The Koro Field Guide
Chapter 01 · The Paperwork
Get your IDP.
Korea won't rent you a car without one. It costs about $20, takes a day, and stops 90 percent of foreign drivers from getting turned away at the counter.
What it is
A grey booklet with your photo and ten translations.
The International Driving Permit (IDP) is a one-year, multi-language translation of your home country's driver's license. It exists because Korean police and rental counters need to read your license — and most foreign licenses are in alphabets they don't.
It is not a license. It does not let you drive on its own. It is specifically a translation of the license you already have, and the two documents must travel together. Most Korean rental companies will refuse you without both.
Around 180 countries recognise IDPs issued under the 1949 or 1968 Geneva and Vienna conventions. Korea is one of them. The list of issuing offices is short, the process is boring, and the document itself looks like something from 1962. That is the entire story.
What you bring
Four items. That's it.
Your driver's license
Valid for at least 6 more months. Bring the physical card — Korea does not accept the app version on rental day.
Two passport photos
35 × 45 mm, white background, taken within the last 6 months. CVS, drugstores, and Costco kiosks all do them in 5 minutes.
A completed application form
Available from your country's national automobile association — at the branch or downloadable from their site. One page, mostly the address on your license.
About $20 in fees
Cash or card. The fee varies by country (£5.50 in the UK, CAD $25 in Canada, ¥2,400 in Japan, €16 in Germany) but stays in the same range.
How to apply
Four steps that take a day.
- 01
Check the convention list for your country.
Korea recognises IDPs issued under the 1949 Geneva and 1968 Vienna conventions. Most EU, UK, Australian, Canadian, and Japanese licenses qualify. Mainland China-issued licenses do not — Chinese travelers need a Korean license conversion instead.
- 02
Apply at home, in person, before you fly.
Use your country's national automobile association — CAA in Canada, AA or Post Office in the UK, JAF in Japan, ADAC in Germany. Same-day issue at the counter in most cases. US travelers: see the warning below before you rely on it.
- 03
Get the booklet, not a card.
A real IDP is a grey booklet about the size of a passport — multiple translations stapled to a photo page. If someone sells you a credit-card-sized 'international driver's license' online for $50, it's a scam. Korean rental counters will not accept it.
- 04
Pack both the IDP and your home license.
The IDP is a translation, not a substitute. Rental counters and police checks always want both, in your hand, at the same time. Keep them together in your passport sleeve.
Where to apply by country
The six most common starting points.
Costs are accurate as of early 2026 and rarely change. Walk-in counter visits are usually same-day; online or mail applications add 10–20 days.
If you're flying from the US — read this
South Korea is not currently listed as a recognising country on AAA's own IDP page, and Korean rental counters have refused AAA-issued IDPs in practice — even though the US embassy in Seoul recommends getting one.
In plain terms: do not assume your AAA IDP will work. Email or call your rental company at least a week before you fly, get a written confirmation that they will accept your specific IDP, and consider applying through AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance) — the other US-authorised issuer — as a backup.
How people get this wrong
Four mistakes that show up at the counter.
- ✕
US travelers assuming AAA is enough. South Korea is not officially listed on the AAA recognised-country page, and Korean rental counters have refused AAA-issued IDPs on the spot. Call the rental company in writing before you fly — or apply through AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance) instead, which is the other US issuer some Korean counters prefer.
- ✕
Buying an 'IDL' online. Korea recognises the IDP booklet only. Anything you can print at home is worthless at the rental counter.
- ✕
Forgetting the physical home license. The IDP is a translation — without your real license sitting next to it, no rental company will hand you keys.
- ✕
Letting your home license expire mid-trip. If your home license expires while you're in Korea, the IDP becomes invalid the same day.
- ✕
Assuming a mainland Chinese license works. Mainland China didn't sign the relevant conventions. You'll need a separate Korean license conversion before driving.
FAQ
What people ask.
How long is an IDP valid in Korea?
One year from the date of issue, or until your home license expires, whichever comes first. Staying longer? You'll need to convert to a Korean license at a local 운전면허시험장 driver's licence centre.
Can I apply for an IDP after I land in Korea?
No. Korea does not issue IDPs to foreigners — only your home country can. Apply before you fly. If you forget, your options are buying a flight home or asking a family member to mail one (which takes 2–3 weeks).
Do I need an IDP for Jeju Island?
Yes. Jeju is part of South Korea and follows the same driving rules as the mainland. Every rental counter on the island will ask for an IDP plus your home license.
My license is already in English — do I still need an IDP?
Yes. The IDP isn't about the language — it's the document Korean police and rental counters are trained to recognise. An English-only license alone won't pass.
I'm American. Will my AAA IDP definitely work?
It might. It also might not. Korea is no longer on AAA's recognised-country list, and Korean rental companies have refused AAA IDPs in real cases. Email your rental company in advance for a written go-ahead — or apply through AATA (American Automobile Touring Alliance) as a more reliably accepted alternative.
What if my IDP expires while I'm driving in Korea?
Stop driving the day it expires. Even being one day past expiry voids your rental insurance and counts as driving without a license in Korea — a fine of up to 500,000 KRW.
Next chapter
Picking up the rental car.
IDP in hand. Now what happens at the rental counter, what to photograph before they hand you the keys, and the line that Korean counter staff will always read out loud.