Taiwan Housing Policy Timeline｜Key Government Measures by Era

I. 1980–1990s: Market Takeoff & Credit Controls

• Between the 1960s and 1980s, Taiwan’s real estate market expanded rapidly; average new-home prices rose sharply, and mortgage rates once reached around 10–16%. National Chengchi University Real Estate Research Center
• To curb bubbles and overheating, the Central Bank introduced “selective credit controls” in 1989, restricting banks’ real-estate lending quotas and loan-to-value (LTV) ratios. knowhow.yungching.com.tw
• During this period, the government also proposed early concepts such as “affordable/appropriate housing” and rent control pilots, responding to social pressure for housing justice (e.g., the “Homeless Snail” movement). OURs Urban Reform

II. 2000–2010s: Tax Reform, Supply-Side Measures & the Start of Housing Justice

• Starting in 2015, the government revised capital-gains taxation for property transactions through the “House and Land Transactions Income Tax” reform, implemented from 2016 to strengthen oversight of housing/land transaction taxation. National Chengchi University
• At the same time, “housing justice” became a core policy theme, promoting social housing, rental market development, urban renewal (UR), and the property management industry. National Chengchi University
• Amid rising prices and strong investment demand, a series of anti-speculation measures began in the early 2010s, including LTV restrictions, the luxury tax, and the actual-price registration system. GVM

III. 2020s: Stronger Anti-Speculation Policies, Higher Taxes & Legal Tightening

• Since 2020, controls on speculative and investment-driven home purchases have intensified through multiple rounds of measures, including tighter LTV limits and stronger supervision on multi-home owners and corporate buyers.
• On the tax side, amendments to the House Tax Act and the Equalization of Land Rights Act (including related regulations) introduced “House Tax Differential Rates 2.0,” lighter taxes for owner-occupiers, and higher rates for non-owner-occupied and vacant homes. Executive Yuan e-Newsletter
• In particular, the 2023 regulations under the Equalization of Land Rights Act focused on limiting assignment/resale of pre-sale and new homes, strengthening termination reporting, requiring permits for corporate purchases, and imposing heavier penalties for market manipulation.
• The latest (from 2025) tax actions include adjustments to bring taxable house values closer to market values, and higher holding taxes for multiple-home ownership or vacant homes. TVBS

IV. Overview: Major Policy Themes

Period	Main Policy Content
1980s–1990s	Selective credit controls, rent control, “affordable/appropriate housing” concepts
2000s–2010s	House-and-land tax reform, social housing, strengthened urban renewal & rental market
Since 2020	Multiple anti-speculation rounds, transaction supervision & price registration, tax restructuring + stronger holding taxes

🏠 I. House-and-Land Transactions Income Tax (1.0 → 2.0)

• Implementation dates: 2016/01/01 (1.0), 2021/07/01 (2.0) Version1.0/2.0
• Legal basis: Income Tax Act + related regulations
• Key points:
  • Combined taxation for housing and land transactions, based on actual capital gains.
  • Avoids double taxation with the legacy land value increment tax framework.
  • Version 2.0 extends the short-term holding window, raises rates, and expands coverage.
• Rate structure (2.0):

  Holding Period	Tax Rate
  Within 2 years	45%
  2–5 years	35%
  5–10 years	20%
  10+ years	15%
  Owner-occupied ≥ 5 years	10%

• Major impacts:
  • Discourages short-term speculation.
  • Reduced resale liquidity; longer average holding periods.
  • Wider gap between owner-occupier outcomes and investor returns.

⚖️ II. Equalization of Land Rights Act Amendments (2023)

• Effective date: 2023/07/01 Competent authority: Ministry of the Interior
• Legal basis: Equalization of Land Rights Act + enforcement rules
• Key points:
  • Restricts assignment/resale of pre-sale and new homes (non-registered right holders cannot freely transfer).
  • Permit system for corporate (company) home purchases.
  • Bans misinformation-driven speculation; penalties up to NTD 50 million.
  • Heavier penalties for violations: up to 10% of the transaction amount.
• Policy effects:
  • Pre-sale transaction volume declined by 20–30%.
  • Lower corporate purchase share; speculative funds shifted to offices or overseas.
• Data snapshot (as of 2024 Q2):
  • Pre-sale transactions: -28% YoY.
  • Approved corporate purchase permits: around 2% of the market.

💰 III. House Tax Differential Rates 2.0

• Implementation: local governments amended rules progressively from 2024; continued rollout in 2025 Local autonomy
• Legal basis: House Tax Act, Article 5 & Article 16-2
• Main measures:
  • Owner-occupied homes keep lower tax rates (roughly ≤ 1.2%).
  • Non-owner-occupied / vacant homes face higher rates (up to ~4.8%).
  • Progressive rates for multi-home owners starting from the 2nd home.
  • Municipalities can adjust brackets by local conditions.
• Policy impacts:
  • Higher holding costs encourage release of vacant homes.
  • Some areas saw rents rise around 3–5%.
  • Higher local house tax revenues.
• Reference data (H1 2025):

  Type	Average Rate	vs. 2023
  Owner-occupied	1.1%	Flat
  Non-owner-occupied	3.2%	↑ ~35%
  Vacant (no registered occupancy)	4.5%	↑ ~60%