🇦🇺 How My Aussie Husband Swapped His License for a Korean One 🚗
Australian License → Korean License Exchange, Our Real Story
It’s hard to believe it’s already been a year since we moved to Korea!
At first, we planned to stay just for a year, so my husband (he’s Australian 🇦🇺) got an International Driving Permit and used that to drive in Korea.
It’s valid for one year, so we didn’t think much of it at the time.
But… surprise! We’re now expecting a baby 🤰 and decided to stay another year in Korea.
That’s when the international license became a problem — it had expired. (Yep, IDPs are only valid for 12 months from the issue date.)
So now, we’ve finally started the process to officially exchange his Australian license for a Korean one.
If you’re in a similar situation — say, you’re an international couple or you have a foreign family member driving in Korea — this post might be just what you need!
📨 No Embassy Visit Needed — We Used Express Post 📦
Usually, you’d go to the Australian Embassy in Seoul to request a License Verification Certificate,
but since we don’t live in Seoul — and don’t have a car yet — making the round trip would have been way too much. 😵💫
So we mailed the documents via express post (next-day delivery) instead.
👉 (Check the 🇦🇺 Australian Embassy in Korea website for the latest info!)
✔️ Documents arrived the next day
✔️ We included credit card info in the envelope and paid that way
✔️ Everything was processed quickly and smoothly ✨
🧾 How to Exchange an Australian License in Korea
We haven’t finished the full process yet, but here’s everything we’ve prepared so far.
If you’re trying to convert a foreign driver’s license to a Korean one, this should help 😊
✅ Step-by-step (for Australian licenses)
- Request a License Verification Certificate from the Australian Embassy
- After receiving it, visit a driver’s license examination office
- Submit your application, documents, and ID photo
- Get your Korean license issued (no tests required!)
→ Since Australia is a reciprocal country, both the written and practical tests are waived!
✅ Required Documents
- Original passport
- ARC (Alien Registration Card)
- Australian driver’s license
- License Verification Certificate from the embassy
- Certificate of entry and exit records
- ID photo
- Application fee (payable at the license center)
🙌 Tips & What to Expect
- An IDP is only a short-term solution (valid for 1 year only).
If your stay in Korea is longer than that, exchanging for a local license is safer and more convenient. - If mailing your documents to the embassy, double-check the address and recipient name to avoid any delays!
🧾 Summary: Swapping an Aussie License in Korea
- IDPs are valid for 1 year only → You must exchange your license if staying longer
- No driving test required for Australians, thanks to reciprocal agreement
- No need to visit the embassy in person — express post works well
- Required docs include passport, ARC, Australian license, verification certificate, and entry/exit record
- Once you’ve got the papers, just visit your local license center to get it done!
If you’re living in Korea as part of an international couple or family, and driving is part of your daily life,
I definitely recommend looking into the license exchange process — it’s much smoother than you might expect. 🚗💨
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