Calculate Building Footprint to Land Area Ratio Β· Building coverage ratio is the percentage of building footprint area to land area. Check legal limits for construction planning.
| Zoning District | Coverage Limit |
|---|---|
| Type 1 Residential | 50% |
| Type 2 Residential | 50% |
| General Residential 1,2 | 60% |
| Type 3 Residential | 50% |
| Quasi-Residential | 70% |
| General Commercial | 80% |
| General Industrial | 70% |
| Natural Green Zone | 20% |
Building Coverage Ratio is the percentage of building footprint area (1st floor area) to land area. The formula is Coverage Ratio (%) = (Building Area Γ· Land Area) Γ 100. For example, if you build a structure with a 1st floor area of 120γ‘ on land of 200γ‘, the coverage ratio is (120 Γ· 200) Γ 100 = 60%.
Korea's building coverage ratio limits vary by zoning district. Type 1 Residential allows up to 50%, Type 2 Residential up to 50%, General Residential Types 1 and 2 up to 60%, Quasi-Residential up to 70%, and General Commercial up to 80%.
Coverage ratio is the percentage of 1st floor footprint, while Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the percentage of total floor area across all floors. For land of 200γ‘ with a building of 100γ‘ on 1st floor and 100γ‘ on 2nd floor, coverage ratio is 50% and FAR is 100%.
Example 1: For land of 150γ‘ in General Residential Zone (60% limit), maximum building footprint is 150 Γ 0.6 = 90γ‘. Example 2: For 300γ‘ land in Commercial Zone (70% limit), maximum footprint is 300 Γ 0.7 = 210γ‘.
In some cases, coverage ratios can be relaxed. Urban renewal projects may increase ratios up to 1.5 times the existing ratio. Transit-oriented development areas can increase ratios up to 120% of standard limits.