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Why does Airbnb Korea ask for an accommodation business license instead of my business registration certificate?

SHORT ANSWER

Because they prove different things: the accommodation license proves this specific property may legally host guests, while the business registration certificate identifies the person or company for tax purposes.

01

What to do now

  1. Because they prove different things: the accommodation license proves this specific property may legally host guests, while the business registration certificate identifies the person or company for tax purposes.
02

Who owns the resolution

Airbnb's own support/policy team decides this -- AMS explains the policy but has no account access and cannot make this decision for you.

03

Evidence to prepare

  • Your account email or user ID
  • Screenshots or a confirmation number for the specific order/booking/transaction
  • Any messages you already exchanged with support about this
04

⚠ Deadline / risk if you wait

Listings created before October 2, 2024 had to submit valid accommodation-license information by October 16, 2025. Past that date, the listing cannot accept bookings until the information is submitted — this already took effect and is not a future warning.

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I need practical help with a Airbnb issue.

The policy question: Why does Airbnb Korea ask for an accommodation business license instead of my business registration certificate?
Useful context I found: Because they prove different things: the accommodation license proves this specific property may legally host guests, while the business registration certificate identifies the person or company for tax purposes.

My specific situation: [Describe what happened, including dates and messages shown]
The outcome I want: [Refund, verification, appeal, account recovery, explanation, etc.]
Important constraints: [Country, deadline, booking/account status, documents already submitted, budget, or other limits]

Please:
1. Identify any missing facts you need before reaching a conclusion.
2. Separate platform policy, local law, and your own inference.
3. Give me the safest next steps in priority order.
4. Use current official sources where possible and flag anything that may have changed.
5. Draft a concise message I can paste to customer support.
6. Do not invent account access, guarantees, refund rights, or legal conclusions.
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06

Why this policy exists

Think of the listing and the host as two different objects. The accommodation business license (often issued as a notification/registration certificate by the local district office) is attached to the place and its permitted lodging category: urban guesthouse for foreign tourists, rural guesthouse, hanok experience, general lodging, hostel, and so on. It answers, “May this address legally be sold as short-term accommodation?” A business registration certificate is attached to the operator. It tells the tax authority who earns and reports the income, but it does not by itself prove that the building, zoning, property type, or lodging category is legal. That is why uploading only a business registration certificate does not satisfy Airbnb Korea’s listing-level accommodation-license check. Since October 2024, newly created Korean listings have had to submit accommodation-license information before hosting; listings created before October 2, 2024 had a deadline of October 16, 2025 and can no longer accept bookings until valid information is submitted. The exact certificate varies by property and municipality, and officetels classified as business facilities are not permitted for this purpose. In short: register the operator for tax, but license the space for lodging. Airbnb needs the second document to keep the listing bookable.

07 · OFFICIAL SUPPORT

Need to act on your account?

AMS explains the rule but cannot access your account, issue a refund or change a platform decision.

Airbnb — Responsible Hosting in South Korea
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