Apostille
Korean Business Registration Certificate Apostille (사업자등록증명원)
A Korean Certificate of Business Registration (사업자등록증명원), issued by the National Tax Service through Hometax, needs an apostille from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before a foreign bank, partner, or government office will accept it as proof your Korean company is validly registered. The apostille confirms the issuing authority's seal is genuine — it does not translate the document. Your chosen agent obtains a current certificate, secures the MOFA apostille, and returns a submission-ready original, with certified translation available in the same request.
When This Service Is Relevant
- Opening a foreign bank account or corporate account for a Korean company
- Registering a branch, subsidiary, or representative office abroad
- Submitting a bid, tender, or vendor registration with a foreign government or corporation
- Proving business legitimacy for a foreign customs, tax, or import/export authority
- Signing contracts, distribution agreements, or franchise deals with an overseas partner
What to Prepare
- Original 사업자등록증명원 (Certificate of Business Registration), issued within the last 3 months
- Company registration number (사업자등록번호) and, if applicable, corporate registration number (법인등록번호)
- Destination country and the receiving bank, agency, or partner's name
- Submission deadline, if any — MOFA apostille processing typically takes 3–5 business days
Process Notes
- This document proves tax-registered status with the National Tax Service — a separate corporate registry extract (법인등기부등본) exists for company-registration history and is apostilled the same way if a receiving party specifically asks for it.
- The apostille certifies authenticity only; a certified translation is usually required alongside it for banks and foreign registries.
- Certificates issued more than a few months ago are frequently rejected — your agent can pull a fresh copy via Hometax before applying the apostille.
- Korea joined the Hague Apostille Convention in 2007; for non-member countries, consular legalization is required instead of an apostille.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Korean Certificate of Business Registration?
The 사업자등록증명원 is issued by the National Tax Service and confirms a company or sole proprietorship is registered for tax purposes in Korea — the document most foreign banks and partners ask for as proof a Korean business is legitimate and active.
Is this the same as a Certificate of Good Standing?
Not exactly. "Certificate of Good Standing" is a term from US and other common-law jurisdictions with no direct Korean equivalent — the closest Korean documents are this tax registration certificate and, for full incorporation history, the corporate registry extract (법인등기부등본). Tell your agent what the receiving foreign authority actually asked for and they'll confirm which document you need.
Do I need a translation as well as the apostille?
Most foreign banks and government offices require a certified translation alongside the apostilled original. Your agent can provide both in the same request.
How recent does the certificate need to be?
Most receiving parties want a certificate issued within the last 1–3 months. Your agent can pull a fresh copy from Hometax before starting the apostille process.
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Need This Document Apostilled?
Share your document and destination country. We'll connect you with an agent who handles issuance, the MOFA apostille stamp, and delivery — certified translation can be added too.