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Category: Owning a Car in Korea

  • Car Inspection in Korea for Foreigners: Due Dates and Late Fines

    Car Inspection in Korea for Foreigners: Due Dates and Late Fines

    Every car registered in Korea has to pass a periodic inspection, called 정기검사, and missing it brings a fine even if the car runs perfectly. The rules are the same for foreign residents as for Koreans.

    Two parts of the schedule changed on January 1, 2025. Some Korean pages we came across, including a few local government ones, still show the old figures. This guide covers the current rules for a private passenger car, the kind most foreign residents own.

    How we checked

    The schedule and deadlines come from the Motor Vehicle Management Act (자동차관리법), Articles 43 and 43-2, and its Enforcement Rule, in the versions in force on October 26, 2026. We read Articles 74, 75 and 77 of the Rule, its Annex 15-2 table, and the supplementary provisions of the December 17, 2024 amendment that says which cars the new schedule covers.

    The fines come from Annex 2 of the Act’s Enforcement Decree. The comprehensive inspection rules come from Article 9 and Annex 1 of the joint rule on comprehensive inspections. Booking details come from the Korea Transportation Safety Authority’s (TS) inspection site, and a Seoul city government notice. We didn’t use dealer sites, repair shops or forums.

    The short answer

    • Brand-new car first registered on or after January 1, 2025: first inspection due 5 years after registration, then every 2 years.
    • Brand-new car first registered before 2025: the first period was 4 years. After that, every 2 years.
    • When to go: any day from 90 days before the expiry date to 31 days after it.
    • Bought a car whose inspection had already lapsed: you get 31 days from the day the transfer is registered.
    • Late: fines start at ₩40,000 and are capped at ₩600,000.

    When your car is due

    Annex 15-2 sets the inspection period by vehicle type. For a private (non-commercial) passenger car of any size, it’s 2 years. A brand-new car gets a longer first period, counted from the date it was first registered.

    Private passenger carFirst periodAfter that
    Brand new, first registered on or after January 1, 20255 yearsEvery 2 years
    Brand new, first registered before January 1, 20254 yearsEvery 2 years

    The 5-year rule comes from the December 17, 2024 amendment. Its supplementary provisions apply it only to cars newly registered from January 1, 2025. A car re-registered after being deregistered doesn’t count as new. The version of Annex 15-2 in force before that showed 4 years.

    Under Article 74, the period runs from the date of first registration. After an inspection, the next period runs from the day after it. If you pass inside the window described below, though, the new period starts the day after your old expiry date, so going early doesn’t shorten your next cycle.

    Vans, trucks and commercial cars such as taxis and rentals have shorter periods, often based on the vehicle’s age. This guide doesn’t cover them.

    Find your expiry date

    Go by the car’s actual expiry date, especially for a used car. The Seoul city government says it’s shown on the car’s registration certificate (자동차등록증). You can also look it up on TS’s Cyber Inspection Center, under 검사유효기간조회. The site is in Korean.

    TS also offers a reminder service by text message and email before your inspection is due. According to the Seoul city government, only the owner, or a family member with the owner’s consent, can sign up.

    The inspection window

    Article 77 of the Enforcement Rule sets the window for the regular inspection, and Article 9 of the comprehensive inspection rule sets the same window for the comprehensive one. You can be inspected from 90 days before the expiry date until 31 days after it. Pass within that window and your next period runs as if you’d been inspected on the expiry date itself.

    Go before the window opens and the next period starts the day after that inspection instead, so you lose the time in between.

    Before January 1, 2025, the window was 31 days on either side, so older guides may tell you to wait until a month before. Since the change, you can go about three months early without losing any time on your next period.

    Regular or comprehensive inspection

    Some areas are designated for emissions testing. There, a car registered in that area gets the comprehensive inspection (종합검사) instead of the regular one. It adds an emissions test, and Article 43-2 of the Act says passing it counts as passing the regular inspection, so you don’t need both.

    For a private passenger car, the joint rule’s Annex 1 applies the comprehensive inspection once the car is more than 4 years old, every 2 years. Whether your car gets it depends on where it’s registered. If you’re not sure which one applies, ask TS or your vehicle registration office.

    Where to go and what to bring

    Article 77 lets you take the car to a TS inspection center or to a private repair shop designated for inspections (지정정비사업자). The Cyber Inspection Center handles bookings and has a search for designated private shops. Its pages are in Korean, so a translation app helps.

    Bring the car itself. The Rule also asks for proof of mandatory insurance, but if the center can confirm it electronically, it counts as submitted. Our guide to car insurance in Korea for foreigners explains what that mandatory cover is.

    Fees depend on the car and on whether it’s a regular or comprehensive inspection, and we haven’t listed amounts here. TS or the shop can tell you the fee for your car.

    If you bought a used car

    Check the inspection expiry before you buy. If it has already passed when the car changes hands, Article 77 gives the new owner 31 days from the day the ownership transfer is registered. If it passes after the transfer, the normal window applies.

    One exception for comprehensive inspections: if a change of ownership or of where the car is based makes it subject to the comprehensive inspection, and it’s already in or past its window, Article 9 of the comprehensive inspection rule gives 62 days from the change of registration.

    Our guide to buying a used car in Korea as a foreigner covers checking a car’s records on Car365 before you pay, and the transfer itself.

    If you’ll be away or the car can’t be driven

    Article 75 lets the city or provincial government extend the period, or postpone the inspection, in some cases. These include theft, an accident, scrapping, seizure, long repairs or another unavoidable reason. You apply with the official form, your registration certificate and proof of the reason.

    Being overseas isn’t named as a reason, so don’t count on it. If you’ll be away when your car is due, the simplest fix is to go early, since the window opens 90 days before the expiry date. Your vehicle registration office can say whether your situation qualifies for an extension.

