Question 1

What distinguishes general from individual?

Accepted Answer

The Act defines a general trucking transport business as one using at least the number of trucks prescribed by Presidential Decree within a range of 20 or more, and an individual trucking transport business as one using a single truck. The Enforcement Decree fixes the general threshold at 20 vehicles.

Question 2

Where do I apply?

Accepted Answer

Although the Act names the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as the licensing authority, the competent body in practice is the Mayor or Provincial Governor covering the head office. For non-corporate applicants the address of residence governs, unless a separate business place or office is used, in which case that becomes the head office.

Question 3

How long does licensing take?

Accepted Answer

The authority reviews the attachments and conformity with the published supply standards, issues a provisional licence, and must then issue the licence within 20 days of application after verifying: grounds for disqualification under the Act; vehicle registration; garage installation and other licensing criteria; cargo liability insurance or mutual aid cover; and freight transport driver qualification.

Question 4

Where must the garage be located?

Accepted Answer

In the metropolitan city, special self-governing city or province, city or county where the head office or branch office is located, or in an adjoining city or county within the same province. Shared garages, public garages, truck rest areas, freight terminals and facilities designated by local ordinance may also be used in an adjoining metropolitan city or province.

Question 5

How do I obtain the garage confirmation?

Accepted Answer

File the Form 1 garage installation confirmation application with the mayor, county head or district head covering the garage site, attaching the lease agreement if the garage is not owned. The authority checks the resident registration abstract (or corporate registry), land registry, land ledger and land use plan through administrative information sharing, then issues the confirmation within 10 days.

Question 6

What are the licensing criteria?

Accepted Answer

The Act sets two: conformity with the supply standards published by the Minister for each business type in light of transport demand, and conformity with the standards for vehicle numbers, garages and other transport facilities prescribed by ministerial ordinance. The supply standard does not apply to provisional licences or to applications filed within three months of a provisional licence expiring.

Question 7

I want to start a trucking business on my own with one truck in Korea. Do I need an individual trucking transport business licence?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Carrying other people's freight for a fee using one truck requires an individual trucking transport business licence. It is a different licence type from the general trucking transport business, which operates with 20 or more vehicles. You are an individual carrying freight with one truck: Apply for an individual trucking transport business licence, treating your address (or your office, if you keep one elsewhere) as the head office, and file with the competent Mayor or Provincial Governor. You plan to grow to 20 or more vehicles: Prepare vehicles and a garage to the general trucking transport business standard (20 or more vehicles) and apply. You were a consigned truck owner whose temporary licence period has ended: You can apply for a full licence within 3 months after the temporary licence expires, attaching the temporary licence. Documents: Licence application; statement of the head office name, location and scale; statement of the number, type, model name, model, year and maximum load of vehicles; garage installation confirmation; vehicle sale contract or vehicle registration certificate; certificate of cargo liability insurance or mutual aid Timeline: Statutory: licence issued within 20 days of the application date / In practice, depends on the published supply standards and the readiness of vehicles and insurance

Question 8

How long does a trucking business license in Korea take? Is it 20 days after the provisional licence?

Accepted Answer

The deadline for issuing the licence is within 20 days of the application date, not of the provisional licence date. If you start on vehicle registration, insurance and worker qualification only after the provisional licence, it is hard to meet the deadline. You prepared vehicles, the garage, insurance and worker qualification before applying: After the provisional licence, the authority makes five checks (disqualification grounds, vehicle registration, licensing criteria such as the garage, cargo liability insurance, and freight transport worker qualification), and you receive the licence within 20 days. You have not yet received the garage installation confirmation: First apply for installation confirmation to the city mayor, county head or district head covering the garage site (issued within 10 days), then apply for the licence once you have it. Documents: Garage installation confirmation, vehicle documents, certificate of cargo liability insurance or mutual aid, drivers' freight transport worker qualification records Timeline: Statutory: garage installation confirmation within 10 days, licence within 20 days of the application date / In practice, longer if supplementation is requested

Question 9

Our office is in Seoul. Can we still get a trucking business license in Korea if the garage is in another city?

