Comprehensive Property Tax Payment Period, Installments, and Deferral (December 1 to 15, 2026)

For foreign nationals: some of these rules apply differently depending on whether you are a resident or a non-resident for Korean tax purposes. Check your residency status before relying on this article.

The 2026 comprehensive real estate holding tax (종합부동산세) is paid from December 1 to December 15. Notices come out in late November, and if the tax is over KRW 2.5 million, you can pay in installments over 6 months. A one-home household owner who is age 60 or older, or has owned the home for 5 years or more, can also apply for deferral if they meet the income requirements.

Who Pays and the Deduction Amounts: KRW 1.2 Billion for One-Home Households

The tax is charged on people who own a home as of June 1 each year. The amounts below are subtracted from the total officially assessed value of homes nationwide, and the remainder is multiplied by the fair market value ratio of 60% to get the tax base.

Category	Deduction amount
One-home household owner	KRW 1.2 billion
Other individuals	KRW 900 million
Corporations (general)	KRW 0

From the tax calculated this way, the property tax paid on the same home is subtracted, and a special rural development tax (농어촌특별세) of 20% of the comprehensive real estate holding tax is added.

One-Home Household Tax Credits: Up to 80% for Age and Holding Period

One-home household owners get their tax reduced based on age and holding period. The two credits can be combined up to 80%.

Senior credit (age as of June 1)	Rate	Long-term holding credit (holding period)	Rate
Age 60 or older, under 65	20%	5 years or more, under 10 years	20%
Age 65 or older, under 70	30%	10 years or more, under 15 years	40%
Age 70 or older	40%	15 years or more	50%

For example, if you are age 70 and have owned the home for over 15 years, 40% + 50% is 90%, but the credit is capped at 80%.

Payment Period and Notice: December 1 to 15

Notices are issued at least 5 days before the payment period starts, so you usually receive them by mail and on Hometax (홈택스) in late November. Pay the notified amount by Tuesday, December 15. If you pass the deadline, a 3% penalty on the unpaid tax is added immediately, and a late-payment penalty of 0.022% per day is added after that.

You can also file and pay yourself instead of using the notice. If you file during the same period (December 1~15), the notified tax is treated as if it never existed, and you pay the tax you filed.

If You Missed the September Application for Aggregation Exclusion or Special Rules

Exclusion from aggregation for rental housing and the one-home household special rules (temporary two-home owners, inherited homes, low-priced homes in the provinces) must be applied for in principle during September 16~30. If you could not apply then, it will not be reflected in the November notice, but you can have it reflected by filing and paying yourself from December 1 to 15. If you have already paid the notified tax, consider a refund claim (경정청구).

Installments, Card Payment, and Deferral

Method	Who and what	What to check
Installments	Tax payable over KRW 2.5 million (excluding the special rural development tax)	For KRW 2.5~5 million, the amount over KRW 2.5 million. For over KRW 5 million, up to 50% of the tax. Paid within 6 months from the day after the deadline
Card payment	Hometax, Sontax, Cardrotax	Fee of 0.7% for credit cards and 0.4% for debit cards, paid by the taxpayer
Deferral	One-home household owners (including joint owners of one home)	Meet all the requirements below, apply at least 3 days before the deadline, and provide collateral

You must meet all four deferral requirements below.

A one-home household owner as of June 1
Age 60 or older, or has owned the home for 5 years or more
Total salary of KRW 70 million or less in the previous year, or total income of KRW 60 million or less
Tax on the home this year is over KRW 1 million

Deferral does not waive the tax. It postpones payment until you sell, gift, or bequeath the home. At that time you must pay the deferred tax together with the interest-equivalent surcharge, so compare it with installments and card payment before you decide.

Next Year’s Tax May Change

The tax law amendment proposed by the government this year includes a reform of this tax, but it is still under review in the National Assembly. The tax you pay this December is calculated under the current law, and we will cover the reform separately once it is finalized.

When you can do it yourself · When to hand it over

You can handle it yourself if

The notice amount is correct, and you only need to pay by the deadline or apply for installments.

Better to hand it over if

You missed the application for exclusion from aggregation or the one-home household special rule.
You need to check whether the notified tax is correct.
You need to work out whether you meet the deferral requirements.
You also want to review your plans to hold or sell next year.

Barun Tax & Accounting handles tax reviews at the acquisition, holding, and disposal stages of real estate for foreign residents and foreign-owned companies. We reply to emails within one business day. contact@barun-tax.com · KakaoTalk · +82-10-2701-6199

Frequently asked questions

When is the 2026 comprehensive real estate holding tax payment period?

It runs from Tuesday, December 1 to Tuesday, December 15. Notices are issued at least 5 days before the payment period starts, so you usually receive them in late November by mail and on Hometax.

Can I pay the comprehensive real estate holding tax in installments?

If the tax payable exceeds KRW 2.5 million, you can pay in installments within 6 months from the day after the payment deadline. If it is over KRW 2.5 million up to KRW 5 million, you pay the amount over KRW 2.5 million later. If it is over KRW 5 million, you pay up to 50% of the tax later.

Who can apply for deferral of the comprehensive real estate holding tax?

You can apply at least 3 days before the payment deadline if you are a one-home household owner (including joint owners of one home) who is age 60 or older or has owned the home for 5 years or more, whose total salary in the previous year was KRW 70 million or less or total income was KRW 60 million or less, and whose tax on the home this year is over KRW 1 million. You must provide collateral, and when you sell, gift, or bequeath the home, you pay the deferred tax and the interest-equivalent surcharge.

I could not apply for exclusion from aggregation or the one-home household special rule in September.

It will not be reflected in the November notice, but you can have it reflected by filing and paying yourself from December 1 to 15. If you file, the notified tax is treated as if it never existed. If you have already paid, consider a refund claim.

Can I pay the comprehensive real estate holding tax by card?

You can pay by credit or debit card on Hometax, Sontax, or Cardrotax. The payment agency fee is 0.7% for credit cards and 0.4% for debit cards, and the taxpayer pays it.

This article is general guidance based on Korean tax law as of the date written. It is not tax advice for your specific situation. Please consult us before acting on it.

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