    Some cases extend the period automatically. One is when your license plates have been impounded for unpaid car tax. The period then runs until that ends, and you have 31 days after the extended expiry date to be inspected. Our guide to car tax in Korea for foreigners covers when that can happen.

    Late fines

    Annex 2 of the Enforcement Decree sets the fine for missing a regular or comprehensive inspection. It’s based on how late you are. We count the days from the day after your window closes, which is how we read the table.

    Days lateFine
    Up to 30 days₩40,000
    31 to 114 days₩40,000, plus ₩20,000 for every 3 days, counted from day 31
    115 days or more₩600,000

    The middle row is our reading of how the 3-day steps are counted. The fine notice you receive shows the actual amount.

    Use the checker below to see your window and, if you’re late, an estimated fine.

    Inspection window and late fine checker

    Source: Motor Vehicle Management Act Enforcement Rule Article 77, comprehensive inspection rule Article 9, and Enforcement Decree Annex 2. Last checked: October 26, 2026. For regular and comprehensive inspections of private cars. It doesn’t cover the 62-day rule for cars that newly become subject to the comprehensive inspection. The dates are our calculation and may differ by a day from how your local government counts. TS’s look-up shows your actual window, and the fine on your notice is final.

    Before your inspection is due

    • Find the expiry date on your registration certificate or in the TS look-up, and put the 90-day mark in your calendar.
    • If the car was bought new, check the first registration year. From 2025, the first inspection comes at 5 years, not 4.
    • Book through the Cyber Inspection Center, or with a designated private shop near you.
    • Make sure the car’s mandatory insurance is current.
    • Leaving Korea for a while? Get the inspection done before you go.

    Rules and fees change, and the notice you receive decides the fine in your case. If anything here doesn’t match your car’s record, ask TS or your vehicle registration office.

    Last checked: October 26, 2026. Sources: Motor Vehicle Management Act, Articles 43 and 43-2 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Enforcement Rule of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Articles 74, 75 and 77, Annex 15-2, and the supplementary provisions of Ordinance No. 1415 of December 17, 2024 (in Korean); Enforcement Decree of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Annex 2 (in Korean); Rule on Comprehensive Motor Vehicle Inspections, Annex 1 (in Korean); TS Cyber Inspection Center (in Korean); Seoul Metropolitan Government notice on inspection penalties and expiry dates (in Korean).

  • Car Tax in Korea for Foreigners: What You Pay and When

    Car Tax in Korea for Foreigners: What You Pay and When

    Owning a car in Korea comes with two kinds of tax. You pay acquisition tax once, when the car is registered in your name, and car tax every year after that. The rules are the same for foreign residents as for Koreans.

    This guide covers how each one is worked out, the breaks for light cars and electric cars, the bonds you may have to buy at registration, and when the bills arrive. In Korean, acquisition tax is 취득세 and the yearly car tax is 자동차세.

    How we checked

    The rates, formulas and deadlines come from the Local Tax Act (지방세법) and its Enforcement Decree, in the versions in force on October 25, 2026. The breaks for light cars and electric cars come from the Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act (지방세특례제한법).

    We cross-checked the yearly tax against the Seoul city government’s car tax guide, and took the bond rules from a Suwon city page on Gyeonggi Province’s ordinance. We didn’t use dealer sites, cost calculators or forums.

    The short answer

    • When you register: acquisition tax of 7% for a private passenger car, or 4% for a light car (경차).
    • Breaks: light cars get up to ₩750,000 off until the end of 2027, and electric cars up to ₩1.4 million off until the end of 2026.
    • Bonds: your city or province may require you to buy local bonds at registration. The rules differ by region.
    • Every year: car tax based on engine size, plus a 30% local education tax on top. Electric cars pay a flat ₩100,000 before that 30%.
    • Older cars: the yearly tax falls 5% a year from the third year, down to half.
    • Paying: bills come in June and December, and paying the whole year early gets a small discount.

    When you register: acquisition tax

    Article 12 of the Local Tax Act sets the rate for cars. A private (non-commercial) passenger car pays 7% of its taxable value. A light car pays 4%. Unlike some property purchases, a car purchase doesn’t add local education tax on top of this.

    What the 7% is charged on. Article 10-5 sets the taxable value. When you buy a car, it’s the price you actually paid. VAT isn’t included, under Article 18 of the Enforcement Decree.

    There’s also a floor, which matters most for used cars. If the price you report is lower than the government’s standard value for that car (시가표준액), or you don’t report one, the tax uses the standard value instead. A car received as a gift is always taxed on the standard value.

    Example (our calculation)RateAcquisition tax
    Used passenger car, ₩10 million price, above the standard value7%₩700,000
    Light car, ₩15 million before VAT4% (₩600,000), then the light car break₩0 until the end of 2027
    Light car, ₩20 million before VAT4% (₩800,000), minus ₩750,000₩50,000 until the end of 2027
    Electric car, ₩40 million before VAT7% (₩2.8 million), minus ₩1.4 million₩1.4 million until the end of 2026

    When it’s due. Article 20 gives you 60 days from the purchase to report and pay. If you register the car before then, you must pay by the time you file the registration. Since a used car transfer has to be filed within 15 days, in practice you pay when you register.

    Our guide to buying a used car in Korea covers that transfer step by step. If you file online through Car365, the acquisition tax and bonds are paid through the virtual account it gives you.

    Breaks for light cars and electric cars

    These breaks come from the Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, and each has an end date written into the law. Check that the date hasn’t passed before you count on one.

    CarBreak on acquisition taxUntil
    Light car (경차), private passenger useNo tax if it comes to ₩750,000 or less, otherwise ₩750,000 offDecember 31, 2027
    Electric car on the government’s eco-friendly vehicle listNo tax if it comes to ₩1.4 million or less, otherwise ₩1.4 million offDecember 31, 2026
    Hydrogen fuel cell car on the same listNo tax if it comes to ₩1.4 million or less, otherwise ₩1.4 million offDecember 31, 2027

    If a light car that got the break is used for commercial purposes within a year, the tax is collected again. The hybrid car break ended on December 31, 2024. Your local tax office can confirm whether a specific car qualifies.