Accepted Answer

The garage must be in the city or county where the head office or branch office is located (excluding counties of metropolitan cities), or in an adjoining city or county within the same province. If you use a shared garage, public garage, truck rest area, freight terminal or similar, facilities in an adjoining special city, metropolitan city, special self-governing city or province may also be used. You want to use an ordinary site as the garage: Secure a site in the city or county of the head office or branch office, or an adjoining city or county in the same province, and apply for installation confirmation, attaching the lease agreement if you do not own it. You want to use a shared garage, public garage or freight terminal: Facilities in an adjoining special city, metropolitan city, special self-governing city or province can be used as the garage, so obtain installation confirmation with the facility use documents. Documents: Garage installation confirmation application, lease agreement (if not owned) Timeline: Statutory: garage installation confirmation issued within 10 days of application

Question 10

What documents do we prepare when filing a trucking transport business licence application in Korea?

Accepted Answer

File the licence application with statements of the offices and branch offices, a statement of assigned vehicles, the garage installation confirmation, and vehicle sale or ownership documents. The authority checks the corporate register extract through shared administrative information. You plan collection, sorting and delivery services, or only collection and delivery under an exclusive transport contract: In addition to the basic attachments, submit the documents set by notice of the Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. You are applying after a temporary licence period has expired: Also submit the temporary trucking transport business licence. Documents: Licence application; statement of the name, location and scale of the head office, branch offices and cargo handling points; statement of the number, type, model name, model, year and maximum load of trucks; garage installation confirmation; sale contract and transfer certificate or vehicle registration certificate and manufacturer's certificate; certificate of cargo liability insurance or mutual aid Timeline: Statutory: licence issued within 20 days of the application date

Question 11

Before working out the cost of a trucking business license in Korea, what do we need to have in place?

Accepted Answer

What you actually need to arrange for the licence is the vehicles, the garage, cargo liability insurance or mutual aid, and the freight transport worker qualification for drivers. All four must be verified within 20 days of the application date for the licence to be issued. You have not bought the vehicles yet: Apply with a sale contract or transfer certificate, and schedule vehicle registration to be completed before the licence is issued. You are renting the garage: Obtain garage installation confirmation with the lease agreement. Documents: Vehicle sale contract or vehicle registration certificate, garage lease agreement, certificate of cargo liability insurance or mutual aid, freight transport worker qualification records Timeline: Statutory: garage confirmation within 10 days, licence within 20 days of the application date / In practice, depends on vehicle delivery schedules

Question 12

We are applying for a trucking business license as a corporation in Korea. What happens if one of our officers has a past violation of this law?

Accepted Answer

A corporation cannot be licensed if even one officer falls under the grounds for disqualification. These include being within 2 years of completing or being exempted from a prison sentence for violating this law, being on a suspended sentence, and being within 2 years of licence revocation (5 years if revoked for fraudulent means and the like). An officer falls under the grounds for disqualification: Replace that officer before applying. If an officer becomes disqualified after licensing, the officer must be replaced within 3 months to avoid revocation. No officer falls under the grounds for disqualification: Check the applicant and all officers for disqualification, then file the licence application. Documents: Licence application, list of officers, garage installation confirmation, vehicle documents, certificate of cargo liability insurance or mutual aid Timeline: Statutory: licence issued within 20 days of the application date

Question 13

Do we need a separate licence to set up a branch office in another region and operate from there on a standing basis?

Accepted Answer

To operate on a standing basis from a place other than the head office, you need a branch office installation licence. However, individual trucking operators are not eligible for a branch office installation licence. You are a transport operator with 2 or more trucks: Operating on a standing basis outside the head office without a branch office installation licence is a ground for revocation, business suspension or vehicle reduction, so obtain the branch office licence first. You are an individual trucking operator: You are not eligible for a branch office installation licence, so operate based on the head office. Documents: Statement of the branch office name, location and scale, statement of trucks assigned to the branch office, garage installation confirmation Timeline: Depends on the competent city or province's review and whether supplementation is needed

Question 14

If we replace a truck with a new one or change our trade name, do we need a change licence or just a report?

