Contents
- Paths by floor area and location
- Documents and timelines
- How we help
- FAQ
A factory in a leased building can be registered in Korea. For factories that do not need establishment approval, the occupant, meaning the tenant, may apply to the city, county or district office just as the owner can. Where approval is needed and the land or building belongs to someone else, the application includes documents proving the right to use it. What matters is not ownership but whether the building's use and location meet the relevant rules.
See our factory registration guide for the general procedure.
Paths by floor area and location
| Situation | Procedure |
|---|---|
| Leased factory floor area under 500 square metres | Apply for registration as the occupant, without approval. Registration is optional, but you need it to obtain a registration certificate. |
| New factory of 500 square metres or more, or a change of industry, on leased property | Obtain establishment approval with proof of the right to use the property, file a completion report after building and installing equipment, then register. |
| Leasing a factory that is already registered | If registered details change, apply for a change registration within 2 months with proof of the lease. |
| Leasing inside an industrial complex | A tenancy agreement with the complex management body counts as approval. |
The office checks the Building Act, land use planning rules, air, water, noise and vibration laws, and the standard factory area ratio. Check the building's registered use and zoning before you sign a lease, and if the use does not fit, look at a change of building use first.
- Check the building register for use and floor area.
- Check the land use plan for zoning and whether your industry is allowed.
- State factory use and machinery installation in the lease.
- Apply for registration or approval depending on floor area.
- Obtain the factory registration certificate after registration.
Documents and timelines
| Case | Documents | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Registration without approval | Application, business plan for factories outside approval, lease as proof of occupancy (building register checked electronically) | Notice within 7 days, or 20 days if other permits are deemed granted |
| Establishment approval | Application, business plan, proof of the right to use another's land or building | Decision within 20 days (14 days if all within local authority, 7 days without deemed permits) |
| Completion and registration | Completion report, building use approval, proof of equipment installation | Report within 2 months of completion; registration notice within 3 days (20 days with deemed permits) |
How we help
YouSun Administrative Agency reviews the building register and land use plan before you sign, prepares the registration application and business plan, handles approval and completion reports where needed, and responds to corrections. See our factory approval and registration service.
FAQ
Q. Do I need separate consent from the landlord?
A. The law lets occupants apply, and approval requires proof of the right to use. A lease that clearly allows factory use makes the review smoother.
Q. Under 500 square metres, must I register?
A. It is optional for factories outside approval, but in practice many register because some support programmes and certifications ask for the certificate.
Q. Who can obtain the registration certificate?
A. The manufacturer at the registered factory; owners, occupants and other interested parties can get a copy of the register. The online factory system issues certificates for factories in other areas.
Q. What if the lease ends and we move, or we expand?
A. For a factory registered outside approval, a new address or industry follows the change registration procedure, and an expansion that stays under 500 square metres is a change registration. If it reaches 500 square metres or more, approval is required.
Check before you sign the lease
Send the address, floor area and industry, and YouSun Administrative Agency will confirm whether registration works and which steps apply. Call 02-325-8222, weekdays 09:30~17:30 KST.
Request a consultation