South Korea 2026 Monthly Rent Tax Credit — Up to 1.7M KRW Refund

South Korea's monthly rent tax credit under the Korean Income Tax Act for Korean non-homeowner wage earners: 17% for salary ≤ 55M KRW, 15% for 55M–70M KRW, with an annual rent cap of 10M KRW (max refund 1.7M KRW).

💰Open Korean Hometax — Year-End Tax Simplification ServiceOpen Hometax ↗
💰 Estimate Your Korean Monthly Rent Tax Credit
Korean withholding statement. Above 70M KRW = no credit.
Actual Korean monthly rent paid. Annualized and capped at 10M KRW.
Applied Korean Rate: 17%
Estimated Korean Tax Refund
1,428,000 KRW
Annual Korean rent recognized: 8,400,000 KRW
※ 2024 Korean amendment raised rates (15→17%, 12→15%) and the cap (7.5M→10M KRW). 2026 Korean expected continuation, pending annual Korean tax-amendment bill.

✅ Korean Requirements (all)

① Korean non-homeownerApplicant and Korean household members own no home
② Korean salary ≤ 70MKorean comprehensive income > 60M excluded
③ Korean standard house≤ 85㎡ or Korean standard value ≤ 400M KRW (raised from 300M in 2023)
④ Korean self-rental + transferKorean self-named contract + Korean residence registration
⑤ Actual Korean paymentKorean transfer / card / cash receipt proof

📊 Korean 2026 Rate by Salary

Korean salary bracketRate10M KRW cap → max refund
≤ 55M KRW17%1,700,000 KRW
55M – 70M KRW15%1,500,000 KRW
> 70M KRW0% (Korean not eligible)0

📝 How to Claim (Korea)

  1. ① Keep Korean lease originals with your name and address
  2. ② Korean residence registration (required) — via Gov24 or Korean community center
  3. ③ Korean rent paid by transfer/card (landlord-named receipt)
  4. ④ Year-end: submit Korean 'Monthly Rent Credit Application' + lease copy + transfer log to Korean employer
  5. ⑤ Korean self-employed: file May 1–31 via Korean Hometax
  6. ⑥ Korean retroactive claim within 5 years via Korean amended filing

💡 Korean Rent Credit vs Jeonse Loan Deduction

Korean targetKorean ≤ 70M salary worker monthly rent credit
vs Korean jeonse loan deduction40% of Korean jeonse-loan repayment up to 4M KRW
Korean cash receiptKorean cash receipt registration adds Korean income deduction
Korean self-employedFile at Korean May tax; Korean wage earner uses salary bracket

⚠️ Korean Watch-outs

  • ① Only one Korean household member can claim (Korean no double).
  • ② Korean officetel/goshiwon/multi-family count if Korean Housing Lease Protection Act applies.
  • ③ Korean 'maintenance fee' is not rent — not credited.
  • ④ Korean filing exposes landlord income — Korean pre-discuss with landlord.
  • ⑤ Korean jeonse does not qualify — use Korean jeonse-loan deduction instead.
  • ⑥ Korean retroactive within 5 years via Korean amended return.

📞 Contact (Korea)

Korean NTS hotline126
Korean Hometax center1566-3636
Korean district tax officeVaries by Korean region

This South Korea–only summary follows Korea's Income Tax Act §59-4 and Korean NTS guidance (as of April 2026). Korean rates, caps, and requirements may change per annual Korean tax-amendment bill; actual Korean refund is final at Korean year-end review. Korean landlord income visibility should be considered. Non-binding Korean reference — confirm with Korean Hometax or Korean 126.

What is Korea's Monthly Rent Tax Credit?

South Korea's Monthly Rent Tax Credit (월세 세액공제) under the Korean Income Tax Act §59-4 is a direct Korean tax credit for Korean non-homeowner wage earners renting a standard-size Korean residence (≤ 85㎡ or Korean standard value ≤ 400M KRW). Korean 2024 revision raised rates to 17% (Korean salary ≤ 55M), 15% (55M–70M), and raised the cap from 7.5M to 10M KRW (max Korean refund 1.7M KRW). Korean requirements: no-home Korean household, Korean gross salary ≤ 70M (Korean comprehensive income ≤ 60M), Korean self-named lease, Korean residence registration, and Korean rent-payment proof. Korean wage earners file via Korean year-end settlement (employer); Korean self-employed file in Korean May. Korean retroactive within 5 years.

Does Korean salary > 70M qualify?

No. Korean 70M+ gross salary or Korean 60M+ comprehensive income is excluded. Korean cash receipts may still yield an income deduction.

Korean officetel / goshiwon?

Yes, if the Korean Housing Lease Protection Act applies (Korean residence, Korean registration possible).

Korean residence not registered — can I claim?

No. Korean residence registration is required. Korean late registration only counts from that date.

What if the Korean landlord refuses?

Korean credit is a legal right — Korean landlord consent is not required. Korean filing exposes Korean landlord income, so Korean pre-discussion is suggested.

Korean jeonse?

Korean jeonse is not eligible for this Korean credit. Use Korean 'Jeonse Loan Principal-Interest Deduction' (up to 4M KRW, 40% Korean rate) instead.

Korean couple both leaseholders?

Korean one household → one filer. Korean double-claim is not allowed.

Korea 2026 Monthly Rent Tax Credit — Up to 1.7M KRW Annual Refund

South Korea's 2026 Monthly Rent Tax Credit, under Korean Income Tax Act §59-4, is a direct Korean tax credit for Korean non-homeowner wage earners. Korean 2024 revisions raised the Korean rate to 17% for Korean salary ≤ 55M KRW and 15% for 55M–70M KRW, and the Korean annual rent cap from 7.5M to 10M KRW, yielding a maximum Korean refund of 1,700,000 KRW. Korean requirements: no-home Korean household, Korean gross salary ≤ 70M (comprehensive income ≤ 60M), Korean standard-size residence (≤ 85㎡ or ≤ 400M KRW standard value), Korean self-named lease with residence registration, and Korean rent payment proof. Korean officetels, goshiwons, and multi-family homes qualify if the Korean Housing Lease Protection Act applies. Korean jeonse is excluded (use Korean jeonse-loan deduction). Korean wage earners file at Korean year-end with their employer; Korean self-employed file on Korean Hometax in May. Korean retroactive filings are allowed within 5 years. Korean contacts: NTS 126, Hometax 1566-3636.

All calculators and tools on this site are based on the laws, tax rates, and policies of the Republic of Korea.

This calculator is provided for informational purposes only.

Results are estimates and may differ from actual amounts.

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