Moving-In Checklist for Korea — From Move-In Report to Internet

Moving day in Korea comes with a short list of tasks that, if done in the right order, protect your deposit, keep you legal, and get your home running. Some of these are administrative and easy to forget in the chaos of unpacking — but a couple of them are genuinely important and time-sensitive, so it pays to know them before the truck arrives.

This checklist walks through the days around moving in, from a condition check at handover to registering your address, transferring utilities, and getting internet connected. Treat it as a sequence: each step builds on the last. Where official offices are involved, confirm the current requirements for your situation, since details can vary by district.

Step 1: Do a condition check at handover

Before you move your things in — ideally at the moment you get the keys — walk through the empty home and document its condition. This is what protects your deposit when you move out, because it proves what was already damaged before you arrived.

• Photograph and video every room, including existing scratches, stains, and any broken fittings.
• Test that the included appliances actually work — fridge, washing machine, air conditioner, stove, water heater.
• Check water pressure, hot water, lights, locks, and windows.
• Note anything wrong in writing and share it with the landlord or agent the same day, keeping a copy.

Step 2: File the move-in report and fixed-date stamp

This is the most important administrative step. As soon as you move in, complete both:

1. Move-in report (전입신고) — registering your new address as your resident address.
2. Fixed-date stamp (확정일자) — the official date stamp on your lease.

You can usually do these at the local community service center (주민센터) or online through Government24 (정부24). Together they give your deposit legal priority if the property is ever sold or auctioned — the core of deposit protection. Do not put this off. The full explanation of why this matters is in our guide to signing a rental contract safely.

Step 3: Update your address with immigration

If you are a foreign resident, you generally need to keep the address on your Alien Registration Card (ARC) current. Reporting a change of address is part of staying compliant, and in many cases it can be handled alongside the move-in report. Check the current procedure and deadline for your visa type so your ARC address matches where you actually live.

Step 4: Transfer or open the utilities

Get the home's services into your name and running. The main ones:

• Electricity — transfer the account so future bills come to you.
• Gas — opening city gas often requires an appointment so a technician can safely open the valve and check the connection. Book this ahead of move-in if you can, especially in winter when you'll want heating and hot water right away.
• Water — confirm the account, or check whether it's included in the maintenance fee.
• Maintenance fee (gwallibi) — confirm the monthly amount and what it covers with the building office.

For how each of these bills works and what the maintenance fee bundles together, see our guide to Korean utility bills.

Step 5: Set up home internet

Internet usually needs to be ordered and then installed by a technician, so arrange it early to avoid days offline. In some buildings internet is part of the maintenance fee; in others you choose your own provider. Our dedicated guide on setting up home internet and Wi-Fi walks through the options and the installation appointment.

Step 6: Learn the trash and recycling rules

Korea takes waste separation seriously, and the rules — including which official trash bags you must buy and the recycling schedule — are set by your district, so they differ from place to place. Getting this right from day one avoids fines and friction with neighbours. See our guide on trash and recycling rules for the specifics, and ask your building office which bags your area uses.

Step 7: Change your address everywhere else

Finally, update your address with the services that send things to your door or rely on it:

• Banks and any financial services.
• Delivery and shopping apps.
• Your phone carrier and any subscriptions.
• Your employer or school.

Your first-week checklist

Wrapping up

Moving in well is about order and timing: protect the deposit first with a condition check and the move-in report plus fixed-date stamp, keep your immigration address current, then bring the utilities and internet online and settle the everyday details like trash rules and address changes. Knock these out in the first week and you'll avoid the common headaches. Pair this with our guides on signing the contract safely and understanding utility bills, and explore the full housing and rent section. Where an office is involved, confirm the current steps for your district and visa type.