How to Use the Deposit Lien Recording Cost Calculator
Korea has a unique housing arrangement called jeonse, where a tenant pays a large lump-sum deposit instead of monthly rent, and can register a formal property right called "jeonse-kwon" to publicly secure that deposit against the property title. The US has no direct equivalent — American tenants generally rely on lease agreements, state security-deposit laws, and small-claims or civil court to recover a deposit, rather than filing a registered lien before ever moving in. This tool estimates what a comparable recording cost might look like, using a generic structure modeled on how many US states charge deed and lien recording taxes: a base recording tax on the amount involved, plus a local surtax on top of that tax, plus any flat filing fees.
For example, with a $15,000 deposit and $100 in other filing fees, the estimated recording tax would be $30, the local surtax $6, for a total estimated cost of about $136. Actual state and county recording taxes vary significantly, so treat this as a planning estimate rather than an exact quote.
If you're a renter in the US concerned about protecting a large deposit, the more realistic options are a written lease that spells out deposit terms clearly, keeping documented proof of your unit's condition, and knowing your state's deposit-return deadline and dispute process — since a formal recorded lien on a leased property isn't something individual tenants typically file.
Frequently Asked Questions
We apply an estimated 0.2% recording tax to your deposit amount, add a 20% local surtax on that tax, and then add any other filing fees you enter to get the total cost.
No. The US has no direct equivalent to Korea's jeonse-kwon system — this tool estimates costs using a generic recording-tax structure similar to state deed recording taxes, since American tenants typically rely on lease agreements and security deposit laws rather than a registered property lien.