Regulation Guide · 2026. 09
Tourism Business Plan Approval —
Documents and Order of Play
LEA Architects · Junsu Kim, Architect
An ordinary change of use ends when the building department grants the permit. A hostel is different. Because it is tourist accommodation under the Tourism Promotion Act, you need business plan approval from the tourism division and, after construction, tourism business registration before you can trade. This article sets out the order in which you move between the two departments, and who prepares which documents.
Two departments, three applications
Article 15 of the Tourism Promotion Act requires anyone intending to operate tourist accommodation to prepare a business plan and obtain the district mayor's approval before registering. A separate change-of-use permit is needed from the building department, and once construction is finished you return to the tourism division to apply for tourism business registration. Three applications, two counters.
Some district offices require business plan approval and the change of use in sequence; others allow them in parallel. Which it is can shift the overall programme by weeks, so confirm the processing order with both the tourism and building divisions before design begins. Near a school, the educational environment committee review comes first of all, because its written determination forms part of the business plan approval bundle.
Approval documents — who prepares what
The paperwork is far easier to handle when split by who produces it. The operator supplies the application and personal documents, the owner supplies title and right-of-use documents, and the architect supplies drawings and area schedules.
The core item is the business plan itself. It must cover the construction location and site area, the land use plan, the construction programme, construction funding and how it will be raised, and the area and content of each facility floor by floor. Because a hostel must show shared toilets, showers and a kitchen alongside a traveller lounge in addition to guest rooms, the floor-by-floor schedule and the plans are in practice the centre of the assessment.
In a general residential zone it is worth submitting a review note confirming that the road frontage and window setback criteria (parts two and three of this series) are met, since that is the basis on which the tourism division judges compliance with the approval standards. The exact forms and any additional documents differ by district office, so confirm the list with the tourism division before lodging.
When owner and operator differ — getting the names right
A tenant operating the hostel is common, and the thing that most often goes wrong is whose name is on what. The business plan approval and the tourism business registration are applied for by the operator; the change-of-use permit normally proceeds in the owner's name as the building proprietor.
The operator must prove a right to use the property, which means the owner's written consent to use and the lease agreement. Writing into the lease that the owner will cooperate with the change of use and permitting required to operate a hostel reduces later disputes when documents are requested. Where the owner operates the hostel themselves, both names are the same and the procedure is simpler. Note that the standard lease form under the Special Act on Private Rental Housing is for registered rental housing operators letting dwellings; when leasing commercial premises for a hostel, an ordinary lease that states the intended use is what you need (statutory forms).
After construction — tourism business registration
Once construction, the fire completion inspection and, where required, completion approval are done, you apply to the tourism division for tourism business registration. Registration of tourist accommodation goes through the district registration review committee, after which the certificate is issued.
Much of the registration bundle overlaps with the approval stage, and where nothing has changed from the approved plan some documents need not be filed again. Hotel business registration, which includes hostels, adds an electrical safety inspection certificate together with facility plans and a site plan.
On registration, related permits such as the lodging business notification and the food business notification for serving breakfast are treated as having been made (Tourism Promotion Act Article 18). You do not have to file them separately, but the notification forms and their attachments must still be submitted with the registration application. Business registration for tax purposes is made separately at the tax office.
Three ways to shorten the programme
First, take the educational environment review before anything else. Near a school you cannot apply for business plan approval until the determination is issued, and the committee sits on the education office's own schedule. Second, consult both departments at once. Taking the same drawings to the tourism and building divisions for simultaneous pre-application consultation avoids redrawing twice for conflicting comments. Third, settle names and right of use at contract stage. Putting a cooperation clause in the lease is far easier than seeking the owner's help after the lease is signed.
Related forms
Statutory forms published on the Korean Law Information Center. The forms are in Korean. Confirm the current version and any additional documents with the competent district office before filing.
Sources: Tourism Promotion Act Articles 4, 15, 16, 17 and 18; Enforcement Decree Article 13; Enforcement Rule Article 2; Building Act Article 19. Application forms, additional documents and processing order vary by local authority, so follow the guidance of the competent district office.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Can a hostel trade once the change of use is granted?
No. Both tourism business plan approval and tourism business registration must also be completed before trading.
Q. Which comes first, business plan approval or the change of use?
It varies by district office. Some take them in sequence, others in parallel, so pre-application consultation is needed.
Q. Can a tenant obtain the business plan approval?
Yes. The owner's written consent to use and the lease agreement are required, and the change of use normally proceeds in the owner's name.
Q. Does the lodging business notification have to be filed separately?
It is treated as made on tourism business registration, but the notification documents must still be submitted with the registration application. If you need drawings and area schedules prepared, ask for a preliminary review →