Korea Property Acquisition Tax Calculator (Home Purchase, 2026)
2026 rates · Last checked · Official sources are listed under the basis of calculation below
When an individual buys a home, this calculates the acquisition tax (취득세), local education tax (지방교육세) and special rural development tax (농어촌특별세) using the rates in the Local Tax Act. It reflects the rates by price bracket, the 85㎡ exclusive area line, and the surcharge for owning multiple homes. Purchases by companies, gifts, inheritance, new construction and tax reductions are not calculated.
Show calculation steps
Step 1, acquisition tax rate. It is 1% for KRW 600 million or less and 3% for more than KRW 900 million. For more than KRW 600 million up to KRW 900 million, it is calculated as (acquisition price × 2 / KRW 300 million − 3) × 1/100, written to 4 decimal places. For KRW 700 million, it is 0.016666…, so 0.0167, which is 1.67%.
Step 2, acquisition tax. Acquisition price × acquisition tax rate.
Step 3, local education tax. At the standard rate, it is acquisition price × acquisition tax rate × 50% × 20%, which is one tenth of the acquisition tax. At a surcharge rate, it is acquisition price × (4% − 2%) × 20% = 0.4%.
Step 4, special rural development tax. It is exempt for an exclusive area of 85㎡ or less. If the area is larger, it is 10% of the acquisition tax calculated with the standard rate set at 2%, so it is 0.2% at the standard rate, (2% + 4%) × 10% = 0.6% with the 8% surcharge, and (2% + 8%) × 10% = 1.0% with the 12% surcharge.
Step 5. Each of the three amounts is rounded down to the nearest 10 won and added (Framework Act on Local Taxes, Article 59, National Treasury Funds Management Act, Article 47).
Example: for KRW 800 million, an exclusive area of 100㎡ and 1 home, the rate is 8 × 2/3 − 3 = 2.33%. Acquisition tax is KRW 18,640,000, local education tax KRW 1,864,000 and special rural development tax KRW 1,600,000, for a total of KRW 22,104,000.
Rate table for buying a home for money
| Acquisition price | Acquisition tax | Local education tax | Rural special tax (over 85㎡) | Total (85㎡ or less) | Total (over 85㎡) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRW 600 million or less | 1% | 0.1% | 0.2% | 1.1% | 1.3% |
| Over KRW 600 million, up to KRW 900 million | Formula | 1/10 of acquisition tax | 0.2% | 1.11 to 3.3% | 1.31 to 3.5% |
| Over KRW 900 million | 3% | 0.3% | 0.2% | 3.3% | 3.5% |
The range of totals is the same as the Mapo District Office rate table. For an amount just over KRW 600 million, the formula result is close to 1%, so the rate can come out as 1.00%.
Surcharge for owning multiple homes: what is calculated
We checked the original text of Article 13-2 (1) of the Local Tax Act, and only the table below is calculated, for an individual's purchase for money. 8% is "4% + the 2% reference surcharge rate × 200%", and 12% is "4% + 2% × 400%".
| Number of homes including this one | Regulated area | Other areas |
|---|---|---|
| 1 home | 1 to 3% | 1 to 3% |
| 2 homes | 8% (1 to 3% for a temporary 2-home status) | 1 to 3% |
| 3 homes | 12% | 8% |
| 4 or more homes | 12% | 12% |
This calculator cannot count your homes for you. It applies the rate on the assumption that the number you chose is correct. Under Article 28-4 of the Enforcement Decree, the count includes, besides the home you are buying and the homes your household owns, a union member's right to move in (조합원입주권), a right to a pre-sale home (주택분양권), and an officetel on which property tax is paid as a home. A household is defined by the resident registration, and a spouse and an unmarried child under 30 are in principle treated as the same household even if they live apart (Enforcement Decree, Article 28-3, with exceptions).
