Floor Area Ratio Calculator

Floor area ratio is the percentage of total floor area to land area. Check legal limits for construction planning.

Floor Area Ratio

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Maximum Total Floor Area — Remaining Buildable Area —

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%

GUIDE

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Complete Floor Area Ratio Guide (2025)

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%.

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%.

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).

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.

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%.

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.

Frequently asked questions

How is floor area ratio calculated?

FAR (%) = (Total Floor Area ÷ Land Area) × 100. Total floor area is the sum of the floor areas of all above-ground stories; basements and parking areas are typically excluded.

What is the difference between coverage ratio and FAR?

Coverage ratio compares only the ground-floor footprint to land area, while FAR compares the combined floor area of every story to land area. Coverage ratio shows how much of the lot the building covers; FAR shows the overall building bulk (effectively, number of floors).

Are basements or parking levels counted in the total floor area?

Generally, basement floors and areas used strictly for parking are excluded from the floor area used to calculate FAR, though the exact rule depends on local building codes and zoning ordinances.

What happens if a design exceeds the legal FAR limit?

A design that exceeds the legal FAR cap for its zoning district cannot receive a building permit. Checking the zoning limit and your maximum buildable floor area with this calculator before finalizing plans helps avoid rework.

Why does the allowed FAR vary within the same zoning type?

Laws typically set a range (e.g., 150-250%) for each zoning category, and the exact limit applied to a specific parcel is further determined by local district plans or municipal ordinances, so it can differ by location.