How to Exchange a Foreign Drivers License in Korea
Last updated: May 21, 2026
If you plan to drive in Korea long-term, you'll need to swap your foreign license for a Korean one through KOROAD (the Korea Road Traffic Authority). The process is straightforward when you arrive with the right paperwork, but small mistakes (an expired apostille, a missing immigration certificate, the wrong photo size) will send you home empty-handed.
Last updated: May 21, 2026
Who Can Exchange a Foreign License in Korea
Korea's license exchange system is run by KOROAD and governed by the Road Traffic Act. To apply, you must meet a few baseline conditions:
- You must be staying in Korea for more than 90 days and have completed Foreigner Registration. Tourists and short-term visitors are not eligible.
- You must hold a valid full driver's license from your home country. Temporary, learner, provisional, probationary, permit, or certificate-form licenses are not eligible.
- Your foreign license must be authenticated, either by an Apostille or by your country's embassy in Korea (when applicable).
- If your nationality differs from the country that issued the license, you must prove a stay of more than 90 days in the issuing country. Acceptable evidence includes a school or employment record, tax invoices, a permanent residence card (such as a U.S. green card), citizenship documentation, or a long-term visa of more than one year.
Korea splits foreign licenses into two broad buckets: licenses from countries that mutually recognize Korean licenses (often called "Acknowledged Countries" or AC), and licenses from countries that do not. The list of recognized countries follows a National Police Agency Notice dated 2023.11.22. If your country is on the recognized list, you generally skip the written test. If not, you'll take a 40-question multiple-choice exam at the test center.
There are notable exceptions even within the recognized list:
- U.S. licenses from Oregon and Idaho are treated as AC, but applicants from these states must still sit for the written test.
- Australian license holders under 25 years of age must pass the written test, even as formal license holders.
- New Zealand Restricted License holders, and Full License holders with less than 2 years since acquisition, must also pass the written test.
If you're not sure where your license falls, call the KOROAD Driver's License Call Center at 1577-1120 before you make the trip.
Apostille or Embassy Certificate: Which One You Need
Korea wants proof that your foreign license is real. You have two options:
- Apostille from the issuing country (for countries party to the Hague Apostille Convention).
- Embassy confirmation letter from your home country's embassy in Korea (where that embassy still offers the service).
Whichever you use, the document must have been issued within the past one year from your application date. Older certificates will be rejected.
Important change to be aware of in 2026: the American Embassy, British Embassy, and Finnish Embassy in Korea, as well as the Korean Consulate General in Hong Kong, no longer issue confirmation documents for licenses. Applicants from the U.S., U.K., Finland, and Hong Kong must submit an Apostille instead.
If you're a Colombian Embassy license holder, you must bring both the Apostille certificate and the General Driver Report when you visit the test center.
Document Checklist
Bring originals. Photocopies alone will not be accepted.
Document | Notes |
|---|---|
Alien Registration Card (ARC) | Original. Domestic residence report card also accepted. |
Passport | Original. Must be valid. |
Original foreign driver's license | Full license only; not learner/provisional. |
Apostille or embassy certificate | Issued within the last 1 year. |
Certificate of Immigration Facts | Must cover from year of birth to present. |
3 color photos | 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months. |
Proof of stay in issuing country (if applicable) | School/employment record, tax invoice, green card, citizenship doc, or long-term visa over 1 year. |
The Certificate of Immigration Facts is the document expats most often forget. You can request it through Korea's Hi Korea immigration portal or at an immigration office. KOROAD uses it to verify your travel and residency history matches your license claims.
Step-by-Step Application Process
The exchange happens in person at a KOROAD Driver's License Test Center. Proxy or agent applications are not permitted, with the narrow exception of holders of an ID card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
1. Choose a test center
KOROAD operates 27 test centers across Korea. The most common ones for foreign residents are Seobu (western Seoul), Gangnam, and Incheon. Note that test centers in Chuncheon, Gangneung, Taebaek, Chungju, Gwangyang, and Mungyeong do not have an on-site physical check-up center, so you'll need to get the health check at a nearby hospital and bring the results.
2. Arrive early
Applications must be received at least one hour before closing (17:00). If you'll be taking the written test, plan to arrive before 16:00. Arriving at 16:30 will likely get you turned away.
