Acquisition Tax Calculator

How 2026 Korean housing acquisition tax is calculated

When you buy a home in Korea, acquisition tax (취득세) is charged on the purchase price. For 2026 the base rate is 1% up to 600 million won, a sliding 1–3% band between 600 and 900 million won, and 3% above 900 million won. This is only the main tax: a local education tax is always added, and a rural special tax applies to units larger than 85㎡. If you will own two or more homes — especially in a regulated (조정대상지역) zone — surcharge rates of 8% or 12% may apply instead. Enter the price, number of homes, zone status, and floor area above to see the full estimate with the combined total and effective rate.

The 600M–900M progressive rate formula

Homes priced above 600 million and up to 900 million won use a sliding rate rather than a flat one. The rate is: rate(%) = price(in 억, i.e. 100-million units) × 2 ÷ 3 − 3, rounded to two decimal places. So 700 million ≈ 1.67%, 750 million = exactly 2.00%, and 800 million = 2.33%. The formula returns exactly 1% at 600M and 3% at 900M, so it connects smoothly to the flat bands. Within this band the local education tax stays at 10% of the acquisition tax, and a 0.2% rural special tax is added for units over 85㎡.

Multi-home and regulated-zone surcharges (8% / 12%)

Owning more homes sharply raises the rate. In a regulated zone, a second home is taxed at 8% and a third-or-more home (or a corporation) at 12%. In a non-regulated zone, up to two homes keep the standard 1–3% rate; the third triggers 8% and the fourth-or-more 12%. For a regulated-zone second home worth 800 million won, acquisition tax alone is 64 million won — more than three times the single-home amount. Under surcharge rates, local education tax is a flat 0.4% and rural special tax (over 85㎡) is 0.6% at 8% or 1.0% at 12%. Temporary two-home, inherited, and low-value homes may be excluded — confirm before filing.

Adding local education tax and rural special tax

Your real total is more than the headline rate. Local education tax equals 10% of the acquisition tax for standard homes (0.1–0.3%) or a flat 0.4% for surcharged homes. Rural special tax applies only to units over 85㎡: 0.2% standard, 0.6% at the 8% rate, and 1.0% at the 12% rate; homes of 85㎡ or less are exempt. A 600M-or-less home of 85㎡ or less therefore carries an effective rate of about 1.1%. These taxes must be filed and paid within 60 days of the earlier of final payment or registration.

Frequently asked questions