Administrative Info

Vehicles

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Purchase and Registration of Vehicles

New Vehicles

As the vehicle registration procedure is fairly complex, foreign residents purchasing a new car are recommended to ask the dealer to handle the registration. The acquisition tax (2%), registration tax (5%) and urban railway bond (20%) shall be imposed on the vehicle purchaser.

Required Documents

  • Automobile Manufacturing Certificate issued by the manufacturer of the vehicle
  • Temporary driving permit and temporary driving permit license plate
  • Alien Registration Card
  • Insurance Certificate

Used vehicles

Used car dealers are not obliged to handle vehicle registration work for the customer. It is common practice, however, for the dealer to register the vehicle for the customer. Foreign residents are recommended to visit their local vehicle registration center accompanied by an interpreter. If the vehicle is not registered within 15 days of signing the contract, the transferee of the vehicle shall be subject to a fine. Acquisition tax (2%), registration tax (5%) and urban railway bond (6%) shall be imposed on the transferee.

Required Documents

  • Vehicle Registration Card
  • Alien Registration Card
  • Bill of Sale (With the transferee’s seal impression)
  • Seal Registration Card (When the transferor does not accompany the transferee to the transferee’s local vehicle registration center)

Yongsan-gu: Vehicle Registration Team at the Transportation Administration Division (Tel 02-2199-7780)

Failing to report changes on time will result in a fine.

Negligence fine when reporting of change is delayed
Type of Violation Violation Period and Frequency Fine
Failure to repot various changes including address, name, registration number, and change of nationality 15-90 days KRW 20,000
Additional KRW 10,000 imposed every three days for unpaid fines Up to KRW 300,000
Committing the same type of violation twice or more Up to 450,000

Parking Violation

Parking on a road with no marked parking lines will result in a fine. The vehicle may even be towed. When parking, use a parking space with marked parking lines.

※ Parking violation fines

Negligence fine for parking violation
Type of Vehicle Fine
Bus KRW 50,000
Car KRW 40,000
Motorcycle KRW 30,000
Bicycle, etc. KRW 20,000

When Vehicle Is Towed

When a vehicle that has violated a parking law has been towed, a notice will be attached to the location where the vehicle was parked. The notice includes a guide to where the towed vehicle is located. To get your vehicle back, you must provide your driver’s license (non-Koreans should also have an Alien Registration Card) and a towing fee. Towing fees can range from KRW 40,000-115,000; this is subject to change depending on the size of the car. KRW 700 will be added every 30 minutes as a storage fee. Also, the bill will be sent via mail within 1-2 months. You must also pay a parking violation fine of KRW 40,000-50,000.).

※ Towing Fee & Storage Fee

Towing and storage fees
Compact Car Small Medium Large
Towing Fee Car KRW 40,000 KRW 45,000 KRW 50,000 KRW 60,000
Van KRW 40,000 KRW 60,000 KRW 80,000 KRW 140,000
Truck 2.5 tons or less
KRW 40,000
2.5-6.5 tons
KRW 60,000
6.5-10 tons
KRW 80,000
10 tons or more
KRW 140,000
Storage Fee Can, Van/Truck (Under 6.5 tons) KRW 700/30min
Van/Truck (6.5 tons or more) KRW 1,200/30min

Automobile Insurance

The automobile insurance enrollment procedure is almost exactly the same for foreign residents as it is for Korean nationals. After you have selected an insurance company, bring your passport and Alien Registration Card to enrol in an insurance plan.

Automobile insurance
Insurance Company Telephone
MG Non-life Insurance 1588-5959
Lotte Non-life Insurance 02-778-8572
Dongbu Insurance 1588-0100
KB Insurance 1544-0114
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance 1588-5114
Hanwha General Insurance 1566-8000

Traffic laws

  • The right lane is the inside lane and the left lane is the passing lane.
  • Passengers seated in the driver’s seat or the passenger’s seat must wear their seatbelts.
  • Traffic laws
    Traffic laws and traffic signs in South Korea are identical to those used in other advanced countries.
    View South Korea’s traffic laws at https://www.koroad.or.kr/kp_web/accStatLaw.do .

    How to Respond to an Automobile Accident

    • First, help the injured.
    • Report to the police (Call 112): If someone is injured, call an ambulance (Call 119).
    • Photograph the accident site and move the vehicle to the shoulder or the edge of the road.
    • Call the insurance company.
    • Ask for the other driver’s license, and record his or her name, phone number and license plate number.
  • Motorcycle, scooter, bicycle
    When driving a two-wheeled vehicle in South Korea, you must wear a helmet. If you violate this law, a fine will be imposed. All traffic laws for cars also apply to motorcycles, scooters and bicycles. In general, a two-wheeled vehicle cannot be driven on the highway, which is reserved for the exclusive use of automobiles. Violation of this law will result in a fine.