    Bonds at registration

    Registering a car can also mean buying local government bonds, called 공채. Each city or province sets the rules in its own ordinance, so who has to buy them, and how much, depends on where the car is registered.

    As one example, a Suwon city page on Gyeonggi Province’s ordinance says that under the version in force since July 1, 2026, private passenger cars of 1,600cc or less are exempt. So are electric, solar and hydrogen fuel cell cars, while hybrids have had to buy bonds since that date. Other regions can differ, so ask your vehicle registration office before you go.

    Every year: the car tax

    Car tax is charged to whoever owns the car on June 1 and December 1, though a sale splits it by days, as explained below. For a private passenger car, Article 127 multiplies the engine size by a rate per cc.

    Private passenger carTax per cc a yearExample (our calculation)
    Up to 1,000cc₩80998cc: ₩79,840
    1,001 to 1,600cc₩1401,598cc: ₩223,720
    Over 1,600cc₩2001,999cc: ₩399,800
    Electric carFlat ₩100,000₩100,000

    The 30% on top. Article 151 adds local education tax (지방교육세) of 30% of the car tax for private passenger cars. A 1,999cc car comes to ₩519,740 a year in total, and an electric car to ₩130,000.

    The flat rate covers cars that run on electricity, solar power or alcohol, under Article 123 of the Enforcement Decree. Hybrids aren’t on that list, so they’re taxed by engine size. For a hydrogen car, ask your local tax office which rate applies. Commercial, van and truck rates are different, and this guide doesn’t cover them.

    How the car’s age lowers it

    For private passenger cars taxed by engine size, the tax drops as the car gets older. From the third year, each half-year bill is cut by 5% for every year past the second, up to the 12th year. A car 12 years or older pays half.

    The car’s age starts from its first registration date, if it was registered in the year it was made. Otherwise it starts from December 31 of the year it was made. A car whose age starts in January to June is in its first year that year, its second the next, and so on. One that starts from July to December moves up a year in the second half.

    For example, a 2,000cc car first registered in March 2022 is in its fifth year in 2026. Its ₩400,000 base tax falls by 15% to ₩340,000, or ₩442,000 with the 30% added. The flat ₩100,000 for electric cars doesn’t get this reduction.

    Use the estimator below to work out a year’s car tax for your own car.

    Yearly car tax estimator

    Source: Local Tax Act Articles 127, 128 and 151, and Enforcement Decree Articles 122 and 123. Last checked: October 25, 2026. Uses the rates in force in 2026, for private (non-commercial) passenger cars only. If the car was registered in a later year than it was made, its age starts on December 31 of the year it was made, so enter that year and choose July to December. The result is our calculation for a full year of ownership, rounded down to the won, so your bill may differ slightly. Your local tax office sets the actual amount.

    Paying it: June, December or all at once

    Article 128 splits the year into two bills. The first covers January to June and is due June 16 to 30. The second covers July to December and is due December 16 to 31. If the whole year's tax is ₩100,000 or less, it's usually billed once, in June.

    Paying the year early. You can pay the whole year at once in one of four windows: January 16 to 31, March 16 to 31, June 16 to 30 or September 16 to 30. Under Article 128 of the Act, the discount is 5% of the part of the year you're paying ahead for, at the rate set in Article 125 of the Enforcement Decree.

    So paying in January saves the most. By our calculation, that comes to about 4.6% of the year's tax, falling to about 3.8% in March, 2.5% in June and 1.3% in September. The Seoul city guide notes the rate was 10% until 2022 and 7% in 2023, so older advice may quote higher figures.

    Wetax (위택스, wetax.go.kr), the national local tax site, handles local tax payments and is in Korean. Your city, county or district office also takes the early-payment application.

    Buying or selling mid-year

    When a car changes hands, Article 130 splits that period's car tax between seller and buyer by days of ownership. The split uses the date the ownership transfer is registered. If the seller already paid the whole year in advance, it counts as paid by the buyer, as long as the seller agrees.

    A newly registered car is also taxed for the days left in that half-year. Any amount under ₩2,000 isn't collected.

    If you don't pay

    Under Article 131, a local government can refuse to issue the car's registration certificate or impound its license plates when car tax goes unpaid. The Seoul city guide adds that late-payment charges and seizure of property can follow.

    If you move within Korea, keep your address on the registration up to date so the bills reach you.

    Before you register

    • Work out the acquisition tax at 7%, or 4% for a light car, on the price before VAT.
    • For a light car or electric car, check that the break's end date hasn't passed.
    • Ask your registration office whether you'll need to buy bonds, and roughly how much.
    • Have insurance in your name before the car moves. Our guide to car insurance in Korea for foreigners covers what the law requires.
    • Put mid-January in your calendar if you want the early-payment discount.

    Rates and breaks change, and your local tax office decides the amount in your case. Ask them, or the vehicle registration office, before you buy.

    Last checked: October 25, 2026. Sources: Local Tax Act, Articles 10-5, 12, 20, 127, 128, 130, 131, 150 and 151 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Enforcement Decree of the Local Tax Act, Articles 18, 122, 123 and 125 (in Korean); Restriction of Special Local Taxation Act, Articles 66 and 67 (in Korean); Enforcement Decree of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, Article 3 (in Korean); Seoul Metropolitan Government car tax guide (in Korean); Suwon city page on regional development bond exemptions (in Korean); Wetax (in Korean).

  • Car Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: What You Must Have

    Car Insurance in Korea for Foreigners: What You Must Have

    Every car on Korean roads needs insurance, and the rules don’t change for foreign residents. The law requires two coverages, fines owners who go without them, and treats driving an uninsured car as a crime. Everything else on a Korean policy is optional.

