Driving License in South Korea for Expats
Yes, for 1 year from date of entry into Korea with a valid IDP or a licence from a mutually-recognised country (Road Traffic Act Art. 96(1)). After that, you must convert to a South Korea license. Good news: the official test is available in English.
Key Facts: South Korea Driving License for Expats
- Test Authority
- KOROAD — Korea Road Traffic Authority (도로교통공단)
- Official Test Language
- Korean, English, Chinese, Vietnamese
- Grace Period
- 1 year from date of entry into Korea with a valid IDP or a licence from a mutually-recognised country (Road Traffic Act Art. 96(1))
- Processing Time
- Same day if documents are complete (document review + aptitude test + license issuance on one visit)
- Theory Test Required
- Yes (if no exchange agreement)
- Practical Test Required
- Not for exchange
- Medical Exam
- Required
- Total Cost
- ~₩25,000–₩35,000 in KoROAD fees + the cost of Apostille/embassy confirmation (done in your home country or at your embassy in Seoul). Add ₩10,000 written-exam fee if your country is not on the recognised list.
Eligibility by Nationality
EU/EEA Citizens
EU member-state licences (France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Poland, Ireland, Portugal, Greece, Czechia, Hungary, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, etc.) are on KoROAD's mutual-recognition list (운전면허 상호인정). You exchange by document review + aptitude (eyesight/physical) test only — no written or practical exam. Under Belgium, Poland, Spain, Italy and Ireland bilateral terms the exchange preserves your original category; all other recognised countries are exchanged to Class 2 ordinary (자동변속기 / 2종 보통). An embassy confirmation or Apostille issued within the last year is required.
US/UK Citizens
UK licence: direct exchange, aptitude test only (UK is on the KoROAD recognised list). USA: exchange is done state-by-state under bilateral memoranda signed by each state with Korea's National Police Agency — around 20+ states now have agreements (Maryland was first in 2010; Virginia, Washington, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Iowa, Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Arkansas, Tennessee, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Louisiana and — added in 2024 — Kentucky and Arizona and Kansas). Holders of licences from Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Nevada are on the list but KoROAD requires them to sit the written exam. Drivers from non-agreement states (California, New York, etc.) take the written exam too; practical test is still waived.
Other Non-EU Citizens
If your country of issue is on KoROAD's 인정국가 list (Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, India, New Zealand, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, South Africa, UAE, Saudi Arabia and many others), you exchange by document review + aptitude test only. If your country is not on the list, you must additionally pass a 40-question written test (available in Korean, English, Chinese or Vietnamese). Practical (on-road) test is not required in either case if the foreign licence is a valid full licence — learner, provisional and temporary permits are never exchangeable (Road Traffic Act Art. 96).
Students
A valid International Driving Permit (IDP) plus your national licence lets you drive for up to 1 year from the date of entry (Road Traffic Act Art. 96(1)). After that you must exchange, which requires a valid Registration Card (외국인등록증 — formerly ARC) issued by immigration after you register your address within 90 days of arrival.
Required Documents
- ✓Original foreign driver's licence (full licence — learner/provisional not accepted)
- ✓Original passport with entry stamp(s)
- ✓Registration Card (외국인등록증) — original
- ✓Embassy confirmation letter OR Apostille certificate for the foreign licence, issued within the last 1 year
- ✓3 colour passport photos (3.5 × 4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months)
- ✓Certificate of immigration/entry-exit facts (출입국사실증명서) if requested
- ✓Application form (provided at the 운전면허시험장 Driver's License Examination Office)
- ✓Fees in cash or card (aptitude test + license issuance + written test if applicable)
Costs Breakdown
- Conversion/Exam Fee
- ₩10,000 license issuance (plastic card) or ₩15,000 mobile IC card + ₩6,000–₩7,500 aptitude (eyesight) test
- Medical Exam
- ₩6,000–₩7,500 on-site aptitude test at the 운전면허시험장; no external medical needed
- Translation
- Apostille / embassy confirmation: ~₩20,000–₩50,000 equivalent (fee varies by issuing authority; US Embassy in Seoul charges US$50 per Notarial certification)
- Total Estimated
- ~₩25,000–₩35,000 in KoROAD fees + the cost of Apostille/embassy confirmation (done in your home country or at your embassy in Seoul). Add ₩10,000 written-exam fee if your country is not on the recognised list.
License Exchange Agreements
Direct Exchange (No Test Required) · 42
License Exchange Agreements
Direct Exchange (No Test Required) · 42
No Agreement (Full Test Required): Holders of provisional, learner, temporary or probationary permits are never eligible regardless of country (Road Traffic Act Art. 96). If your country is not on KoROAD's recognised list you must still pass the aptitude + written exam — practical is almost always waived.
Tips for Expats in South Korea
- The exchange is one of the fastest in Asia: from recognised countries it is typically done in a single same-day visit — document review, 5-minute aptitude test, license printed on the spot.
- Apostille/embassy confirmation must be issued within the last 1 year and is the single most common thing that derails the appointment — do it in your home country before you fly, or at your embassy in Seoul.
- Written test (if required) is only in Korean, English, Chinese or Vietnamese — the 10+ other languages that used to be offered were removed in August 2018.
- USA is state-by-state: check whether your issuing state signed a memorandum with Korea's National Police Agency. If yes, no written test; if no, written test but still no practical.
- DUI limit is 0.03% BAC (Road Traffic Act Art. 44) — lower than most Western countries — and enforcement is strict, including weekday morning breath-tests.