Driver's Licenses

Driver's Licenses

Acquisition and Conversion of Driver's License

International Driver's License

Acquisition and Conversion of Driver's License

Acquisition of a driver's license

Those wishing to drive a car must acquire the driver's license issued by regional police agencies.
Foreigners who want to drive a car in Korea need to acquire at the least a second-class general license for passenger vehicles.
You will get a driver's license after passing a driver's license test.
The purpose of the test is to check your knowledge of traffic rules & laws and your ability to drive. By studying at a drive license academy, you can acquire the knowledge and abilities that will be tested during the licensing test. The driver's license test includes a written knowledge test, a driving skill test, and driving skill road test.

• Qualifications: Those over age 18 and who have lived in Korea for more than 6 months.
• Application / Issuance: At any of the 26 Driver's License Test Offices in Korea.
• Language: English, French, German, Japanese, Chinese
• Expiration: Seven years (Those who are 65 and over need to renew their driver's license every 5 years)
• Required documents: Passport or alien registration card, 4 photos (3X4cm).

Written knowledge test

• Resident registration card, passport or alien registration card, 2 photos (3X4cm), exam fee of 11,000 won
  * You must bring your own photos because your picture will not be taken in the office.

Driving Skill Test

• Resident registration card, passport or alien registration card, test application form, exam fee of 15,000 Won

Driving road test

• Resident registration card, passport or alien registration card, exam fee of 21,000 Won

Conversion of foreign driver's license

If a foreigner who possesses a driver's license legally issued by a foreign institution wants to drive in Korea, he or she must convert their driver's license into a Korean license.

Required documents

• Driver's license issued in the individual's home country, alien registration card, seal (or signature), 3 photos (3X4cm), letter of guarantee for the translated driver's license (English is an exception), confirmation letter from embassy (The US, the UK, France, Canada, Germany, Japan and Spain).
  *You must bring a passport and driver's license issued by same country. If there is no written date of issuance on your driver's license, you must submit a document that proves the date.
• Koreans with foreign nationality must prove their residence in Korea. Koreans who have a legal resident card issued by a foreign government need to submit their resident card or overseas Korean card, both of which shall show his or her Korean nationality.

Things to remember

You must submit the documents stipulated above in person, not by proxy.

• Driver's License Agency call center : 1577-1120
• Other: Find out where the test can be taken at the website of the Driver's License Agency
  English website : http://www.dla.go.kr/japan/index.jsp

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• Division : Public Transportation Division in the Urban Planning & Transportation Bureau
• Contact : +82-62-613-4512