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Company incorporation cost calculator

Work out the registration tax, local education tax, registry fee and notary fees for setting up a Korean stock company.

Your new company

₩

The amount paid for the shares at incorporation, including the value of any in-kind contribution. It is the tax base for the registration and license tax (Local Tax Act art. 28(1)6(a)).

Head office location
Where is the overcrowding control region?

These 16 areas are listed in Annex 1 of the Enforcement Decree of the Seoul Metropolitan Area Readjustment Planning Act.

  1. Seoul
  2. Incheon, except Ganghwa-gun, Ongjin-gun, Daegok, Bullo, Majeon, Geumgok, Oryu, Wanggil, Dangha and Wondang-dong of Seo-gu, the Incheon Free Economic Zone (including areas released from it) and the Namdong National Industrial Complex
  3. Uijeongbu
  4. Guri
  5. Namyangju (only Hopyeong, Pyeongnae, Geumgok, Ilpae, Ipae, Sampae, Gaun, Suseok, Jigeum and Donong-dong)
  6. Hanam
  7. Goyang
  8. Suwon
  9. Seongnam
  10. Anyang
  11. Bucheon
  12. Gwangmyeong
  13. Gwacheon
  14. Uiwang
  15. Gunpo
  16. Siheung, except the Banwol special area (including areas released from it)

Incheon reorganized its districts on 1 July 2026, but the annex still uses the earlier district names. If an address is near a boundary, ask the tax office of the city, county or district.

When the tax is not tripled
  • Industrial complexes under the Industrial Cluster Development and Factory Establishment Act are not part of the large city area, even inside the region (Local Tax Act art. 13(2)).
  • Exempt business types: 37 types such as software business, telecommunications, high-tech industries, distribution and medical services (Local Tax Act Enforcement Decree art. 44 and art. 26(1)). Switching to or adding another business within 2 years of registration brings the tripled tax back for that part (Local Tax Act art. 28(3)).
  • Companies located in an industrial technology complex are not tripled until 31 December 2028 (Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act art. 78(8)).
  • Some special purpose companies, such as investment companies, real estate investment companies (except self-managed ones), culture industry companies and ship investment companies, are not tripled until 31 December 2027 (Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act art. 180-2(3)).

Type of incorporation

By promoters: the founders take all shares issued at incorporation. With subscription: the founders invite other shareholders and hold an inaugural meeting (Commercial Act art. 295, 301 and 308).

How you file the registration

Estimated costs

Total425,000 won
Registration and license tax337,500 won
Local education tax67,500 won
Registry filing fee20,000 won
Registration and license taxCapital × 1.2% (three times 0.4%), at least 337,500 won (Local Tax Act art. 28(2))
337,500 won
Local education taxRegistration and license tax × 20% (Local Tax Act art. 151(1)2)
67,500 won
Registry filing feeOne online filing (Rules on Registry Certificate Fees art. 5-5(5))
20,000 won
Notarizing the articles of incorporation80,000 won up to 50 million won of total par value, plus 1/2,000 of the excess, up to 1 million won (Notary Fee Rules art. 21(1))
Not needed
Notarizing the minutes30,000 won × 0 (same Rules art. 21(2))
Not needed
Registering the company sealNo fee is set for registering the seal (only reissuing the seal card costs 5,000 won)
0 won
Total
425,000 won

Capital × rate is below the minimum, so the minimum tax applies.

Taxes drop amounts under 10 won (Framework Act on Local Taxes art. 59, National Treasury Management Act art. 47).

  • With capital under 1 billion won and incorporation by promoters, the articles take effect when the promoters sign or seal them, and the minutes need no notarization (Commercial Act art. 292 proviso, Notary Public Act art. 66-2(1)1).
  • A bank balance certificate can prove the capital payment (Commercial Act art. 318(3), Commercial Registration Rules art. 129(12)).

Not included in the total

  • Fees of a judicial scrivener (beopmusa), which vary by office.
  • The bank balance certificate fee, which varies by bank (the Online Incorporation System estimate uses 2,000 won).
  • Making the company seal.
  • Certificates after registration: registry certificate 1,200 won at the counter or 1,000 won online or at a kiosk; company seal certificate 1,200 won at the counter, 1,000 won at a kiosk, 1,100 won when applied for online, 1,000 won as an electronic certificate (Rules art. 2 and 5).
  • The company's electronic certificate is free; a hardware OTP costs 18,000 won and a mobile OTP is free (Rules art. 5-8 and 5-9).
  • If there are special incorporation items such as in-kind contributions, an inspector's or notary's investigation report costs extra. A notary charges 1 million won up to 50 million won of total par value, up to 3 million won (Notary Fee Rules art. 19-2).

Five steps to set up a company

  1. Articles of incorporation: set the name, purpose, head office, capital and so on, and the promoters sign or seal them. With capital under 1 billion won and incorporation by promoters, no notarization is needed (Commercial Act art. 289 and 292).
  2. Paying in the capital: the promoters pay the full price of their shares into a bank. With capital under 1 billion won and incorporation by promoters, a balance certificate proves the payment (Commercial Act art. 295 and 318).
  3. Registration: file and pay the registration and license tax and local education tax before registering (Local Tax Act art. 30(1)), then apply at the registry office for the head office. File within 2 weeks of the end of the investigation (by promoters) or of the inaugural meeting (with subscription) (Commercial Act art. 317(1)).
  4. Business registration: apply at the tax office or on Hometax within 20 days of starting business. Business registration also counts as the corporate establishment report (Value-Added Tax Act art. 8(1), Corporate Tax Act art. 109(1)).
  5. Social insurance: when you hire employees, report the workplace through the 4 major social insurance portal. Employment and industrial accident insurance must be reported within 14 days of coverage starting (Insurance Premium Collection Act art. 11(1)).
Online Incorporation System (opens in a new tab)Internet Registry Office (opens in a new tab)Hometax (opens in a new tab)Social insurance portal (opens in a new tab)

Rules used

  • Registration and license tax = paid-in capital × 0.4%, or 112,500 won if the tax is smaller (Local Tax Act art. 28(1)6(a)).
  • Setting up in the overcrowding control region (outside industrial complexes) triples the rate to 1.2%, at least 337,500 won. Capital increases within 5 years of incorporation are taxed the same way (Local Tax Act art. 28(2)).
  • Local education tax = registration and license tax × 20% (Local Tax Act art. 151(1)2). Both taxes drop amounts under 10 won (Framework Act on Local Taxes art. 59, National Treasury Management Act art. 47).
  • Since 1 August 2025 the registry fee for one incorporation is 35,000 won on paper, 28,000 won with the e-Form and 20,000 won online (Rules on Registry Certificate Fees art. 5-3 and 5-5).
  • The registration tax exemption for start-up SMEs applies only to companies founded by 31 December 2020, so it does not apply to companies set up now (Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act art. 58-3(3)).
  • A company set up in the overcrowding control region that buys real estate in the large city area within 5 years can also face a higher acquisition tax (Local Tax Act art. 13(2)1, Enforcement Decree art. 27(3)).

This is a guide for stock companies and is not tax or legal advice. Check the exact tax when you file and pay it before registration.

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