    This guide covers what the law requires, what the optional parts do, how premiums are set and how insurance history from abroad can count. In Korean, car insurance is 자동차보험.

    How we checked

    The requirements, limits and fines come from the Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act (자동차손해배상보장법) and its Enforcement Decree, in the versions in force on October 25, 2026. The rules on premiums and driving history come from an April 2024 press release by the Financial Services Commission (금융위원회), Korea’s financial regulator.

    The coverage types come from the government’s legal information service, Easy Law (찾기쉬운 생활법령정보), which follows the standard car insurance policy terms. We didn’t use insurer ads, comparison blogs or forums, and we don’t quote premium prices.

    The short answer

    • Required: bodily injury liability (대인배상Ⅰ) and property damage liability (대물배상).
    • If you skip it: a fine that grows after the first 10 days, and up to a year in prison or a ₩10 million fine for driving it.
    • Optional: extra bodily injury cover, cover for yourself, cover against uninsured drivers, and cover for your own car.
    • Driving abroad: insurance history from another country can count toward a lower rate, if you prove it.
    • Buying a used car: the seller’s compulsory cover carries over to you only for a short window.

    What the law requires

    Article 5 of the Act says every car owner must carry two kinds of cover. Korean policies call the first bodily injury liability I (대인배상Ⅰ) and the second property damage liability (대물배상).

    Required coverWhat it paysLegal limit
    Bodily injury liability I (대인배상Ⅰ)Someone else is killed or injuredDeath: up to ₩150 million per person, with a ₩20 million minimum. Injury and lasting disability: up to amounts set by grade
    Property damage liability (대물배상)Someone else’s property is damagedUp to ₩20 million per accident

    These limits come from Article 3 of the Enforcement Decree. They are what the compulsory cover pays at most, not a cap on what you can owe. Damage above them falls to optional cover or to you.

    Driving without it. Article 8 bans driving an uninsured car on the road. Under Article 46, an owner who does can face up to one year in prison or a fine of up to ₩10 million.

    Letting it lapse. Insurers must remind you before your policy ends, and must report a lapse to your local government. The local government then orders you to insure the car within a set period of 10 to 15 days. It can also impound the license plates of an uninsured car.

    Fines for a gap in cover

    Owning an uninsured car brings a separate fine, even if it never leaves the parking lot. Annex 5 of the Enforcement Decree, last amended in September 2026, sets a base fine for the first 10 days and a daily amount from the 11th day, up to a cap.

    VehicleMissing coverFirst 10 daysFrom day 11Cap
    Non-commercial carBodily injury I₩10,000+₩4,000 a day₩600,000
    Non-commercial carProperty damage₩5,000+₩2,000 a day₩300,000
    MotorcycleBodily injury I₩6,000+₩1,200 a day₩200,000
    MotorcycleProperty damage₩3,000+₩600 a day₩100,000

    We read the table as adding the daily amount for each day from the 11th on, so 11 days without bodily injury cover on a car comes to ₩14,000. A car with no insurance at all is missing both, so both rows apply.

    Days after your plates are impounded aren’t counted. The authority that issues the fine can cut it by up to half, unless you have unpaid fines, or raise it by up to half within the legal maximum. Commercial vehicles follow different amounts, which this guide doesn’t cover.

    Use the calculator below to estimate a fine for a non-commercial car or a motorcycle.

    Uninsured car fine estimator

    Source: Enforcement Decree of the Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act, Article 36 and Annex 5 (amended September 15, 2026). Last checked: October 25, 2026. The result is our calculation from that table. The authority that issues the fine decides the actual amount and can adjust it.

    The optional coverages

    A full Korean policy usually bundles the two required parts with up to four optional ones. Easy Law describes all six using the standard policy terms.

    • Bodily injury liability II (대인배상Ⅱ): pays what’s left when someone else’s death or injury costs more than bodily injury liability I covers.
    • Personal injury (자기신체사고): pays when the insured person is killed or injured.
    • Uninsured motorist (무보험자동차에 의한 상해): pays when an uninsured vehicle kills or injures the insured person.
    • Own vehicle damage (자기차량손해): pays for damage to your own car.

    The required parts only pay up to the legal limits above. Optional cover is how you protect against costs beyond them, and against damage to yourself and your own car. When you compare quotes, check which of these each one includes.

    Signing up as a foreign resident

    Article 24 of the Act says an insurer can’t refuse to sell the compulsory cover, except for reasons set in the Enforcement Decree. There are three: the car hasn’t had its required inspection, it’s banned from the road, or the applicant clearly hid or misstated something important about the risk.

    Being a foreign resident isn’t one of them. If insurers see a driver as high risk, the Act lets several of them share the policy, and they must explain how that works and what it costs.

    This rule covers the compulsory parts only, not the optional ones.

    Two records that set your premium

    Korean premiums depend on two separate records, and foreign history only feeds one of them. The Financial Services Commission calls them the accident grade (우량할인·불량할증등급) and the insurance history rate (보험가입경력요율).

    The accident grade runs from 1 to 29, and higher grades pay less. New policyholders start at grade 11, claim-free years move you up and accidents move you down. In the regulator’s reference rates, grade 11 pays 82.8% of the base premium, grade 29 pays 30% and grade 1 pays 200%.

    If your own policy has ended more than three years before you sign up again, your old grade no longer resets straight to 11. Since August 1, 2024, grades 15 to 29 drop by three, and grades 12 to 14 go back to 11. Grades 9 and 10 keep their place, and grades 1 to 8 come back at grade 8.

    The insurance history rate rewards time spent insured. A new policyholder pays a higher rate, which comes down each year for up to three years. For a mid-size or larger personal car, the reference rate is 138.1% of the base in the first year. It falls to 115.3% in the second, 110.3% in the third and 100% after three years.