Accepted Answer

Minor matters such as a change of trade name, change of corporate representative, installation or closure of a cargo handling point, vehicle replacement, or moving the head office within the same administrative jurisdiction are handled by a change report; other changes to licensed details require a change licence. It is a minor matter such as vehicle replacement or a change of trade name or representative: File a change report; the authority notifies acceptance within 3 days of receipt (if no notice is given, the report is deemed accepted the day after the period ends). It involves adding vehicles or moving the head office outside the jurisdiction: Obtain a change licence. Changes involving more vehicles are not allowed within 1 year of failing to comply with an improvement order or of a vehicle reduction order, and a change licence to move the head office is not granted during a business suspension. Documents: Change report or change licence application, documents proving the change (vehicle documents, corporate register, etc.) Timeline: Statutory: acceptance of a minor change report notified within 3 days / Change licences depend on the competent authority's review

Question 15

Our trucking transport licence is coming up on 5 years. Is there a report we need to file?

Accepted Answer

Transport operators must report matters relating to the licensing criteria every 5 years from the date of licensing. If the entries and attachments have no defects, the obligation is treated as fulfilled when the report reaches the receiving authority. You continue to meet the licensing criteria such as number of vehicles and garage: Prepare the licensing criteria report based on your current status and submit it on time. You fail to report or report falsely: This is a ground for revocation, business suspension or vehicle reduction, so check that you meet the criteria before the deadline. Documents: Licensing criteria report, vehicle statement, garage documents Timeline: Statutory: every 5 years from the date of licensing

Question 16

We have been making paid deliveries with a private-use truck. Can we keep doing this without a trucking business license in Korea?

Accepted Answer

Providing a private-use truck for freight transport for a fee (including operating expenses) or renting it out is prohibited unless it falls under an exception licensed by the Mayor or Provincial Governor. Operating a transport business without a licence is punishable by imprisonment of up to 2 years or a fine of up to KRW 20 million. You want to keep carrying freight for a fee: Obtain a trucking transport business licence (individual with 1 vehicle or general with 20 or more) and operate commercially. You only move your own goods in your own vehicle: That is not paid transport at the request of others, so first examine the transport arrangement to see whether a licence is required. Documents: Licence application, vehicle documents, garage installation confirmation, certificate of cargo liability insurance or mutual aid Timeline: Statutory: licence issued within 20 days of the application date

Question 17

After getting a trucking transport licence in Korea, do we also have to report our freight rates and charges in advance?

Accepted Answer

Transport operators designated by Presidential Decree as subject to reporting must set their rates and charges and report them in advance, and the same applies when changing them. The authority notifies acceptance within 14 days. You are a transport operator subject to reporting: Set rates and charges and report them before operating, and file a change report each time they change. You are not subject to reporting: Start operating after the licence is issued without a rate and charge report. Documents: Freight rate and charge report, rate and charge table Timeline: Statutory: acceptance notified within 14 days of receiving the report or change report (if no notice is given, deemed accepted the day after the period ends)

Question 18

With a trucking transport licence, can we also do international freight forwarding in Korea?

Accepted Answer

A trucking transport business licence and international freight forwarding business registration are separate licences under different laws. To run both businesses, you must meet each set of requirements and obtain each separately. You only provide domestic truck transport: A trucking transport business licence is sufficient. You also want to arrange import and export cargo: Separately prepare international freight forwarding business registration under the Logistics Policy Framework Act (물류정책기본법). Documents: Trucking transport business licence documents, international freight forwarding business registration documents (separate) Timeline: Each licence has its own processing period and depends on the competent authority's review and whether supplementation is needed

Question 19

If we hire an administrative agent for a trucking business license in Korea, what exactly do they handle?

Accepted Answer

We handle pre-checks of the licence type and disqualification grounds, the garage installation confirmation application, preparation and filing of the licence application and attachments, checks of post-provisional-licence verification items and supplementation responses, and post-licensing change reports and the 5-year licensing criteria report. We do not handle vehicle purchases or garage lease contracts, transport contracts or rate negotiations, or license plate registration. You are applying for a new licence: We prepare the application and filing documents from garage confirmation to receipt of the licence, file them with the competent city or province, and respond to supplementation requests. You are an already licensed transport operator: We prepare and file documents for vehicle replacement, trade name and representative change reports, branch office installation licences, rate and charge reports, and the 5-year licensing criteria report. Documents: Letter of authorization, licence application and all attachments Timeline: Statutory: licence issued within 20 days of the application date / In practice, depends on the readiness of vehicles and the garage

Trucking Transport Business Licence

Trucking business license agent in Korea — services handled by YouSun Administrative Agency