Some homes are left out of the count or are not subject to the surcharge. For example, Article 28-2 of the Enforcement Decree excludes from the surcharge a home whose officially assessed value is KRW 100 million or less in the Seoul metropolitan area, or KRW 200 million or less outside it, unless it is in a redevelopment zone or similar. There are also special provisions for newly built small homes and similar through the end of 2027. If it is a home excluded from the surcharge under Article 28-2, you can choose "1 home" and see the standard rate. For the special provisions such as newly built small homes in Article 28-4 (2), only the home you are buying now is left out of the count, so choose the item that matches the number counted that way. Check whether you qualify with Wetax or your city, county or district tax office.
A temporary 2-home status (일시적 2주택), under Article 28-5 of the Enforcement Decree, is when you buy one more home for a reason such as moving, study or a job, and then dispose of your previous home within a deadline. The deadline is 3 years, and 2 years if both homes are in regulated areas. The 2-year rule applies from cases where the tax liability arises on or after October 1, 2026. However, if it is proven that you signed the sale contract (including a pre-sale contract for an apartment) and paid the deposit by August 26, 2026, the previous 3 years still applies (Enforcement Decree addenda, Presidential Decree No. 36736, Article 2). If you cannot dispose of it within the deadline, the tax may change.
Cases that are not calculated
The cases below are deliberately not calculated, because their scope was not confirmed from the original text or cannot be judged from the inputs alone. If you need an amount, check with Wetax or your city, county or district tax office.
- Purchases by a company: A separate provision, Article 13-2 (1) item 1 of the Act, applies.
- Gifts, inheritance and new construction: The rates and tax base differ (Articles 10-2 and 10-4, Article 11 (1) items 1 to 3).
- Officetels, shops and land: This table is only for homes registered as housing in the building register and similar. The standard rate for other purchases for money is 40/1,000 outside farmland, and the taxes added on top are not calculated by this calculator.
- Luxury housing: A home with an officially assessed value over KRW 900 million and a total floor area of an apartment (excluding common areas) over 245㎡ (274㎡ for a duplex) and similar standards has 8 percentage points added to the rate (Act, Article 13 (5), Enforcement Decree, Article 28 (4)). This calculator does not reflect it in the amount, and if the area is over 245㎡, the result tells you to check.
- Tax reductions: The first-time home buyer reduction in Article 36-3 of the Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, if requirements such as an acquisition value of KRW 1.2 billion or less are met, exempts a calculated tax of KRW 2 million (KRW 3 million for small apartments and similar) or less until December 31, 2028, and deducts that amount if it is more. Because it has many requirements, it is not included in the calculation.
- Local ordinance rates: Articles 14 and 151 (2) of the Act let a local ordinance adjust the rate. This calculator uses only the standard rates.
Example table
| Conditions | Rate | Acquisition tax | Local education tax | Rural special tax | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KRW 500 million, 84㎡, 1 home | 1% | 5,000,000 | 500,000 | 0 | KRW 5,500,000 |
| KRW 700 million, 84㎡, 1 home | 1.67% | 11,690,000 | 1,169,000 | 0 | KRW 12,859,000 |
| KRW 800 million, 100㎡, 1 home | 2.33% | 18,640,000 | 1,864,000 | 1,600,000 | KRW 22,104,000 |
| KRW 1 billion, 100㎡, 1 home | 3% | 30,000,000 | 3,000,000 | 2,000,000 | KRW 35,000,000 |
| KRW 500 million, 84㎡, 2 homes, regulated area | 8% | 40,000,000 | 2,000,000 | 0 | KRW 42,000,000 |
| KRW 1 billion, 100㎡, 3 homes, regulated area | 12% | 120,000,000 | 4,000,000 | 10,000,000 | KRW 134,000,000 |
The surcharge rows have the same ratios as the total rates in Sejong City's guidance (8.4%, 9%, 12.4%, 13.4%).
Acquisition price and filing deadline
For a purchase for money, the acquisition price is all the costs paid or to be paid to acquire it, that is, the actual acquisition price (Local Tax Act, Article 10-3). The actual transaction price in the sale contract is usually the starting point, but in a case that counts as an unfair transaction, such as between related persons, it may be set at the recognized market value.
Acquisition tax must be filed and paid within 60 days from the date of acquisition (Local Tax Act, Article 20). After the deadline, an additional penalty tax may apply.
