Our office receives a lot of inquiries related to the exchange of a national (foreign) driver’s license for a Korean one.
This is a relatively straightforward process that is the same for most countries. A registered foreigner in Korea may apply for the issuance of a Korean license based on his/her national one by submitting the following documents to one of the Driver’s License Test Centers located all over Korea:
- Valid foreign driver’s license
- Apostilled copy of the license or a Confirmation Certificate from the relevant Embassy (not issued for the nationals of such countries as the US, the UK, Hong Kong, Finland, the Netherlands, Columbia, etc.)
- Passport (if the driver’s license was issued by a third country, it is necessary to provide proof of long-term (more than 90 days) residence in that country).
- Entry/Exit Records for the period from the date of birth to now. Can be issued by a Community Center, Gu-office, Immigration Office.
- Alien Registration Card.
- 3 color photos (3.5cm x 4.5cm)
- Issuance fee (may vary depending on the test center, usually around 10,000 KRW ~ 12,500 KRW).
Please note that it is not possible to have a foreign document apostilled in Korea, so if you cannot procure a Confirmation Certificate from your Embassy or Consulate in Korea, you will have to process an apostille for a driver’s license in the country of its origin.
Drive safe!