TM30 Thailand: The Landlord Reporting Rule Explained
TM30 is your landlord's duty to report your address to Thai immigration within 24 hours of you moving in. Who's responsible, the penalties, and how it's filed.
If you’ve rented a room, condo, or house in Thailand, you’ve probably seen “TM30” mentioned somewhere in your lease paperwork or heard it from other expats, usually in a slightly confused tone. It’s one of the most misunderstood rules in Thai immigration, partly because it’s frequently mixed up with the 90-day report. They are different obligations, filed by different people, on different schedules. Here’s exactly what TM30 is, who’s responsible for it, and what happens if it doesn’t get filed.
What TM30 actually is
TM30 is a notification of residence. Under Section 38 of Thailand’s Immigration Act B.E. 2522, a house owner, head of household, landlord, or hotel manager who accommodates a foreign national must notify the local immigration office within 24 hours of that person’s arrival. It’s a paperwork step that confirms where you’re staying, not a visa, a permit, or anything you personally apply for.
The critical point: this is the property owner’s legal obligation, not yours. If you rent an apartment in Chiang Mai, your landlord (or the condo’s juristic person office, if you’re in a managed building) is the one required to file it, not you.
TM30 vs the 90-day report: not the same thing
These two get conflated constantly, so it’s worth being precise:
| TM30 | 90-day report | |
|---|---|---|
| Who files it | Your landlord or property owner | You, the foreigner |
| What it confirms | Where you’re currently staying | That you’re still in Thailand at that address |
| When it’s filed | Within 24 hours of you moving in or returning from a trip | Every 90 days you remain in the country |
| Form | TM30 | TM47 |
Filing one does not satisfy the other. A landlord’s TM30 filing doesn’t excuse you from your own 90-day report, and vice versa. If you’re researching Thai residency compliance for the first time, treat them as two separate checklist items, because immigration does.
The 24-hour deadline
The 24-hour window starts the moment you arrive at the address, and it resets every time you come back after being away, not just on the day you first move in. That includes:
- Moving into a new rental for the first time
- Returning to your usual address after an overseas trip
- Returning after travel to another Thai province, in some interpretations of the rule
In practice, immigration offices mostly care about the first scenario (new tenancy) and re-entries after international travel. Your landlord should have a routine for this if they’ve hosted foreign tenants before; if this is their first time, it’s worth flagging the requirement to them directly rather than assuming they already know.
What happens if it isn’t filed
The direct penalty falls on the property owner, not you: a fine of 800 to 2,000 THB for a missed or late filing. You won’t be fined for your landlord’s paperwork lapse.
That said, a missing TM30 record becomes your problem in practical terms. Thai immigration offices commonly check for a current TM30 on file when you go in for:
- Your 90-day report
- An annual visa extension
- A re-entry permit
- A residence certificate (needed for things like a driving licence or vehicle registration)
If there’s no TM30 record for your current address, these can be delayed while the gap gets sorted out, sometimes on the spot, sometimes requiring you to chase your landlord for the missing filing first. It’s a good habit to confirm with a new landlord, in writing, that they’ve filed it, and to keep a copy of the receipt if they can provide one.
How TM30 is filed
There are a few routes, and which one applies depends on where you’re staying:
Hotels and registered guesthouses. These are covered separately and typically report guests as a routine part of check-in. You don’t need to worry about TM30 for a standard hotel stay.
Private rentals and condos. The landlord, or the building’s juristic person office if there is one, files it either:
- Online, through the Immigration Bureau’s TM30 portal, after a one-time in-person registration to set up their account
- In person, at the immigration office covering the property’s location
If you own your own condo. You’re the “house owner” in this case, so the responsibility sits with you rather than a separate landlord.
Filing itself carries no government fee. If a landlord uses an agent to handle it, that’s a service charge on their end, not a fee set by immigration.
Documents typically needed
Requirements vary slightly by immigration office, but a landlord filing TM30 generally needs:
- The completed TM30 form
- A copy of the landlord’s Thai ID card (or passport, if the owner is a foreigner)
- A copy of the house registration book (Tabien Baan) or condo ownership documents
- A copy of the tenant’s passport, including the visa and most recent entry stamp
If you’re renting and want to help move things along, having a scan of your passport bio page and entry stamp ready for your landlord removes one common delay.
Why this matters even though it’s not your legal duty
TM30 sits in an odd spot: the fine belongs to your landlord, but the consequences of a missing filing land on you at your next immigration appointment. Most established landlords in Chiang Mai who regularly rent to foreigners already know the drill and file promptly. The risk is higher with a first-time landlord, a private individual renting out a spare room, or informal arrangements without a managed building office handling it automatically.
When we help clients settle into Chiang Mai, confirming the TM30 has been filed is one of the first things we check, well before it becomes a problem at a 90-day report or renewal appointment. If you’re not sure whether yours is on file, or your landlord isn’t responding, message us on WhatsApp and we’ll help you sort it out before it holds up something more important.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to file TM30 myself? No, not unless you own the property you’re living in. If you’re renting, it’s your landlord’s or the building management’s legal responsibility, not yours.
Can I be fined if my landlord doesn’t file it? No. The 800 to 2,000 THB fine applies to the property owner, not the tenant. Your risk is practical, not financial: delays at your 90-day report, visa extension, or re-entry permit if there’s no TM30 on record.
Does TM30 apply if I’m staying in a hotel? No, in the normal case. Registered hotels and guesthouses report guests as part of standard check-in procedures, so you don’t need a separate TM30 filing for a hotel stay.
Is TM30 the same as the 90-day report? No. TM30 confirms your address and is filed by your landlord within 24 hours of you moving in or returning from travel. The 90-day report is a separate filing you do yourself, every 90 days, to confirm you’re still at that address. Filing one doesn’t cover the other.
What if I move to a new address? A new TM30 needs to be filed for the new address within 24 hours, by whoever owns or manages that property. It isn’t transferred automatically from your old address.
Do I need a TM30 receipt for anything specific? Yes. It commonly comes up when applying for a residence certificate, a re-entry permit, or during your annual visa extension. It’s worth asking your landlord for a copy of the filing confirmation when you move in, so you have it on hand if an immigration officer asks.