    Both sets of figures are reference rates from the Korea Insurance Development Institute, quoted in the regulator’s release. Each insurer’s actual rates can differ.

    Getting credit for driving abroad

    The regulator’s April 2024 release lists driving records that count toward the insurance history rate even without a Korean policy in your name. One of them is car insurance held abroad. The release lists it under the history rate, not the accident grade.

    Driving recordDocumentsIssued by
    Car insurance held abroadOverseas insurance certificate, entry and exit recordsThe foreign insurer; a community service center
    Long-term rental car (not daily or hourly rental)Rental contract naming you, proof of rent paymentsThe rental company

    The release says to talk to your insurer’s call center or agent first and then apply. It names the foreign insurer as the source of the insurance certificate, and a community service center for the entry and exit records (출입국사실증명).

    The long-term rental item was added in the 2024 release. It can help if you’ve driven a long-term rental car in Korea before buying one.

    Insurance when you buy a used car

    A used car’s policy doesn’t simply pass to the buyer. Easy Law says the seller must notify their insurer, and the policy transfers only if the insurer agrees. If the insurer doesn’t answer within 10 days of the notice, it’s treated as agreeing.

    The compulsory part is the exception. Article 26 of the Act says the buyer takes over the seller’s compulsory cover from the day they pay and take the car. It lasts until the deadline to register the transfer, or until the buyer takes out their own compulsory cover if that comes first. Optional cover doesn’t carry over automatically, so arrange your own policy before you drive away.

    If you file the transfer online, Car365 also checks that your policy names you as the insured and starts from the transfer date. Being only a named driver on a family policy doesn’t qualify. Our guide to buying a used car in Korea walks through that transfer and the papers each side needs.

    Comparing quotes

    Insurance Damoa (보험다모아, e-insmarket.or.kr) is a comparison site run by Korea’s insurance industry associations. It covers many products, including car insurance. Its FAQ notes car comparison is for personal-use cars and that cars over 20 years old can’t be compared. The site itself says final terms come from each insurer.

    The site is in Korean, and we couldn’t confirm whether foreign residents can complete its identity check, so your insurer may be the easier route. When you call an insurer, have your alien registration details and car registration ready, and ask how they handle overseas insurance history.

    Before you drive

    • Get bodily injury liability I and property damage liability in your name before the car moves.
    • Decide which optional coverages you want, especially bodily injury liability II.
    • Ask your Korean insurer which documents it accepts for overseas history, then get the certificate from your foreign insurer.
    • If you’re buying a used car, line up your own policy before the transfer.
    • Put the renewal date in your calendar so the cover doesn’t lapse.

    Rules change, and your insurer and local government make the decisions in your case. Our guide to car tax in Korea for foreigners covers the acquisition tax you pay when you register a car and the yearly car tax after that.

    Last checked: October 25, 2026. Sources: Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act, Articles 5, 6, 8, 24, 26 and 46 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Enforcement Decree of the same Act, Articles 3, 17 and 36 and Annex 5 (in Korean); Financial Services Commission press release of April 2, 2024 on driving history rules (in Korean); Easy Law, pages on mandatory car insurance and on insurance when buying a used car (in Korean); Car365 help page on insurance checks for online transfer (in Korean); Insurance Damoa (in Korean).

  • Buying a Used Car in Korea as a Foreigner, Step by Step

    Buying a Used Car in Korea as a Foreigner, Step by Step

    Korea’s registration rules don’t set a separate process for foreign residents buying a used car. You check the car, pay, and then register the change of ownership in your name within a set deadline. Most of the paperwork falls on the person who files that transfer, which depends on whether you buy from a dealer or a private seller.

    This guide covers what to check before any money moves, how a dealer sale differs from a private one, the transfer itself and the papers each side brings. In Korean a used car is 중고차, and the transfer is 이전등록.

    How we checked

    The deadlines and document rules come from Korea’s Motor Vehicle Management Act (자동차관리법), its Motor Vehicle Registration Decree (자동차등록령) and its Motor Vehicle Registration Rule (자동차등록규칙). We read the versions in force on October 23, 2026, on the government’s Korean Law Information Center.

    The online steps and vehicle history checks come from Car365 (자동차365), the government’s vehicle registration and history site. The scam warnings come from a Seoul city notice for foreign residents. We didn’t use dealer sites, marketplace apps or forums.

    The short answer

    • Who can register a car: the registration rules accept a certificate of alien registration as an individual’s proof of address, so under these rules registered foreign residents can buy and register in their own name.
    • Before paying: look the car up on Car365 and check for seizures and loans recorded against it.
    • The deadline: the buyer must apply for the transfer within 15 days of buying the car.
    • Dealer or private: a registered dealer must file the transfer for you and give you a written inspection record first. In a private sale, you file it yourself.
    • Insurance: you need mandatory insurance in your name before you drive, and Car365’s online transfer checks for it.

    Can you buy a car on your visa?

    The registration rules don’t sort buyers by visa type. They require the registration office to confirm where the car will be kept, using a document that shows the owner’s address. For an individual, the rule lists three that count: a resident registration abstract, a driver’s license, or a certificate of alien registration (외국인등록사실증명).

    So if you hold an Alien Registration Card, you can register a car in your name. We didn’t find a route in the rules for short-term visitors without registration. If that’s your situation, ask the registration office before you buy.

    You’ll also need a license that lets you drive the car. Our guide to converting a foreign license covers which countries skip the written test and what to bring.

    Dealer or private seller: what changes

    Korea’s law treats a registered used car dealer (자동차매매업자) very differently from a private seller. The dealer takes on paperwork and duties that, in a private sale, fall on you.

