Getting a Korean driving licence from scratch
Foreign residents with an alien registration card can obtain a Korean licence.
The stages
- Traffic safety education — at a test centre or online.
- Medical check (aptitude test) — at a designated clinic in the centre or a hospital.
- Theory test — taken on computer. Several foreign languages are often supported.
- Skills test — on the centre's course.
- Provisional licence issued — you may then practise on the road.
- Road test — on real roads.
- On passing, your licence is issued.
What you need
- Alien registration card
- Passport
- Photographs (check the specifications)
- The examination fee
- Medical check results
Driving school or self-study
- Driving school — training and tests in one place, convenient but costly.
- Self-study (applying directly at the test centre) — cheaper, but you need a practice car and a supervising driver.
- Check whether a school offers foreign-language lessons and materials.
Where to go
- 1577-1120 Korea Road Traffic Authority
- www.safedriving.or.kr (booking and information)
- Your nearest test centre or driving school
- 1345 interpretation support
Questions people ask
Can I take the test in a foreign language? The theory test is often available in several languages. Check the supported languages with the centre.
Which class should I get? For cars, usually Class 2 ordinary or Class 1 ordinary. Choose according to what your work requires.
I have a licence at home — must I start over? Check first whether it can be exchanged — that is far simpler. See driver-license-exchange.
How long does it take? It varies widely. Each stage involves booking and waiting, so allow plenty of time.
Take care
Brokers offering to "get the licence for you" are fraudulent and illegal. You must sit the tests yourself. Cheating means licence revocation and criminal prosecution. Driving without a licence is punished severely and can affect your residence status.
Related
driver-license-exchange · international-driving-permit · driving-rules · car-insurance · traffic-fines
Source
Korea Road Traffic Authority www.koroad.or.kr / As of 2026-08