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.
| 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 violation fines
| 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
※ Towing Fee & Storage Fee
| 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.
| 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.