    Registered dealerPrivate seller
    Who files the transferThe dealer, on your behalf, within 15 days of the final payment dateYou, within 15 days of buying
    Written notice before the contractRequired: inspection record, seizures and loans, feesNot required
    Seller’s seal or signature certificateNot neededNeeded, unless the seller confirms the sale in person at the office
    Compensation if the notice was falseDealer liable, backed by guarantee insurance or a depositNot covered by these dealer rules

    What a dealer must give you. Article 58 of the Motor Vehicle Management Act says a dealer must hand the buyer a written notice before the contract is signed. It must include the car’s performance and condition inspection (성능·상태점검), including any flood damage, with photos and dated within 120 days, and it must state whether the car has any seizure or mortgage registered. It also covers the dealer’s fees and, if you ask, a price assessment.

    If that notice is missing or false and you lose money, the dealer must compensate you. Dealers must carry guarantee insurance, mutual aid coverage or a deposit for this. When the sale is done, they must explain the coverage amount, the provider and the coverage period, and give you a copy of the certificate.

    You can still file yourself. The Act lets a buyer file the transfer directly instead of the dealer. Most dealer sales won’t need this, but it’s an option if you’d rather handle it.

    Check the car before any money moves

    Car365 lets you look up a car you don’t own yet. How much you see depends on whether the owner has agreed to share the record. Car365’s own help pages describe three levels.

    • Owner has agreed to share: seizures and loans, basic details, maintenance history, used car inspection records, inspection history, mileage history, unpaid car tax and mandatory insurance status.
    • Owner hasn’t agreed: only the number of seizures and loans, plus basic details, insurance status and counts of unpaid car tax, inspections and used car inspections.
    • Vehicle registration record (등록원부): shows seizures in section A (갑부) and mortgages in section B (을부). You need the car’s plate number and the owner’s name exactly as registered.

    For cars listed in a dealer’s name, Car365 points to a separate lookup for vehicles held for sale. Ask the seller for the plate number early, before you travel to see the car.

    Why seizures and loans matter. A seizure (압류) and a mortgage (저당) are both claims someone other than the owner has registered against the car. Car365 says a seizure has to be cleared with the body that registered it. Sort these out with the seller before you pay, not after.

    Look at the car in person and take it for a test drive. Compare the registration certificate and registration record with the car in front of you, and with the person selling it.

    Paying without getting burned

    In July 2026, the Seoul city government warned foreign residents about used car scams on Karrot (당근마켓), the secondhand marketplace app. It named four common types.

    • Fake listings: cars that don’t exist, or rental cars and other vehicles in someone else’s name sold as private cars.
    • Third-party scams: someone in the middle deceives the buyer or the seller and takes the money.
    • Hidden history: rolled-back mileage, or a car with an accident history sold as accident-free.
    • Delivery scams: a buyer has the car delivered and then doesn’t pay for it or the delivery.

    The city’s advice is to treat a price far below the market as a red flag. Don’t send any money in advance, including a deposit. Meet the seller, inspect and drive the car, check the registration documents, and confirm the seller is a legitimate business if it’s a dealer.

    If you’re scammed, the city suggests gathering chats, transfer records and car documents and filing a complaint with the police, and reporting the user in the app. Seoul’s foreign residents center (서울외국인주민센터) offers free interpreting and legal consultations in seven languages, by appointment, at 02-2229-4900.

    Transferring ownership within 15 days

    Article 26 of the Registration Decree gives the buyer 15 days from the purchase date to apply for the transfer. When a dealer files it, the Registration Rule counts the 15 days from the final payment date on the transfer certificate.

    If the buyer never files, the seller can file instead. The office then gives the buyer 7 to 15 days to apply or object before completing it. Leaving a transfer to the seller isn’t a plan, though, since the car stays in their name until it’s done.

    You can file in person at a vehicle registration office (차량등록사업소, or the city, county or district office that handles registration), or online through Car365. Use the checker below to see which papers your situation needs.

    Which papers does my transfer need?

    Source: Motor Vehicle Registration Rule Articles 27, 33 and 34, Registration Decree Articles 26 and 27, Motor Vehicle Management Act Articles 12, 58 and 58-3, and Car365’s online transfer help pages. Last checked: October 23, 2026. The registration office makes the final decision, so treat this as a guide.

    The papers, in detail

    Article 33 of the Registration Rule sets the list. Every sale needs a transfer registration application (Form 14) and a vehicle transfer certificate (자동차양도증명서). The certificate uses Form 15 for a direct sale between two people and Form 16 when a dealer sells or arranges it.

    The seller's certificate. In a private sale, the seller also provides one of three documents. It can be a seal certificate (인감증명서) issued for selling a car, with the buyer's name, address and registration number filled in. It can instead be a personal signature confirmation (본인서명사실확인서) or an electronic signature confirmation slip, with the same details.

    This isn't needed when a dealer sells the car, when it's sold at a licensed auction, or when the seller confirms the sale in person at the registration office. Registered foreign residents can apply for the personal signature confirmation in person at a local government office, so a foreign seller isn't stuck without a seal.

    Your proof of address. The office looks this up through shared government records, which for a foreign resident means the alien registration record. If you don't agree to that check, bring the certificate yourself. You can also send someone to file for you, with a power of attorney and a copy of your ID.

    Filing online. Car365 offers online transfer for registered foreign residents, and the checker above lists its steps. Two limits are worth knowing. You must pay through the virtual account Car365 gives you, since paying elsewhere stops the online application. And tax-exempt or tax-reduced cars, or cars once registered for commercial use, can't be transferred online.

    Insurance and registration costs

    The Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act (자동차손해배상보장법) requires every owner to carry mandatory liability insurance, and an uninsured car may not be driven on the road. Car365 adds that for an online transfer, the policy must name the buyer as the insured, with cover starting from the transfer date. A family policy that only lists you as an extra driver doesn't count.

