This is a translation of the Japanese original. The Japanese version and Fukuoka City's official notices are authoritative.
Through its Child-rearing Household In-City Moving Support Programme (子育て世帯市内引越し応援事業), Fukuoka City is supporting child-rearing households that moved from one address in the city to another on or after 1 April 2026: ¥200,000 a year for up to five years (up to ¥1 million) if they bought a home, or ¥100,000 a year towards rent for up to five years (up to ¥500,000) if they rent, plus half of their moving costs up to ¥150,000 (¥200,000 with two or more children)[Fukuoka City, Child-rearing Household In-City Moving Support Programme (in Japanese)].
However, if you move into one of the popular elementary school districts (22 "designated school districts" (指定する校区)), the home purchase and rent grants do not apply. Applications are accepted until 28 February 2027 on a first-come, first-served basis, and close once the budget runs out.
In short: up to ¥1.2 million if you buy, up to ¥700,000 if you rent. Moving into a designated district gets moving costs only
| Grant | Amount | Eligible housing | Moving into a designated district |
|---|---|---|---|
| (1) Home purchase | ¥200,000 a year for up to 5 years (up to ¥1 million). If annual loan repayments are below ¥200,000, up to that amount | A home bought with a mortgage of 5 years or more | Not eligible |
| (2) Rent | ¥100,000 a year for up to 5 years (up to ¥500,000). If annual rent is below ¥100,000, up to that amount | Private rental leased in an individual's name | Not eligible |
| (3) Moving costs etc. | Half of eligible costs, capped at ¥150,000 (¥200,000 with two or more children) | A purchased home (with or without a loan), private rental, public rental (excluding municipal public housing) | Eligible |
(1) and (3), or (2) and (3), can be combined ((1) and (2) cannot). Based on Fukuoka City's official page.
A family that buys and has two children can receive (1) ¥1 million + (3) ¥200,000, up to ¥1.2 million. Renters can receive (2) ¥500,000 + (3) ¥200,000, up to ¥700,000. For (1) and (2) you must apply again every fiscal year from the second year, and payments stop from the year you no longer meet the conditions, for example because you moved again, stopped living with your children or paid off the loan.
Designated school districts: no purchase or rent grants for moves into 22 districts with many classes
Fukuoka City treats elementary school districts that have had many classes for a long time as "designated school districts". If you move into one from a different district, you cannot receive (1) the home purchase grant or (2) the rent grant, only (3) moving costs. A move within the same district does not count as "newly relocating" into it, so (1) and (2) still apply.
| Ward | Designated school districts for FY2026 and FY2027 (elementary schools) |
|---|---|
| Higashi Ward | 美和台小 (Miwadai), 香椎下原小 (Kashii-Shimobaru), 香椎小 (Kashii), 香住丘小 (Kasumigaoka), 千早小 (Chihaya), 名島小 (Najima), 松島小 (Matsushima) |
| Hakata Ward | 那珂小 (Naka) |
| Chuo Ward | 平尾小 (Hirao), 草ヶ江小 (Kusagae), 舞鶴小 (Maizuru) |
| Minami Ward | 西花畑小 (Nishi-Hanahata), 三宅小 (Miyake), 西高宮小 (Nishi-Takamiya) |
| Jonan Ward | 別府小 (Befu) |
| Sawara Ward | 野芥小 (Noke), 西新小 (Nishijin), 高取小 (Takatori) |
| Nishi Ward | 内浜小 (Uchihama), 姪浜小 (Meinohama), 壱岐小 (Iki), 今宿小 (Imajuku) |
Eligibility is judged by your address on the moving date. Designated districts are reviewed every two years. The list by address is in the appendix (PDF) on the city's page.
If you are house-hunting around Kashii, Nishijin, Hirao or Meinohama, check whether the address falls in a designated school district before you buy. The difference can be as much as ¥1 million.
