Korea's acquisition tax (chwideukse, the tax paid when you buy property) is decided first not by how many homes you own now, but by how many your household will own after this purchase. One home means 1–3% depending on price; a second home in a regulated zone (jojeong daesang jiyeok) or a third home elsewhere means 8%; above that, 12%.
On top of that sit a local education tax and a rural-development surtax. So the amount you actually pay is not the "acquisition rate" alone but the "all-in rate" combining all three — and the 600–900 million won band is computed with a formula, not read off a fixed table.
Judge Three Things, in Order
Three variables set the rate, and order matters. As KB explains, whether the property sits in a regulated zone can swing the rate sharply at the same home count, so the zone check is especially important.
- Household home count after purchase: sum the homes of all household members and count what this purchase makes it
- Regulated-zone status: is the new home in a regulated zone? The same "second home" splits into 1–3% versus 8%
- Price and floor area: 600–900M is by formula; over 85㎡ adds the rural surtax
Here, "household" means family registered as living together; a spouse and unmarried children under 30 count in the same household even if they live apart. The home count includes not just built homes but also subscription rights and redevelopment rights acquired on or after Aug 12, 2020, and officetels used for residence. So even if you consider yourself homeless-on-paper, one household member's subscription right can push this purchase into surcharge territory.
The 600–900M Band Uses a Formula, Not a Table
The base rate for a single home (or any non-surcharged case) is fixed at 1% up to 600M won and 3% above 900M, but the band in between is set at 1–3% by the formula price (in 100M won) × 2 ÷ 3 − 3 (%), exactly as laid out in this 2026 rate breakdown.
For 750M won: 7.5 × 2 ÷ 3 − 3 = 2.0%. Adding the local education tax (10% of the acquisition tax), the all-in figures are below (floor area 85㎡ or under, rural surtax exempt).
| Price | Rate | Acquisition tax | Local education tax | Total (all-in) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500M | 1.0% | 5.0M | 0.5M | 5.5M (1.1%) |
| 750M | 2.0% | 15.0M | 1.5M | 16.5M (2.2%) |
| 1.0B | 3.0% | 30.0M | 3.0M | 33.0M (3.3%) |
Over 85㎡, each row adds the rural surtax (0.2% of price) — for 750M that is 1.5M more, bringing the total to 18.0M won.
At the same price, the household's home count, the zone the home sits in, and its floor area can more than double the tax.
Multi-Home Surcharge — One More Home in a Regulated Zone Means 8%
The surcharge rate splits on regulated-zone status. Combining Samil PwC with other tax references, by household home count after purchase:
| Homes after purchase | Non-regulated zone | Regulated zone |
|---|---|---|
| 1 home | 1–3% | 1–3% |
| 2 homes | 1–3% | 8% |
| 3 homes | 8% | 12% |
| 4+ homes / corporate | 12% | 12% |
For example, buying an 800M won home in a regulated zone to become a two-home household means acquisition tax alone of 800M × 8% = 64M won. Against the single-home rate on the same home (8 × 2 ÷ 3 − 3 = ~2.33%, about 18.67M won), that is well over triple — regulated-zone status alone swings tens of millions.
If a move temporarily leaves you with two homes, selling the prior home within the set period (three years regardless of zone, for sales on or after Jan 12, 2023) restores the single-home base rate (1–3%). An officetel used for residence can count toward your home total, so pair this with whether an officetel counts as a home.
Two Taxes Riding on the Acquisition Tax
You do not pay the acquisition tax alone. Per local-tax guidance, two levies come with it. The local education tax is 10% of the acquisition tax (0.1–0.3% of price for base-rate homes), and the rural-development surtax adds 0.2% of price only on homes over 85㎡. Homes of 85㎡ or under (national-housing size) are exempt from the surtax.
For surcharged homes (8%/12%) the surtax rate rises too, so the all-in rate on a multi-home purchase jumps well above the base. The full order of tax judgment across acquisition, holding, and sale is laid out in the order of property-tax judgment.
Check Before You Buy
- Household home count after purchase: did you include homes held by a spouse and household members?
- Regulated-zone status of the new home: the fork to an 8% second-home surcharge
- Formula if price is 600–900M: confirm the decimal rate via price × 2 ÷ 3 − 3 (%)
- Floor area over 85㎡: if so, add the 0.2% rural surtax
- Disposal deadline for a temporary second home: three-year rule on the prior home
Verify the real amount by entering price, zone, and home count into a local Wetax calculator or a property tax calculator.