3. Submit documents and pay the aptitude (physical exam) fee
The aptitude check confirms basic vision and health. For a Class 2 license, you need at least 0.5 vision with both eyes open, and corrective lenses are permitted. The aptitude fee is:
- 7,000 won for Class 1 Large/Special
- 6,000 won for other licenses
4. Take the written test (if required)
If your country is not on the recognized list, or you fall under one of the exception categories above, you'll take a 40-question multiple-choice test. It is available in Korean, English, Chinese, or Vietnamese.
Pass thresholds:
- Class 1: 70 points or higher
- Class 2: 60 points or higher
The test focuses on Korean traffic signs, right-of-way rules, drink-driving penalties, and basic vehicle handling. Don't wing it; even confident drivers fail when they skip the official study booklet.
5. Surrender your foreign license
This surprises many applicants: Korea will keep your original foreign license. Under Article 84 of the Road Traffic Act, surrendered licenses that are not reclaimed within 10 years from the date of exchange will be discarded. If you ever leave Korea permanently and want your old license back, you can request it within that window.
6. Pay the issuance fee and collect your Korean license
Issuance fees:
- 15,000 won for the Mobile IC license (English/Korean)
- 10,000 won for the General version (English/Korean)
In many cases you'll receive the license the same day.
Fees and Processing Time at a Glance
Item | Cost (KRW) |
|---|---|
Aptitude fee (Class 1 Large/Special) | 7,000 |
Aptitude fee (other classes) | 6,000 |
License issuance (Mobile IC) | 15,000 |
License issuance (General) | 10,000 |
Korean-issued IDP (via agent) | 8,500 |
Processing time is typically same-day if you arrive early with complete documents and don't need the written test. Add roughly half a day if you do.
Validity of Your Korean License
Once issued, your Korean license is valid for:
- 10 years up to age 70
- 5 years between ages 70 and 75
- 3 years after age 75
Renewals are handled at any KOROAD test center or affiliated police office.
What About Driving on an IDP First?
If you've just arrived in Korea, an International Driving Permit (IDP) from your home country is valid for up to 1 year from the date of entry into Korea. After that, you must hold a Korean license to keep driving legally. Most expats use their IDP for the first few months, then complete the exchange before the one-year mark.
If you later want a Korean-issued IDP (for trips abroad), the application fee via agent is 8,500 won. You'll need your passport, your Korean driver's license, a 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo taken within the past year, the agent's ID, and a Power of Attorney.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Expired Apostille. If your Apostille is more than 1 year old, you'll be rejected at the counter.
- Wrong photo size. Korea is strict on the 3.5 × 4.5 cm format, taken within 6 months. Photo booths at subway stations and stationery shops can produce them quickly.
- Showing up with a learner or provisional license. Only full licenses qualify. This catches a lot of young Australian and New Zealand drivers.
- Forgetting the Certificate of Immigration Facts. It must cover year of birth to present. A short-window certificate won't be accepted.
- Mismatched nationality and license country. If your passport and license are from different countries, bring documents proving you actually lived in the issuing country for over 90 days.
- Sending someone in your place. Proxy applications aren't allowed except for MOFA ID card holders.
- Arriving late. No applications inside the final hour before closing, and no test sit-downs after 16:00.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I keep my foreign license?
No. Korea retains it. You can reclaim it within 10 years of the exchange under Article 84 of the Road Traffic Act; after that, it is discarded.
Do I need to take a driving (road) test?
In the standard exchange process, no. The written test is the only exam most applicants face, and only if their country isn't on the recognized list (or they fall under one of the age/license-type exceptions).
Can my spouse or a friend apply on my behalf?
No. Proxy applications are not allowed, except for holders of an ID card issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
What if my country isn't on the recognized list at all?
You can still exchange, but you'll need to pass the 40-question written test and meet all standard document requirements. The process is the same otherwise.
Do I need to speak Korean to take the written test?
No. The test is offered in Korean, English, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
I lost my original foreign license. Can I still exchange?
No. Korea requires the original physical license at the time of application. You'll need to replace it through your home country first.
Where do I find my nearest test center?
KOROAD lists all locations on safedriving.or.kr. You can also call 1577-1120 for guidance in English.
Useful Reading for Life in Korea
If you're settling in (or just visiting), these guides cover other practical bases:
Driving in Korea gets easier when you can read road signs, understand a police officer at a checkpoint, or follow a navigation app in 한국어. If you're living here long-term, building real Korean ability with native content makes daily life smoother, and Migaku is designed for exactly that kind of immersion-based learning.