How do you exchange a foreign driving licence in South Korea in 2026?

The original foreign licence must be valid and issued by the competent authority. An International Driving Permit, a treaty-format document used with the underlying national licence, cannot be exchanged by itself. Temporary, learner, expired, altered, or unverifiable documents can fail review.

KoROAD separates countries recognised for domestic licence exchange from non-recognised countries. A recognised country is one that exchanges a Korean licence without a separate test. Its licence holder is normally exempt from the Korean written test. A non-recognised-country licence requires the aptitude check and a 40-question written test, offered in Korean, English, Chinese, or Vietnamese. KoROAD lists country-specific exceptions, so check the live table rather than relying on nationality alone.

The Korean licence maps the valid vehicle entitlement shown on the foreign document. A car licence does not add a motorcycle category, and a higher foreign category does not guarantee an identical Korean class.

Take the valid original licence, passport, Residence Card, and a certificate of entry and exit facts covering the required history. The Residence Card is the identity card issued after qualifying foreigner registration. KoROAD also asks for three recent colour photographs measuring 3.5 by 4.5 centimetres.

You must authenticate the foreign licence with an embassy confirmation or an apostille, an international certificate authenticating a public document. KoROAD requires the authentication to have been issued within one year of application and in Korean or English. Some embassies no longer issue confirmations, and certain countries require extra records, so read KoROAD's country notes before choosing the embassy route.

If nationality and the issuing country differ, KoROAD requires evidence that you stayed in the issuing country for at least 90 days. School, employment, tax, permanent-residence, citizenship, or qualifying long-visa evidence may support that history when passport stamps do not.

Apply at a driver licence examination office, including offices serving Seoul, Busan, and other regions, rather than at an immigration office. Attend early enough for document review and any written test. KoROAD warns that some smaller sites do not provide an in-house health check, so confirm the chosen office before travelling.

Complete the eyesight or physical check required for the mapped class and pay the current examination, check, and card fees shown by KoROAD. The authority may ask for supplementary documents if dates, names, categories, or authenticity are unclear.

KoROAD takes and stores the exchanged foreign licence. Its guidance allows return in defined cases, including proof of overseas departure or cancellation of the Korean licence. Ask the office for the current return procedure and receipt before surrendering the original.

An eligible International Driving Permit may support temporary driving only when the issuing country, treaty, document format, underlying licence, vehicle class, and Korean stay conditions all align. It does not replace the national licence and does not guarantee a rental company will release a vehicle.

The Residence Card, Korean address, vehicle purchase, or insurance policy does not itself grant driving permission. Do not drive after the document you rely on expires or outside its vehicle category.