How to Get a Driver’s License

There are organizations that provide free assistance to foreign residents and marriage
immigrants interested in obtaining a driver’s license, including Multicultural Family Support
Centers and police stations. For detailed information, contact a local Multicultural Family
Support Center or police station. How to get a driver’s license:

• Transportation Safety Education

  The Transportation Safety Education Center of the driver’s license examination center or locations designated as transportation safety education organizations (institutions) operate the transportation safety education program.

• Physical Check-Up
• Application for Written Test
  • Required documents : Application with three photos, felt-tip pens for computers, resident registration card (or other ID card), ID card of proxy and the letter of proxy of candidate (if applicable)
  • Service charge  : Class 1 Regular & Class 2 Regular: KRW 6,000, Motorcycle: KRW 4,000, Class 2 Small: KRW 6,000
• Paper test

  40 multiple choice questions are given.

• Application for Functional Test

  Candidates who have passed the paper test or candidates who have previously failed the practical test are qualified to take the functional test.

  • Required documents :  Application, resident registration card (or other ID card), ID card of proxy and letter of proxy of candidate (if applicable)
  • Service charge  :  Class 1 Regular & Class 2 Regular: KRW 15,000, Class 1 Large & Class 1 Special: KRW 15,000, Motorcycle: KRW 5,000, Class 2 Small: KRW 6,000
• Functional test

  To take the test, candidates must complete diverse courses by directly driving cars in the driving
  institutions.

  • Before applying for the Class 1 Regular Test or the Class 2 Regular Test for the first time, candidates
    are required to have completed three hours of functional practice.
• Issuance of test drive’s license

  A test driver’s license is issued to successful candidates who have passed the functional test, so that they can complete the field driving practice.

• Field driving practice

  Candidates for the field driving test shall complete ten hours of field driving practice, accompanied by persons who have held a full driver’s license for two or more years, after obtaining the test driver’s license.

• Application for field driving test

  After completing ten hours of field driving practice, test driver’s license holders shall submit the application for the field driving test, and the date and the time of test are assigned.

• Field driving test

  Candidates take the field driving test at the test center on the test date that is determined when submitting their application for the field driving test.

• Issuance of driver’s license

  If the candidate passes the field driving test, they are granted a driver’s license (Class 1 Large, Class 1 Regular, Class 1 Special, Class 2 Regular, Class 2 Small, Class 2 Motorcycle).

• Related Agency

  Korea Road Traffic Authority’s driver’s license test course in Jeju

  • Location : 2072 Pyeonghwa Road, Aewol-eup, Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, 695-911
  • Phone : main number : 1577-1120, test course ː(064)799-5601,5602,5604  
  • Public service center (064)799-5601,5602,5604 test course 064)799-5602,
  • Public service center ARS number (064)799-5600
  • FAX : (064)799-7406
  • Website : http://dl.koroad.or.kr/english/index.jsp

 

International driver’s license

Korea is a party to an agreement of the Geneva Conventions. As such, Korea recognizes international licenses from other nations under agreement of the Geneva Conventions. Since January of 2002, international license from the following nations mentioned in the tip box are valid. The countries listed in the Tip Box are under agreement of the Vienna Convention.
International licenses are valid during the term of validity. The term of validity is limited to one year and upon expiration, the international license cannot be renewed but instead must be converted to a Korean license.

 

Nations under agreement of the Geneva Conventions

Nations under agreement of the Geneva Conventions

Asia, Oceania (15)	ustralia, New Zealand, Bangladesh, Cambodia, Fiji, India, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, South Korea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand
Americas(15)	Argentina, Barbados, Canada, Chile, Cuba, Paraguay, Republic of Dominica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Peru, U.S.A., Venezuela
Europe(33)	Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Vatican City, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Georgia, Turkey, England, Serbia, Kyrgyzstan, Montenegro , San Marino
Middle East, Africa (32)	Algeria, Benin, Botswana, Central African Republic, Senegal, Republic of Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Egypt, Ghana, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Kingdom of Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Malta, Morocco, Namibia, Rwanda, Republic of South Africa, Syria, Togo, Tunisia, Sierra Leone, Niger, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, United Arab Emirates

 

Nations under agreement of the Vienna Convention

Nations under agreement of the Vienna Convention

Asia(7)	Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tazakistan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines
Americas(6)	Guyana, Bahamas , Brazil, Uruguay, Cuba, Peru
Europe(39)	Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Estonia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Monaco, Norway, Poland, Romania, Moldova, Russia, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, Armenia, Netherlands, Montenegro, Serbia, Yugoslavia, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Portugal
Middle East, Africa(18)	Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Iran, Israel, Kuwait, Morocco, Niger, Senegal, Seychelles, Republic of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Liberia, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Kenya

 

Exchanging foreign license

Foreigners with a driver’s license may exchange their license for a Korean license. There are a few requirements for foreigners to apply for their Korean license.
First, you must be a resident in Korea. Those with a visitor’s visa or without a proper residence card cannot apply for a license. Second, you must provide a full license. Those with temporary, provisional, probationary, permit, certificate or motorcycle license cannot exchange it for a Korean license. Those without a proper license must go through the process of applying for a new license in Korea. Lastly, those with licenses issued from a country other than their home country must provide proof of residency in that country for 90 days ormore. You must prepare the following documents to apply for your Korean license.

