Floor Area Ratio Calculator
Floor area ratio is the percentage of total floor area to land area. Check legal limits for construction planning.
FAR Limits by Zoning District
| Zoning District | FAR Limit |
|---|---|
| Type 1 Residential | 50~100% |
| Type 2 Residential | 100~150% |
| General Residential Type 1 | 100~200% |
| General Residential Type 2 | 150~250% |
| General Residential Type 3 | 200~300% |
| Quasi-Residential | 200~500% |
| Central Commercial | 400~1,500% |
| General Commercial | 300~1,300% |
| General Industrial | 200~350% |
Complete Floor Area Ratio Guide (2025)
01
Definition and Importance of Floor Area Ratio
Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the percentage of total floor area (sum of all floor areas) to land area. The formula is FAR (%) = (Total Floor Area ÷ Land Area) × 100. For example, if you build a structure with total floor area of 300㎡ (100㎡ per floor × 3 floors) on land of 200㎡, the FAR is (300 ÷ 200) × 100 = 150%.
02
FAR Limits by Zoning District
Korea's floor area ratio limits vary significantly by zoning district. Type 1 Residential allows 50-100%, Type 2 Residential allows 100-150%, General Residential Type 1 allows 100-200%, General Residential Type 2 allows 150-250%, and General Residential Type 3 allows 200-300%.
03
Difference Between Coverage Ratio and Floor Area Ratio
Coverage ratio is the percentage of 1st floor footprint to land area, while Floor Area Ratio is the percentage of total floor area across all floors to land area. For land of 200㎡ with a building of 120㎡ on 1st floor, 100㎡ on 2nd floor, and 80㎡ on 3rd floor, coverage ratio is 60% (1st floor only) and FAR is 150% (all floors combined).
04
Practical FAR Calculation Examples
Example 1: For land of 150㎡ in General Residential Type 2 Zone (200% FAR limit), maximum total floor area is 150 × 2.0 = 300㎡. Example 2: For 500㎡ land in General Commercial Zone (800% FAR limit), maximum total floor area is 500 × 8.0 = 4,000㎡, allowing a 10-story building.
05
FAR Bonuses and Incentives
In some cases, FAR can be increased. Transit-oriented development areas can increase FAR up to 120% of standard limits. Public open space provision can provide FAR bonuses up to 120%. Green building certification can increase FAR by 110-115%.
06
FAR and Real Estate Value
Higher FAR increases development value of land. For example, on 1,000㎡ of land, 200% FAR allows 2,000㎡ of total floor area, while 400% FAR allows 4,000㎡, doubling the development potential. When investing in real estate, check unused FAR for redevelopment opportunities.