How to pay the tax in Korea - residence and automobile tax

Tony Giny
Mar 28, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Aug 18, 2025

How to pay the tax in Korea - residence and automobile tax

"Local tax” refers to taxes paid by all the residents (including international ones).

What Is "Local Tax"?

Local tax is collected by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and applies to all residents Korean and international alike. These taxes fund public welfare, environmental programs, education, and essential city services.

Key local taxes include:

Residence Tax
Automobile Tax
Acquisition Tax
Local Income Tax

Payment Deadlines

Residence Tax

Due by September 1, 2025.
Applicable to heads of households (including foreign residents with >1 year’s stay, as of July 1)

Automobile Tax

Two standard due periods:
- First half: Issued June 1 → Payment window June 16–30
- Second half: Issued December 1 → Payment window December 16–31
Annual prepayment option (with 5% discount):
- Can be made in January, March, June, or September.
- The highest discount (5%) is achieved when paying in January.

What if I fail to pay local taxes?

Consequences of Non-Payment

Failure to pay local taxes may result in:

Seizure of wages, savings, or deposits, and potential auction of assets (homes, cars).
Restrictions on visa extensions or licensed business operations.
In the case of automobile tax, your license plate may be impounded, even without a warrant.
Immigration officers access tax-overdue records; failure to clear debts can limit visa extensions (typically extended up to 6 months only).

How to Pay Local Taxes

1. At the Bank

Use your physical bill, or without one, pay via bankbook or credit/debit card.
ATMs (CD/ATM kiosks) also accept payment when you input the account details from the bill.

2. Online

E‑Tax: etax.seoul.go.kr
WeTax: wetax.go.kr
STAX Mobile App (Seoul’s official tax app)
Convenience Pay Apps: Kakao Pay, Naver Pay, Payco, Toss, and banking apps like Shinhan, KB Kookmin, Hana, Samsung, Woori Card