• Applicants must hand in their foreign driver’s license before being issued a Korean license in exchange.
  When it’s time for you to leave Korea, you can get your foreign driver’s license by showing your passport and airline ticket.
• Embassy certificate
• Translated and notarized copy
• Passport
• Alien Registration Card or Domicile Registration Card
  
  • (*those without a egistration card must wait until they are issued one to proceed with their application for a driver’s license.)
• Three photos (3 cm x 4 cm)
  
  • Physical exam: 5,000 won
  • License: 6,000 won
  • Simple knowledge test (for those who have a domestic license which hasn’t been recognized): 6,000 Won

 

States Recognizing Domestic License

(May 9, 2011 Notification from the National Police Agency)

 

Recognizing Domestic License

Asia(22)	Nepal, East Timor, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Brunei, Samoa, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, India, Indonesia, Japan, Cambodia, Thailand, Tonga, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taipei
Americas(19)	Guyana, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Brazil, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, El Salvador, Uruguay, Chile, Canada, Costa Rica, Columbia, Panama, Barbados, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, [Maryland State(USA), Virginia State(USA)]
Europe(38)	Georgia, Greece, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Rumania, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, Moldova, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, San Marino, Serbia, Swiss, Spain, the Slovak Republic, Iceland, Ireland, Albania, Estonia, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Italy, the Czech Republic, Kazakhstan, Croatia, Cyprus, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Portugal, Poland, France, Finland, Hungary, Austria, ※ Austria, For the holders of Korean driver's license issued after 97.1.1 Austria exempt exams, treat Korean license as theirs.
Middle East (10)	Lebanon, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Jordan, Yemen, Iraq, Qatar, Kuwait
Africa(39)	Gabon, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Namibia, Nigeria, the Republic of South Africa, Niger, Liberia, Lesotho, Rwanda, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Botswana, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Swaziland, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Angola, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Tunisia, Chad, Comoros

 

Penalty points for traffic violations

Penalty points trom traffic violations

1. Not renewing an expired license for over 1 year	110 points
1-2. DUI (Alcohol level 0.05% or higher, less than 0.1%)	100 points	Criminal prosecution
2. Prosecution from assaulting a police officer	90 points
2-2. Illegal parking (traffic obstruction by refusing organized or police officer’s movement order of 3 times)	40 points	Fine levied
2-3. Safe driving failure (dangerous driving or speed when refusing 40 points Fine levied organized or police officer’s order of 3 times)
2-4. Driving with disturbance within vehicle
3. Refusing to appear in the summary court past 60 days from the final notice of court appearance or from the expiration date to pay the fine, 40 points (Exempt from the point accumulation)	40 points(except accumulated points)
4. Crossing center divider line	30 points	Fine levied
4-2. Speed limit violation (40km/h over limit)
4-3. Railroad crossing violation
5. Driving on the shoulder of highway or bus designated/high oppupancy vehicle lane
6. Failure to present driver’s license		Fine levied
7. Signal violation	15 points	Fine levied
8. Speed limit violation (20km/h over 40km/h under limit)
9. No passing violation
10. Mobile phone usage while driving violation
10-2. Driving recorder non equipped vehicle operation violation
10-3. Children’s school bus driver’s duty violation
11. Passage violation (sidewalk or pedestrian crossing invading violation)	10 points	Fine levied
12. Lane changing violations (changing lanes on a no-change zone)
13. Bus only lane violation
14. Failure to secure safe distance (including lane change violations)
15. No passing zone violation
16. Pedestrian right-of-way violation (including stop line violation)
17. Passenger safety violation (getting in and out of vehicles)
18. Safe driving practice violations
19. Engaging in disputes or aguments on the road, interfering with surrounding traffic
19-2. School bus special protection violation

 

Penalty points for traffic accidents

Penalty points from traffic accidents

Bodily damage	Per death	90 point	When the victim dies within 72 hours of the accident.
	Per serious injury	15 point	Injuly that requires 3 weeks or longer of treatment.
	Per light injury	5 point	Injuries which need more than 5-day or less than 3-week treatment.
	Per injury	2 point	Injuries which need less than 5-day treatment.
Failure to take the proper procedures after causing an accident	Delayed	60 point	Subject to criminal prosecution
	reporting (bodily damage)	30 point
	Reporting within the legal	15 point

 

Source| Seoul City's website, http://english.seoul.go.kr/