Tourists can drive in Korea, but most need an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued under a road traffic convention Korea recognizes. A home license alone works only if Korea has a specific agreement with your country, and either way the right to drive lasts a limited time.
This guide walks through the rules as they appear in Korea’s Road Traffic Act (도로교통법), Article 96, in the version in force since July 1, 2026. We checked the list of countries against the United Nations treaty records in October 2026.
The short answer
- Who can drive: visitors holding an IDP issued abroad under the 1949 Geneva Convention, the 1968 Vienna Convention or a bilateral IDP agreement, or a home license Korea recognizes under a bilateral agreement.
- For how long: one year from the date you entered Korea.
- What you can drive: only the vehicle classes printed on your permit.
- What you can’t drive: vehicles registered for commercial passenger or freight transport, with one exception: cars rented from a rental business.
Which permits Korea accepts
Article 96 lists four kinds of documents. All of them must be issued by a competent authority in another country, so plan to get yours from your home country’s issuing organization before you travel.
| Document | Legal basis | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| IDP under the 1949 Geneva Convention | Art. 96(1), item 1 | Applies to visitors from Geneva countries such as the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Japan |
| IDP under the 1968 Vienna Convention | Art. 96(1), item 2 | Covers countries like Germany and Brazil that joined Vienna but not Geneva |
| IDP under a bilateral IDP agreement | Art. 96(1), item 3 | For countries that signed a separate permit agreement with Korea |
| Foreign license recognized under a bilateral agreement | Art. 96(1), item 4 | Lets a home license be used directly, only where Korea has such an agreement |
For most visitors, the first two rows are the ones that matter. The last two depend on country-by-country agreements, and we couldn’t find an official public list of them.
Is your country covered?
The UN treaty records list 103 parties to the 1949 Geneva Convention and 91 parties to the 1968 Vienna Convention as of October 8, 2026. Some countries belong to both. Here are some examples, not the full lists:
- Geneva parties: the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, India, France, Italy, Spain, the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore.
- Vienna parties not on the Geneva list: Germany, Brazil, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Mongolia.
Mainland China is not a party to either convention. A Chinese mainland license or permit doesn’t fall under items 1 or 2. The Geneva record notes that China applies the convention to Hong Kong and Macao, so an IDP issued there under the 1949 Convention would fall under item 1.
If your country isn’t named here, check the UN status pages linked at the end of this guide. If it isn’t a party to either convention, ask the Korean embassy or consulate in your country before you plan a drive. A bilateral agreement may exist, but we can’t confirm one for you here.
What you can and can’t drive
Your permit sets the limit. Article 96 says you may drive only the vehicle classes listed on your IDP or recognized license. If your permit covers cars only, it doesn’t cover a motorcycle.
Article 96(2) also bars visitors from driving vehicles used in commercial passenger or freight transport. In practice, that means you can’t drive a taxi, bus or commercial truck on an IDP.
The same paragraph makes an exception for cars rented from a rental business under Korea’s passenger transport law. That exception is what lets tourists legally drive a rental car.
How the one-year limit works
The clock starts on the day you enter Korea, not the day your permit was issued. Article 96 allows driving for one year from the date of entry. After that, the permit no longer authorizes you to drive here.
Your IDP’s own validity matters too. An expired permit won’t cover you, even if you’re still inside that year.
The article doesn’t spell out how leaving and re-entering affects the count. If you’re close to the limit or come and go often, don’t assume the clock resets.
If you’re moving to Korea rather than visiting, an IDP isn’t a long-term solution. The one-year limit applies however long you stay, so residents need another route, such as converting a foreign license to a Korean one. Our guide to exchanging a foreign license for a Korean one covers who qualifies, which tests apply and the documents to bring.
One more exception
Article 96(3) says the permit doesn’t help someone who is still inside one of the waiting periods set by Article 82(2). Those periods bar certain people from getting a Korean license for a set time after specific violations. Most first-time visitors won’t be affected.
Carry it every time you drive
Article 92 requires every driver to carry a valid license while driving, and it names the IDP and the recognized foreign license under Article 96 as qualifying documents. Keep the permit itself with you whenever you’re behind the wheel.
Before you book a rental
Check three things at home. Make sure your IDP was issued under the Geneva or Vienna convention, or that your country has an agreement with Korea. Then confirm it lists the vehicle class you plan to rent and won’t expire during your trip.
Rental companies set their own age, experience and document rules on top of the law. Those vary by company, so confirm them when you book.
Last checked: October 8, 2026. Sources: Road Traffic Act, Articles 82, 92 and 96 (Korean Law Information Center, in Korean), UN Treaty Collection status pages for the 1949 Geneva Convention on Road Traffic and the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic.
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