A large property tax bill in Korea does not have to be paid in one go. Article 118 of the Local Tax Act lets the head of the local government allow part of the tax to be paid within 3 months from the day after the due date when the property tax payable exceeds 2.5 million won. How much can be split off is in Article 116 of the Enforcement Decree: the part above 2.5 million won if the tax is 5 million won or less, and up to 50/100 of the tax if it is over 5 million won. Enter the bill amount and the calculator shows how much can be split off and how much is due on time.
1. Only when the property tax payable exceeds 2.5 million won (Act Art. 118).
2. Up to 5 million won: the part above 2.5 million; over 5 million won: up to half (50/100) (Decree Art. 116(1)).
3. Apply by the due date; the split-off part is due within 3 months from the day after the due date.
Calculator
Updates as you type. We read “the tax payable” bill by bill (one July or September bill), and leave out the local education tax and other taxes printed on the same bill — our reading. Amounts are floored to the won (our method). The instalment date is our count; the real date is on the corrected notice (Decree Art. 116(3)).
The two articles
| Type | What the source says | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| Local Tax Act Art. 118 (instalments) | Where the property tax payable exceeds 2.5 million won, the head of the local government may, as prescribed by Presidential Decree, allow part of the tax to be paid in instalments within 3 months from the day after the due date. | “May allow” — it starts with an application |
| Decree Art. 116(1) (instalment amount) | 1. Tax of 5 million won or less: the amount above 2.5 million won 2. Tax over 5 million won: 50/100 or less of the tax | Item 2 says “or less” — a smaller split is possible |
| Decree Art. 116(2)–(3) (application, corrected notice) | Apply by the property tax due date on the prescribed form. The office then re-issues the notice split into a bill due by the due date and a bill due within the instalment period. | The instalment date is on the new notice |
Article 118 was last amended on 29 December 2023; Decree Article 116(1) has stood since its 31 December 2019 amendment. “Exceeds 2.5 million” means a bill of exactly 2.5 million won does not qualify.
Four sums — our example
| Bill (our example) | On time / split off | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5 million won | 2.5 million / 0 | Not “over”, so not eligible |
| 3 million won | 2.5 million / 500,000 | Item 1: the part above 2.5 million |
| 5 million won | 2.5 million / 2.5 million | End of item 1, same as item 2 |
| 8 million won | 4 million / 4 million | Item 2: 50/100 or less |
The two items meet smoothly at 5 million won: 5 million gives 2.5 million under item 1, and 5,000,002 won gives 2,500,001 under item 2, so nothing jumps at the line (our sum). Either way, at least 2.5 million won is due on time — exactly that up to 5 million, half or more above it.
Housing is billed half in July, half in September — each bill on its own
Article 115(1)3 bills housing property tax one half from 16 to 31 July and the other half from 16 to 30 September. If the year’s tax is 200,000 won or less, a local ordinance may bill it all in July. So a home with 6 million won of property tax a year gets a 3 million won bill in July and another in September, and on our reading each bill can split off the 500,000 won above 2.5 million. The article does not say whether “tax payable” means the year’s total or one bill; we read it as the bill actually paid. Check with the issuing office.
When the split-off part is due — our count
The article says “within 3 months from the day after the due date”. Framework Act on Local Taxes Article 23 applies the Civil Act to periods, and Article 24 moves a deadline falling on a Saturday, Sunday, public or substitute holiday, or Labour Day to the next day. For the 2026 bills:
| Bill (2026) | Instalment due (our count) | Worth noting (ours) |
|---|---|---|
| July bill — due Fri 31 July | Mon 2 November | 3 months from 1 August → 31 October is a Saturday |
| September bill — due Wed 30 September | Thu 31 December | 3 months from 1 October |
The day after the due date starts at midnight, so we count it as day one (our reading of the Civil Act Art. 157 proviso). The real date is on the corrected notice under Decree Art. 116(3). The same idea for the comprehensive real estate holding tax (6 months) is in our comprehensive property tax instalment calculator.
Checklist
- ☐ Is this bill’s property tax over 2.5 million won?
- ☐ Up to 5 million: 2.5 million on time; above: half or more on time
- ☐ Apply to the city, county or district office by the due date
- ☐ Check the instalment date on the corrected notice
- ☐ Check the local education tax on the same bill separately
Questions that remain
Is the bill split automatically?
No. Decree Art. 116(2) requires an application by the due date, and Art. 118 says the office “may allow” it.
Over 5 million won, must exactly half be split?
Item 2 says “50/100 or less”. Half is the ceiling; a smaller split reads as allowed (our reading).
Can older or lower-income owners defer the whole tax?
Yes, one-home owners meeting the conditions can defer under Art. 118-2 until the home is sold or inherited — different from a 3-month instalment. See our property tax deferral checker.
Why is my bill this amount?
Our housing property tax calculator rebuilds it from the ratio, the tax-base cap and the rates.
Sources
- Korean law database (law.go.kr) — Local Tax Act Arts. 115, 118 — source (current text, effective 1 July 2026, Act No. 21308; checked 28 October 2026). Art. 115 due dates (housing half in July, half in September; 200,000 won or less may be billed in July), Art. 118 instalments (over 2.5 million won, part, within 3 months from the day after the due date; amended 29 Dec 2023).
- Korean law database — Enforcement Decree of the Local Tax Act Art. 116 — source (effective 1 October 2026, Decree No. 36736; checked 28 October 2026). Instalment amounts, application by the due date, corrected notice.
- Korean law database — Framework Act on Local Taxes Arts. 23–24 — source (effective 2 October 2026, Act No. 22017; checked 28 October 2026). Periods follow the Civil Act; deadlines on weekends, holidays or Labour Day move to the next day.
- Not read. The application form (ministry ordinance), whether the local education tax on the same bill can be split, local ordinances.
- What we added. The “worth noting” column and the Korean everyday gloss.
Where to check further
- The local tax office that sent the bill — how to apply and the date on the corrected notice.
- Wetax — local tax bills and payment.
Written on 28 October 2026. The content is from the source; the glosses are ours.