Who is eligible: moves within the city only, and moves out of an owned home are generally excluded
- You moved from an address in Fukuoka City to another address in Fukuoka City on or after 1 April 2026 (moving in from outside the city does not qualify)
- You support a child up to the first 31 March after their 18th birthday, or are pregnant (holding a maternal and child health handbook on the moving date)
- For both the old and new homes, the contract holder is a person legally obliged to support the child. Company housing (corporate leases), homes bought from relatives and homes rented from relatives are excluded
- Moves out of a home you own are generally excluded. They qualify only if the home has been sold or demolished by the time you apply, or if you are separating due to divorce or domestic violence
- No arrears in rent or municipal taxes, and not receiving public assistance, housing security benefit or similar
- You have not previously received this programme, the three-generation co-residence/nearby-residence relocation support, or the child-rearing household relocation grant
The new home must meet a minimum floor area: 30 m² for 2 people, 40 m² for 3, 50 m² for 4, 57 m² for 5 and 66 m² for 6 or more, with children under 10 counted as 0.25 to 0.75 of a person (0.25 under 3, 0.5 from 3 to under 6, 0.75 from 6 to under 10; a pregnant woman counts as 2). It must also have been built on or after 1 June 1981 (new seismic standards).
If you will live with your parents, or within 1.2 km in a straight line of their home, you fall under the "Three-generation Co-residence and Nearby-residence Relocation Support Programme" (三世代同居・近居住替え支援事業) instead of this one. Check the conditions on the city's page.
Moving cost grant: agency fees and key money qualify, security deposits do not
| Eligible costs | Ineligible costs |
|---|---|
| Registration costs, agency fees for the building, key money, rent guarantee fees, fire insurance premiums, lock replacement, restoration and cleaning of the old home, removal transport, packing, relocation work for air conditioners and washing machines, disposal of unwanted items | Security deposit, rent/common-area/management fees paid at signing, agency fees for parking, cleaning of the new home (except by the removal company), name-change agency services, greeting gifts, thank-you payments to friends |
Only costs already paid when you apply count. If your employer paid a relocation allowance or your landlord paid an eviction settlement, the grant is half of the amount after deducting it. For example, agency fees of ¥80,000, key money of ¥80,000, a guarantee fee of ¥40,000 and removal costs of ¥100,000 total ¥300,000, so the grant is the ¥150,000 cap.
How to apply: within a year of moving, with a 3-4 month review
- Move within the city (the moving date is confirmed from the work date on the removal company's receipt or the termination date of the old home's lease)
- File a change-of-address notice at the ward office or a branch office within 14 days of moving
- Gather the documents and apply within one year of the moving date, online, by post or at the counter (by telephone appointment)
- You receive an acknowledgement email. About 3 to 4 months later the result arrives by email and the money is paid into your bank account
- For (1) and (2), apply again every fiscal year from the second year
The application period runs until 28 February 2027, but it is first-come, first-served and ends when the budget is reached. The city does not publish how much of the budget has been used. If you have already moved, apply early rather than waiting for the one-year deadline.
If you buy with a Flat 35 mortgage, the "Flat 35 Regional Cooperation Type" (フラット35地域連携型) gives a lower interest rate for the first five years. However, you must apply to the city for certification between 3 months and 1 month before your planned moving date, and the review takes about two months.
In the year you move, the procedures for resident tax, tax returns and furusato nozei also change. These are summarised in taxes in the year you move. The grant counts as occasional income for that year, but no tax is due if your total occasional income, including other items, is ¥500,000 or less. If you claim the mortgage tax credit, check with the tax office before filing whether the home purchase grant must be deducted from the acquisition cost.
Enquiries: Fukuoka City Housing Planning Division (092-711-4279).
Summary
- Child-rearing households that moved within Fukuoka City get ¥200,000 a year for 5 years if they bought, ¥100,000 a year for 5 years if they rent, and half their moving costs up to ¥150,000 (¥200,000 with two or more children)
- Up to ¥1.2 million for buyers with two or more children, up to ¥700,000 for renters
- Moving from another district into one of the 22 designated school districts, such as Kashii, Nishijin, Hirao or Meinohama, gets moving costs only, with no purchase or rent grant
- Moves into the city from outside, company housing and moves out of an owned home (unless already sold) are excluded
- Applications close on 28 February 2027; apply within one year of moving. First-come, first-served until the budget runs out
Related articles
Editors' picks
Popular articles
References (sources)
- Fukuoka City, "FY2026 Child-rearing Household In-City Moving Support Programme" (updated 31 August 2026, in Japanese)
- National Tax Agency, Tax Answer No. 1490 "Occasional income" (in Japanese)
This article provides general information based on materials published by Fukuoka City as of 20 October 2026. Eligibility is determined by the city's review. For individual cases, please contact the Fukuoka City Housing Planning Division or the tax office.