Personal Customs Clearance Code issuance and renewal: apply after identity verification on the portal
Apply for a Personal Customs Clearance Code (PCCC) on the Korea Customs Service E-commerce Customs Clearance Portal (ECOS) after verifying your identity. If you do not have a code, get one immediately through the new Personal Customs Clearance Code issuance menu. If you have one, renew it through the validity period renewal menu within 30 days before or after the expiry date.
The Personal Customs Clearance Code is the number an individual uses to clear overseas direct purchase goods through customs. Because you must enter this number when you place an overseas direct purchase order, get one in advance by following the steps below.
Conditions for new issuance and issuance by visiting customs
If you already have a Personal Customs Clearance Code in use, you cannot be issued an additional code. You also cannot be issued an additional code if you have already been issued a code 5 or more times in the same year.
A child under 14 years of age must enter the information of a legal representative, and the legal representative must verify their identity.
If online identity verification is difficult, you can also visit a customs office with an ID and submit an application form. A Korean national submits an ID that shows the resident registration number, such as a resident registration card, a driver's license or a disability welfare card. A foreign national submits an alien registration card or a passport that is at least 6 months from expiration.
Before going to customs, you can be issued a code quickly by completing the advance application registration in the visit issuance advance application menu of the portal. In the advance application, select the task to be handled at customs from new issuance, code change, renewal and information change, and verify your email.
Validity period of 1 year, renewal within 30 days before or after the expiry date
The validity period is 1 year from the date of new issuance. Renewal extends the validity period by 1 year from the existing expiry date, and the code does not change when you renew.
Apply for renewal within 30 days before or after the expiry date of the validity period. If 30 days have passed since the expiry date, the Korea Customs Service may terminate the code. If it is terminated, you must apply for new issuance again.
The Korea Customs Service sends a renewal notice up to 30 days before the expiry date, but check once before you order that the code saved in the online shopping mall has not expired.
Differences between information change, code change, suspension and termination
Information change and renewal keep the code as it is, while code change, suspension and termination change the code itself or make it unusable. If you change, suspend or terminate the code while you have goods on order, customs clearance may be delayed or blocked.
| Menu | What it does | Points to note |
|---|---|---|
| Information change | Changes the mobile phone number, delivery address and other information. You can register up to 20 delivery addresses. | The validity period is 1 year from the date the change is approved. |
| Validity period renewal | Extends the validity period of the same code by 1 year. | The code does not change. |
| Code change (reissuance) | Changes the code to a new number. | You cannot clear goods with the old code, and the validity period is 1 year from the reissue date. |
| Suspension and release | Suspends the use of the code or releases the suspension. | You cannot clear goods during suspension, and the validity period runs to the existing expiry date. |
| Termination | Deletes the code and its information. | After termination, you cannot clear goods with the current code. |
Code change (reissuance) and new issuance after termination are limited to 5 times in total per year.
One-time authentication number: enter it when ordering from August 28, 2026
A person who newly obtains a code or changes information on or after August 28, 2026 receives a one-time authentication number on the overseas direct purchase order page and enters it. Enter the consignee information (name, address, phone number, Personal Customs Clearance Code) on the order page and click Authenticate. If the information matches the issuance record, the Korea Customs Service sends a one-time authentication number to the consignee's email.
If a member who has an identity verification record from signing up or purchasing at an approved partner company buys as the consignee, the order is placed in the same way as at a domestic shopping mall. In this case, the Korea Customs Service provides a one-time Personal Customs Clearance Code and a one-time authentication number to the shopping mall, and notifies the code holder of this by email.
An existing code holder buys as before by entering the code, until the holder changes information or renews on or after August 28, 2026. In this case, the one-time authentication number is delivered directly to the shopping mall, and the Korea Customs Service states that it cannot completely block misuse.
To receive the number yourself, change your information on the portal.
You can view the number you received in the Personal Customs Clearance Code > Authentication number issuance history > Inquiry of one-time authentication number/Personal Customs Clearance Code issuance history menu of the portal. Search by issue period, authentication number and ordering company name.
Report misuse when you suspect it
If you receive a one-time authentication number without having placed an order, or a notice says goods were cleared under your code, file a misuse report. Click Report misuse on the issuance history screen, or search the waybill records in the misuse report menu, select the waybills to report and fill out the report form. You can report multiple waybill numbers at once.
Once the misuse report is processed, you must terminate the existing code or change (reissue) the code to prevent secondary misuse damage before you can use it again. Check whether clearance of the reported shipment is on hold in the clearance history inquiry of the import clearance information.
Customs clearance code a business needs to export or import
The Personal Customs Clearance Code is a number that an individual applies for and manages directly. For the customs clearance code and overseas supplier code a business needs to export or import, Ubis Customs Service files the application on your behalf through Code application service.
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Source: Notice on Registration and Management of Customs Clearance Codes and Overseas Supplier Codes, Article 8 (Application for Personal Customs Clearance Code), Article 16 (Management of codes), the Korea Customs Service E-commerce Customs Clearance Portal notice "Guide to the opening of the E-commerce Customs Clearance Portal (August 28)" (posted 2026-08-27) and the E-commerce Customs Clearance Portal guide (posted 2026-08-27), retrieved from the National Law Information Center on 2026-10-29. The Notice is cited as in force from 2026-04-13.