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9-3 · Business reports & registrations

Food and Public Hygiene Business Notification

Under Article 37 of the Food Sanitation Act, food businesses are divided into those requiring a permit (such as karaoke bars and entertainment bars), those requiring a notification to the mayor, county head or district head (such as general restaurants, rest restaurants, bakeries and on-site food manufacturing and processing), and those requiring registration; the notification authority must inform the applicant whether the notification is accepted within 3 days of receipt. Lodging, bathhouse, barber, beauty, laundry and building sanitation management businesses must be notified to the competent mayor, county head or district head under Article 3 of the Public Health Control Act after the facilities and equipment for each business type are in place. Under both Acts, hygiene training must be completed before the notification: 6 hours for food service businesses and 3 hours for public hygiene businesses. The notification is accepted only if the building use on the building register and the land use plan suit the business type, and for barber and beauty businesses the barber or beautician license must be confirmed.

HWANG YUNSANG ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICESONGDO · 37.3892° N / 126.6439° E
#Food and Public Hygiene Business Notification#Official check#9-3
🌐 Preparation of application documents and review of procedures for business licenses and notifications by industry
01

When this applies

When this applies

Business operators intending to newly open or change food service or public hygiene businesses such as restaurants or beauty services.
02

Procedure

Procedure

Procedure type
  • Notification Difficulty Low

    You submit the statutory report form and required documents. Once the documents are in order the report is accepted; for some reports the authority checks the contents before accepting it.

  1. 01

    Confirm the business type and notification category: Decide the business type based on how you will actually operate. Selling alcohol with meals is a general restaurant, selling cooked food or drinks without alcohol is a rest restaurant, and making and selling bread or rice cakes is a bakery. Karaoke bars and entertainment bars require a permit rather than a notification, and beauty businesses are notified by sub-type such as general beauty or skin care.

  2. 02

    Check the location before signing the lease: Before signing a lease, check the building register and the land use plan confirmation to see whether the building use and zoning suit the business type. If the use does not match, the notification will not be accepted, so first review whether a change of building use is possible.

  3. 03

    Prepare facilities and safety documents: Install kitchen, water supply, ventilation and disinfection facilities according to the facility standards for the business type. Prepare a safety facility completion certificate if the premises is a multi-use business, an LPG facility completion inspection certificate if LPG is used, and a water quality test report if groundwater is used.

  4. 04

    Hygiene training and health checks: Food service businesses and on-site food manufacturing and processing require 6 hours of hygiene training in advance, and public hygiene businesses require 3 hours. Pre-opening food hygiene training is in principle classroom training, and holders of a cook, dietitian or sanitarian license are exempt from the new-business training for food service businesses. Workers who handle food should obtain a health examination certificate.

  5. 05

    Prepare and submit the notification: Attach the training certificate, documents proving the right to use the premises, and, for public hygiene businesses, a summary of business facilities and equipment to the notification form for the business type, and submit it to the hygiene department of the competent city, county or district. The authority checks the building register, land use plan, health examination certificate and barber or beautician license through shared administrative information; if you do not consent, submit copies.

  6. 06

    Management after the certificate is issued: For food service businesses, the authority inspects the premises within 1 month after issuing the notification certificate, and for public hygiene businesses a facility check may take place within 30 days after the certificate is issued. After that, complete hygiene training every year and file notifications for changes to important matters and for closure (a public hygiene business must report closure within 20 days of closing).

03

Filing route

Filing route

Hygiene department of the competent city, county or district (for public hygiene businesses, the public health center in some areas) / Government24, Food Safety Korea

Confirm the current filing office, jurisdiction, and online availability on the official website.

Official check
Actual processing agencyCompetent local food-hygiene division
Statutory and policy authorityMinistry of Food and Drug Safety
Online routeGovernment24 · Food Safety Korea
04

Deadlines & processing notes

Deadlines & processing notes

Whether notification or permit is required and processing times differ by industry. Before setting an opening date, check facility inspections and training schedules with the competent sanitation department.Official check
05

Fees & official charges

Fees & official charges

Administrative service fee
  • from KRW 300,000
All administrative service fees exclude 10% VAT.
Government fee / taxFood business report example: KRW 28,000; education and licence tax are separateOfficial fee source

Included in the basic fee — Initial document review, required-document guidance, basic form preparation, one filing support and responses to up to two supplement requests.

Conditional success fee — For this service, any conditional success fee may be separately agreed within the lawful service scope and stated in a written engagement agreement. No outcome is guaranteed.

Displayed amounts are starting estimates, not statutory or standard rates. The final fee is confirmed after consultation and document review in the engagement agreement. Government fees and actual expenses may change.

Fees & official charges →
06

Basic documents

Basic documents

Basic documents0 / 8

Scope of services

Scope of services

Hwang Yunsang Administrative Agent Office prepares and translates documents for administrative agencies, submits them on your behalf, and guides you through permit, application, and notification procedures. Services that require the principal’s personal appearance, principal’s application, or electronic signature may be limited in delegation.