Wth regards to your driver's license - to be able to drive here you need to do one of the following:-
- Bring an International Driver's Permit (IDP)
Easily available online in many countries. Usually quite cheap (e.g. - around GBP 8 in Britain through the RAC) These last for one year.
It is unclear how this affects a driver if stopped by the police and asked to produce a license. So far, only one case reported of this being an issue, although there is some talk in the wind about everyone needing a Korean Driver's license. Keep your ears open!
In the meantime, this will get you mobile to begin with, and if you are planning to lease long term, or you are planning a short-term rental before you buy your own vehicle, this will be accepted by the company who does the leasing and the renting.
Here is the form for British nationals through the RAC
In the United States, you can get an International Driver's License at your local AAA office. You can also mail the application form and receive your IDP in the mail. The permit itself is valid for a year. You will absolutely need this to rent a car in Jeju when you first arrive, and to drive around while you get your Korean driver's license. If you go in person to a AAA office, you can have pictures taken there as well (the sizing matters). The whole deal shouldn't cost more than US$30. More information here: http://www.aaa.com/PPInternational/IDP_IADP.html
Easily available online in many countries. Usually quite cheap (e.g. - around GBP 8 in Britain through the RAC) These last for one year.
It is unclear how this affects a driver if stopped by the police and asked to produce a license. So far, only one case reported of this being an issue, although there is some talk in the wind about everyone needing a Korean Driver's license. Keep your ears open!
In the meantime, this will get you mobile to begin with, and if you are planning to lease long term, or you are planning a short-term rental before you buy your own vehicle, this will be accepted by the company who does the leasing and the renting.
Here is the form for British nationals through the RAC
In the United States, you can get an International Driver's License at your local AAA office. You can also mail the application form and receive your IDP in the mail. The permit itself is valid for a year. You will absolutely need this to rent a car in Jeju when you first arrive, and to drive around while you get your Korean driver's license. If you go in person to a AAA office, you can have pictures taken there as well (the sizing matters). The whole deal shouldn't cost more than US$30. More information here: http://www.aaa.com/PPInternational/IDP_IADP.html
idp-application-form-new__1_.pdf | |
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- Exchange your home licence for a Korean driver's licence.
You can exchange your valid home country's driver's license at the Driving License Centre. It is valid for 10 years.
They do keep your original driver's licence, but will give it back to you if you are flying home, and can produce your flight documents. Some people have been given their license back immediately when they went back to pick up their Korean licence.
You will have to take an eye test (with a wooden spoon ;-) )
- An apostilled copy of your driver's licence
- a copy of your passport
- your ARC card
The way you obtain this depends on your nationality - mostly, you have to go to your Embassy in Seoul and ask for it to be apostilled for about 50,000 KW. However...
Procedure
You will fill in an application form when you get there. It's in English, and there are English speaking people that will help you behind the counter.
You then take a very basic eye test. That's it.
Here is a map to the office where you can exchange your licence. It's Exit 7 on the 1136 (Jeju City Highway), and it is literally turn right off the slip road, turn first left, and there you are!
MAP TO THE DRIVING LICENCE OFFICES IN JEJU
You can exchange your valid home country's driver's license at the Driving License Centre. It is valid for 10 years.
They do keep your original driver's licence, but will give it back to you if you are flying home, and can produce your flight documents. Some people have been given their license back immediately when they went back to pick up their Korean licence.
You will have to take an eye test (with a wooden spoon ;-) )
- An apostilled copy of your driver's licence
- a copy of your passport
- your ARC card
The way you obtain this depends on your nationality - mostly, you have to go to your Embassy in Seoul and ask for it to be apostilled for about 50,000 KW. However...
- Because Britain didn't sign some agreement man years ago, apostilling is not available in any country other than Britain apparently. So if you are British, get it done at home before you get here!
- US driver's license holders: Check with the Secretary of State's office in your state how to get an apostilled copy of your license. Most states will accept mail-in applications. Usually it involves getting a notarized copy of your license (at your local bank or wherever else there is a notary public; most banks will have a notary public on-site who notarizes stuff for free for their clients), filling an application form, and paying some money (depends on the state, but a safe ballpark figure should be around $25).
- If your country or state is in the following list, all you have to do is bring documents, do the eye test, pay some money (I believe we paid KRW8000 or so), wait some time, and you will get a Korean driver's license. These are the countries and US states that have signed agreements with Korea for this - what this means is that if your license is from one of these places, you don't need to take the test: http://dl.koroad.or.kr/license/en/sub/popInterLicArea.jsp
Procedure
You will fill in an application form when you get there. It's in English, and there are English speaking people that will help you behind the counter.
You then take a very basic eye test. That's it.
Here is a map to the office where you can exchange your licence. It's Exit 7 on the 1136 (Jeju City Highway), and it is literally turn right off the slip road, turn first left, and there you are!
MAP TO THE DRIVING LICENCE OFFICES IN JEJU
If you don't have any kind of license at all, or you don't want to do any of the above... you can take your Korean Driver's license test!
There are three parts to it.
Studying for and passing your Korean driver's licence - http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3512
Here is a link to the test booklets in English PDFs - Department Exam Questions Bank [English] - http://dl.koroad.or.kr/PAGE_license/view.jsp?code=210788&isSkin=Y&cmd=view&boardCode=101226&page&bseq=143118&tt=20
There are three parts to it.
- The theory - There is an English version of this test and some of it is not translated very well, but it is not impossible. There are people at BHA who have done this successfully. (See below for some help with this)
- The Practical - This involves driving around a type of obstacle course in a set up car park especially created for this purpose.
- The Medical - very basic
Studying for and passing your Korean driver's licence - http://www.jejuweekly.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=3512
Here is a link to the test booklets in English PDFs - Department Exam Questions Bank [English] - http://dl.koroad.or.kr/PAGE_license/view.jsp?code=210788&isSkin=Y&cmd=view&boardCode=101226&page&bseq=143118&tt=20