Exchanging a foreign licence for a Korean one
Whether exchange is possible varies by country. Check with a driving licence test centre first.
The basic process
- Your home licence must be verified as genuine — an embassy certificate or apostille may be required. See apostille-documents.
- Apply in person at a driving licence test centre.
- Take the aptitude test (vision and physical).
- Depending on your country, part of the written or practical test may be waived.
- Once issued, your home licence may be retained. Check how to get it back when you leave.
What you need
- Your original home country licence
- Verification of the licence — embassy certificate or apostille
- A translated and notarised copy. See document-translation-notary
- Passport and alien registration card
- Photographs and the fee
Requirements vary by country and test centre — always check in advance.
Where to go
- 1577-1120 Korea Road Traffic Authority (licence enquiries)
- www.safedriving.or.kr integrated licensing services
- Your nearest driving licence test centre
- Your country's embassy (licence verification)
- 1345 interpretation support
Questions people ask
Can my country's licence be exchanged? Agreements and recognition differ by country. Tell 1577-1120 or the test centre your nationality and licence type.
Do I have to retake the test? Depending on the country, some tests are waived. Confirm the scope at the test centre.
A Korean-language test worries me. Foreign-language test support is sometimes available. Ask the test centre.
Can I drive before exchanging? With an International Driving Permit you can, for a set period. See international-driving-permit.
Take care
Continuing to drive on your home licence alone can amount to driving without a licence. Always confirm the recognition period. Never pay a licence broker — you do the procedure yourself at the test centre.
Related
driver-license-new · international-driving-permit · driving-rules · apostille-documents · document-translation-notary
Source
Korea Road Traffic Authority www.koroad.or.kr / As of 2026-08