Lease registration order

If the lease has ended and the deposit has not been returned, the tenant can apply for a lease registration order to the district court (or branch court, or city or county court) for the area where the home is (Housing Lease Protection Act, Art. 3-3(1)).

Once the lease registration is completed, opposing power and priority repayment you already had are kept even if you move out or move your registration (Art. 3-3(5)). You can claim the costs of the application and registration from the landlord (Art. 3-3(8)).

Legal basis

Housing Lease Protection Act (주택임대차보호법), Art. 3-3

Common questions

Q. Can I move out before the registration is done?

A. Wait until the lease registration is actually completed. The law says your existing opposing power and priority repayment are kept even if you lose the move-in requirements after the registration (Art. 3-3(5)), so move out or change your address only after that.