    Registration also comes with charges, and Car365's online steps name acquisition tax (취득세) and government bonds (공채) among them. Our guide to car insurance in Korea for foreigners explains the required cover, the fines for a gap and how insurance history from abroad can count. Our guide to car tax in Korea for foreigners explains how acquisition tax is worked out and what you pay each year after that.

    After the transfer

    Once the transfer is done, the office issues a new registration certificate in the buyer's name. Online, you print it from Car365. Keep a copy of the transfer certificate and your payment records with it.

    Quick checklist before you pay

    • Get the plate number and look the car up on Car365.
    • Check for seizures and mortgages, and agree with the seller how they'll be cleared.
    • From a dealer, get the written notice and the inspection record before you sign.
    • See the car in person, drive it and match the documents to the seller.
    • Don't pay a deposit in advance for a car you haven't seen.
    • Arrange insurance in your name and plan the transfer within 15 days.

    Rules can change and the registration office decides your case. For questions, Car365's help line is 1566-4682 (a paid call, weekdays 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), or ask your local vehicle registration office before you go. Once the car is yours, sort out insurance next, and our car insurance guide covers what the law requires.

    Last checked: October 23, 2026. Sources: Motor Vehicle Management Act, Articles 12, 58 and 58-3 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Motor Vehicle Registration Decree, Articles 26 and 27 (in Korean); Motor Vehicle Registration Rule, Articles 27, 33, 34 and 35 (in Korean); Act on Certification of Personal Signatures (in Korean); Motor Vehicle Accident Compensation Guarantee Act, Articles 5 and 8 (in Korean); Car365 help pages on online transfer, insurance checks and seizure lookups (in Korean); Seoul city portal for foreign residents, notice on Karrot used car scams of July 7, 2026 (in Korean).

  • Korean Driver’s License for Foreigners: How to Convert Yours

    Korean Driver’s License for Foreigners: How to Convert Yours

    If you live in Korea and hold a driver’s license from another country, you can usually exchange it for a Korean one with no road test and no course test. Whether you also sit a written test depends on where your license was issued and, in some cases, on your visa.

    This guide covers who can exchange a license, which countries skip the written test, the documents and fees, and the Korean license class you end up with. In Korean the license is called 운전면허증, and the process is 외국면허 교환발급.

    How we checked

    The rules come from Article 84 of Korea’s Road Traffic Act (도로교통법), last amended in January 2024, and from Article 52 and Annex 3 of its Enforcement Decree (도로교통법 시행령), in the version in force since October 2, 2026. The documents, fees and country list come from the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KoROAD, 도로교통공단), which runs the driver’s license test sites.

    We read KoROAD’s Korean and English pages on October 22, 2026. Where they differ, we’ve followed the Korean page, which cites a newer country list. We didn’t use visa agencies, forums or news reports.

    The short answer

    • Who can apply: registered foreign residents, overseas Koreans with a domestic residence report, refugees and Korean citizens with resident registration. Tourists can’t.
    • What license qualifies: a valid full license you got while staying more than 90 days in the country that issued it.
    • Tests: everyone takes an aptitude test (a physical check-up). Licenses from countries on Korea’s recognized list skip the written test, and others take a 40-question written test.
    • What you get: a Class 2 ordinary license (제2종 보통), except for licenses from five countries with their own agreements.

    Who can exchange a foreign license

    Article 84 of the Road Traffic Act limits the exemption to foreign license holders in four groups. They’re people with Korean resident registration, foreigners registered with immigration (or exempt from registration), recognized refugees, and overseas Koreans who have filed a domestic residence report.

    In practice, most foreign residents apply with their Alien Registration Card. KoROAD’s document list asks for the original card, so a tourist without one can’t exchange a license. If you’re only visiting, an international driving permit is the route instead. Our guide to driving in Korea on an IDP explains which permits Korea accepts and how the one-year limit works.

    The 90-day rule. The Act and the Enforcement Decree count only a license obtained while staying more than 90 days in the issuing country. KoROAD checks this with your passport and an entry and exit record, and it won’t exchange the license if the stay can’t be confirmed.

    Full licenses only. KoROAD accepts only a full license that hasn’t expired. Temporary licenses, learner or provisional licenses, probationary licenses and permits or certificates can’t be exchanged. New Zealand restricted licenses are the one exception it notes, covered below.

    Which tests you’ll take

    Annex 3 of the Enforcement Decree splits foreign licenses into two groups. The dividing line is whether the issuing country exchanges a Korean license without a test. Korea calls those countries 국내면허 인정국가, which we’ll call recognized countries.

    Your license is fromTests you takeTests you skip
    A recognized countryAptitude test (physical check-up)Written test, course test, road test
    Any other countryAptitude test and written testCourse test, road test

    Annex 3 also lets countries with a separate mutual recognition agreement follow the terms of that agreement. Motorcycle and moped licenses aren’t covered by these two rows.

    The written test has 40 multiple-choice questions, according to KoROAD. You can take it in Korean, English, Chinese or Vietnamese.

    Is your country on the recognized list?

    The Korean National Police Agency publishes the list, and KoROAD shows the version from a notice dated April 6, 2026. It covers 133 countries and regions. Regions with their own license systems, such as Hong Kong and Taiwan, count as countries. A country can be dropped if Korea is told it no longer recognizes Korean licenses.

    Some countries are listed only in part. Here are examples from the list, not the full list:

    • United States: 29 states are listed, including Texas, Florida, Virginia, Washington and Massachusetts. California and New York aren’t on it.
    • Canada: all 10 provinces are listed. The territories aren’t.
    • India: only Goa, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana and Maharashtra.
    • Mexico: only Nuevo León. Iraq: only Erbil.

    Some common home countries aren’t on the list, including Australia, mainland China, Indonesia, Russia and Singapore. Licenses from those countries go through the written test unless your visa exempts you (see below).

    Four listed states still take the written test. KoROAD says licenses from Oregon, Idaho, Utah and Nevada need the written test even though those states are on the list.

