health Control Act, online platforms may not broker a general lodging booking without checking the host's lodging notification certificate.⁵

3. August 4, 2026
   Price list duty and 5-day suspension for urban homestays

   An amended Tourism Promotion Act decree, promulgated 4 August 2026 and effective at once, makes posting and charging a price list a registration standard for urban homestays and suspends the business for 5 days on a first breach.^2,10

4. July 28, 2026
   Price pre-notification scheme planned

   The government announced plans for a pre-notified maximum price scheme for lodging and for sanctions on unilateral booking cancellations, with no date set.¹⁰

5. July 14, 2026
   Price-list suspensions start for general lodging

   A revised Public Health Control Act enforcement rule took effect on 14 July 2026, giving general and living-type lodging a 5-day suspension for a first price-list breach.¹⁰

6. October 16, 2025
   Airbnb deadline for existing listings

   Listings created before 2 October 2024 had to submit their accommodation licence by 16 October 2025; those that did not cannot accept bookings until they do.²²

7. October 10, 2025
   Older homes and translation aids accepted for urban homestays

   The Ministry revised its urban homestay guidance so that homes over 30 years old can register if they are safe, and hosts using translation apps can meet the foreign-language test.¹¹

8. October 2024
   Airbnb requires licence details for new Korean listings

   From October 2024 spaces listed on Airbnb for the first time in Korea must submit accommodation licence information to start hosting.²²

Estimate what a home could earn

1. 1. Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act (관광진흥법 시행령), effective 4 August 2026 · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
2. 2. Tourism Promotion Act Enforcement Decree, Annex 1: registration standards for tourism businesses (amended 4 August 2026) · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
3. 3. Tourism Promotion Act Enforcement Rule, Annex 23: fees (수수료) · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
4. 4. Tourism Promotion Act (관광진흥법), effective 12 May 2026 with scheduled provisions · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
5. 5. Public Health Control Act (공중위생관리법), with article 4-2 effective 12 November 2026 · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
6. 6. Enforcement Decree of the Public Health Control Act (공중위생관리법 시행령) · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
7. 7. Act on the Maintenance and Improvement of Agricultural and Fishing Villages (농어촌정비법), articles 86 to 86-4 on rural homestays · National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation
8. 8. Operating guide for foreign tourist urban homestays and hanok experience businesses (last edited 2019-02-20) · Seoul Metropolitan Government
9. 9. Tourism business registration (관광사업 등록), service guide · Government24 (gov.kr), Ministry of the Interior and Safety
10. 10. Press release: urban homestays and hanok stays face a 5-day suspension for a first price-list breach (28 July 2026) · Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
11. 11. Homes over 30 years old can register as urban homestays (policy news, 10 October 2025) · Korea Policy Briefing (korea.kr), Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
12. 12. Safety-certified rural homestay (안전인증 농어촌민박) introduction · Jeju Special Self-Governing Province
13. 13. Hanok Star (한옥의 별) introduction · Jeonju City, Jeonju Hanok Village
14. 14. Hanok stay experience (한옥숙박체험) · Jeonju City, Jeonju Hanok Village
15. 15. Busan special crackdown on unregistered lodging and food businesses (press release, 26 June 2025) · Busan Metropolitan City, Special Judicial Police Division
16. 16. Yeongdo District tourism news: self-inspection checklist for urban homestays (27 May 2026) · Yeongdo District Office, Busan
17. 17. Accommodation directory, with the foreign tourist urban homestay category · Yeongdo District Office, Busan
18. 18. Gijang-gun rural homestay register (농어촌민박현황) · Gijang County, Busan, via the Public Data Portal
19. 19. Rural homestay business report (농어촌민박 사업 신고 등) · Gangneung City Public Health Center
20. 20. City news: village hotels in Hwangchon switch to the domestic-guest special case (11 March 2024) · Gyeongju City
21. 21. Lodging rate advance-filing businesses (숙박요금 사전신고업소) · Yeosu City tourism site
22. 22. Responsible hosting in Korea · Airbnb Help Center
23. 23. Requirements and obligations on business hosts in Korea · Airbnb Help Center
24. 24. Republic of Korea: tax considerations for accommodation service (November 2023) · Airbnb, prepared by an independent third-party firm
25. 25. Business licence checklist for Airbnb hosts: foreign tourist urban homestay (July 2025) · Airbnb Newsroom