Common mistakes
- Entering the supply area: The 85㎡ line is the exclusive residential area. Enter the exclusive area, not the supply area or the contract area.
- Counting only the homes you already have: The count includes the home you are buying now. If you own 1 home and buy 1 more, you have 2 homes.
- Entering only the share to get a lower rate: Even for joint ownership or buying a share, the rate bracket is based on the acquisition value of the whole home (Article 11 (1) item 8, latter part).
- Missing the contract date: If it is proven that you signed the contract and paid the deposit on or before the announcement date of the regulated area designation (including that date), it is treated as an acquisition before the designation (Article 13-2 (4)).
Frequently asked questions
Does the tax jump sharply just above KRW 600 million?
No. For over KRW 600 million up to KRW 900 million, it is a formula, so the rate rises slightly as the amount rises. KRW 600 million is 1%, and KRW 602 million is 1.01%. However, because the rate applies to the whole value, the tax grows faster than the value. When the value rises about 17% from KRW 600 million to KRW 700 million, the acquisition tax rises about 95%, from KRW 6,000,000 to KRW 11,690,000.
How much more do I pay if the exclusive area is over 85㎡?
At the standard rate, 0.2% of the acquisition price is added as the special rural development tax. It is 0.6% with the 8% surcharge and 1.0% with the 12% surcharge. In a town or township that is not an urban area outside the Seoul metropolitan area, the line is 100㎡ or less (Housing Act, Article 2, item 6). For a home with a large attached lot, the exempt range may change under the land area standard (Enforcement Decree of the Special Tax for Rural Development Act, Article 4 (5)). For a multi-family house, the exclusive area per household is used, and the exemption for farmhouses is not reflected in this calculator.
How do I know whether my home is in a regulated area?
Designation and lifting are announced under the Housing Act and change over time. This page does not list the areas. Check the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport announcement or the city, county or district concerned, as of the time of your contract.
If it is my first home, do I pay less than this amount?
If you meet the requirements, you may receive a reduction. It is the reduction in Article 36-3 of the Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, and this calculator does not reflect it. Check your and your spouse's home ownership history, residency requirements and so on with Wetax or your city, county or district.
Why might this differ from Wetax by a few tens of won?
This calculator rounds each of the three taxes down to the nearest 10 won. The costs included in the tax base when you file, reductions, or ordinance rates may change the actual notice amount.
Basis of the calculation
Base year: 2026 (legal text checked 2026-10-31)
- National Law Information Center, Local Tax Act (effective 2026.7.1) Article 6 item 19, Article 10-3, Article 11 (1) items 7 and 8, Article 13 (5), Articles 13-2, 13-3, 14 and 20, Article 151 (1) item 1. The formula in sub-item (b) was checked against the original formula text of the provision.
- National Law Information Center, Enforcement Decree of the Local Tax Act (effective 2026.10.1) Article 28 (4), Articles 28-2 to 28-5, addenda (Presidential Decree No. 36736) Article 2
- National Law Information Center, Special Tax for Rural Development Act Article 4 items 9 and 11, Article 5 (1) item 6, Enforcement Decree Article 4 (5), Housing Act Article 2 item 6
- National Law Information Center, Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act Article 36-3, Framework Act on Local Taxes Article 59, National Treasury Funds Management Act Article 47
- Seocho District Office local tax automatic calculator (the formula that handles the rate to 4 decimal places, checked 2026-10-31), Sejong Special Self-Governing City acquisition tax guide and Mapo District Office real estate acquisition tax guide (rate tables, checked 2026-11-01)
We could not read the original text of Wetax (wetax.go.kr) guidance, so it is not used as a basis; instead we cross-checked against the original legal text and public materials from local governments. The values you enter are calculated only on this screen and are not stored or sent anywhere.
This is a reference calculation; official guidance from the relevant institution takes precedence. For the exact tax amount, check Wetax or your city, county or district tax office.
Calculators to use together
- Korea Real Estate Agent Fee Calculator: calculate the maximum agent fee for the same deal.
- Loan Interest Calculator: see the monthly repayment on a mortgage.
- Pyeong Calculator: convert exclusive area between ㎡ and pyeong.