    New Zealand has its own rule. KoROAD says restricted license holders must pass the written test. So must full license holders less than two years after the license was issued, unless their visa exempts them.

    Use the checker below to see which tests apply to you. It uses KoROAD’s list and notes as of October 22, 2026, and translates the Korean place names into English.

    Which tests apply to my license?

    Source: KoROAD’s foreign license exchange pages and its recognized country list (National Police Agency notice of April 6, 2026), plus Road Traffic Act Article 84 and Enforcement Decree Article 52 and Annex 3. Last checked: October 22, 2026. The test site makes the final decision, so treat this as a guide.

    The visa exemption from the written test

    A license from a non-recognized country doesn't always mean a written test. Article 84 treats licenses held by people in Korea for certain purposes as if they came from a recognized country, and the Enforcement Decree lists the stay statuses. KoROAD gives them as A-1, A-2, A-3, D-7, D-8, D-9, E-1, E-3, E-4, E-7 and F-4.

    The exemption also covers a holder's spouse and any unmarried children under 19. Common statuses such as E-2 and D-2 aren't on the list, so holders of those visas from non-recognized countries take the written test.

    Documents to bring

    KoROAD's list for foreign nationals is the same for both groups. The only difference is the written test fee.

    • Your original foreign driver's license
    • Your original passport, showing your departures and arrivals
    • Your original Alien Registration Card (or overseas Korean residence card)
    • Three color photos taken within the last six months, 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm (about 1.4 × 1.8 inches, by our conversion)
    • An embassy certificate or an apostille for the license
    • A certificate of entry and exit (출입국사실증명) covering your birth year to the present

    The embassy certificate or apostille confirms the license is genuine. It must be issued within one year before you apply, in Korean or English. It can come from your country's embassy in Korea, the Korean embassy in your country, or an apostille authority in a country that has joined the Apostille Convention.

    KoROAD says several embassies have stopped issuing these certificates, including the UK and Finnish embassies and the Netherlands embassy in Korea. Holders of those licenses should get an apostille instead. If a certificate says the embassy didn't check the license's authenticity, KoROAD may ask for more documents or reject the application.

    Country-specific extras. Some countries also need a driving record certificate, and KoROAD names Canada, the UAE, New Zealand, Singapore and Colombia. Colombian licenses need both an apostille and a General Driver Report. A Chinese license must have both its main and supplementary parts notarized and submitted. If your license shows no issue or expiry date, bring a driving record certificate or a similar document from the issuing authority that shows it.

    If the 90-day stay doesn't show in your passport, KoROAD accepts other proof. Its examples include a certificate of enrollment or employment, a tax invoice, a permanent resident card such as a US green card, a citizenship certificate, or a long-term visa of one year or more.

    Fees

    These are the fees on KoROAD's Korean page when we checked. The English page shows lower physical check-up fees and cites an older country list, so it may not be up to date.

    ItemFee (KRW)
    Physical check-up at a test site7,000
    Written test, if you need it10,000
    License card, standard (Korean or English)10,000
    License card, mobile IC (Korean or English)15,000

    At the test site

    You apply in person at any driver's license test site (운전면허시험장) in Korea. KoROAD doesn't accept applications through someone else, except for holders of ID cards issued by Korea's foreign ministry.

    The process runs in three steps: a document review, the aptitude test plus the written test if you need it, then the new license. If the reviewer finds something missing, you may be asked for more documents.

    KoROAD says an exchange takes time, so it asks you to apply by 5 p.m., an hour before closing. If you need the written test, it suggests arriving before 4 p.m.

    Most test sites do the physical check-up on site. KoROAD lists six that don't: Mungyeong, Gangneung, Taebaek, Gwangyang, Chungju and Chuncheon. Applicants there should get the check-up at a nearby hospital first.

    What license class you get

    KoROAD says exchanges are limited to a Class 2 ordinary license. Licenses from Belgium, Poland, Spain, Italy and Ireland can be exchanged for the matching class, because those countries' mutual recognition agreements say so.

    Annex 18 of the Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act says a Class 2 ordinary license covers passenger cars, vans and buses with up to 10 seats, and trucks with a payload of up to 4 tons. Vans with 11 to 15 seats need a Class 1 ordinary license instead. Our Porter and Bongo truck guide shows how the payload limit works on two small trucks sold in Korea.

    What happens to your foreign license

    Article 84 lets KoROAD collect your foreign license in situations the Enforcement Decree sets out, and the decree names two. One is when the issuing country asks for it back. The other is when that country takes Korean licenses in exchange for its own. KoROAD's list puts 163 countries and regions in those two groups and 121 outside them.

    For example, licenses from Japan, the UK and New York are on the collected side. Licenses from Australia, mainland China, Singapore and California are on the side that isn't collected. If yours is collected, the test site keeps it.

    A collected license can be returned if you leave Korea and show your departure ticket, if you cancel your Korean license, or if an embassy asks for it. KoROAD says that if you don't collect it within 10 years of the exchange, it may be destroyed under the consent form you sign.

    Before you go

    • Check your license is a full license and still valid.
    • Confirm your passport or other papers prove a stay of more than 90 days where you got it.
    • Get the embassy certificate or apostille, and check it's less than a year old.
    • Check whether your country or state is on the recognized list, and whether your visa exempts you.
    • Arrive early, especially if you need the written test.

    Rules and lists change, and the test site decides your case. For anything unclear, call KoROAD's customer center at 1577-1120 before you go.

    Last checked: October 22, 2026. Sources: KoROAD foreign license exchange page (in Korean), with its notes for exchange applicants and its recognized country list (National Police Agency notice of April 6, 2026); KoROAD English exchange page; Road Traffic Act, Article 84 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean); Enforcement Decree of the Road Traffic Act, Article 52 and Annex 3 (in Korean); Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act, Annex 18 (in Korean).