Who Owes VAT, and How to Use Hometax

The tax office window has a line — Hometax is open around the clock.

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Any business supplying goods or services — individual or corporate, Korean or foreign — is in principle liable for VAT. Simplified taxpayers (annual sales under KRW 104 million) get a lower rate and easier filing but limited input-tax credit, so if reclaiming input VAT matters for your business, general taxpayer status can be the better fit.

With an alien registration card or domestic residence report, you can verify your identity and register on the Hometax website, then handle business registration, tax invoice issuance, and VAT/income tax filing entirely online.

Registering and using Hometax

Sign up on Hometax (identity verification via alien registration number)
Obtain a digital certificate or simplified authentication (Kakao, Naver, etc.)
Apply for business registration → get the certificate issued online
Issue electronic tax invoices, e-file VAT and income tax returns

Compare simplified vs. general taxpayer status in advance

If you expect annual sales under KRW 80 million and few input-VAT-eligible expenses, simplified taxpayer status can be advantageous. But for businesses with significant upfront investment or purchases (equipment, etc.), registering as a general taxpayer to reclaim input VAT is often the better move.

Frequently Asked Questions

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