“Can I rent a car in Okinawa with just my Korean driver’s license?” It is the first question many visitors from Korea ask. The short answer is no: a Korean license alone is not enough to drive in Japan. You need to get an International Driving Permit (IDP) in Korea before you leave.
This article covers how to get an IDP in Korea (where to apply, online applications, required documents, fee and validity), how long you can drive in Japan, what to bring on the day, and how traffic rules in Korea and Japan differ. The Korean-side information was checked against the Korea Road Traffic Authority (KOROAD, safedriving.or.kr) and Government24 (gov.kr).
What Korean Visitors Need to Drive in Okinawa
Three items: your IDP, your Korean license and your passport
To drive a rental car in Japan, Korean visitors need all three of the following.
| 1 | International Driving Permit (1949 Geneva Convention format) |
|---|---|
| 2 | Korean driver’s license (original) |
| 3 | Passport (with a stamp showing your date of entry into Japan) |
An IDP is issued on the basis of your Korean license. It cannot be used on its own: you must carry your Korean license together with it. KOROAD also advises drivers abroad to carry the IDP, their Korean license and their passport together.
Why a Korean license alone is not enough
According to Japan’s National Police Agency, only three kinds of license are valid for driving in Japan: a Japanese license, an IDP issued under the Geneva Convention, and a license from Switzerland, Germany, France, Belgium, Monaco or Taiwan accompanied by a Japanese translation. Korea is not among those six countries and regions, so adding a translation to a Korean license does not make it valid. For Korean visitors, the IDP is the way to go.
What is an International Driving Permit?
An IDP is a document based on international conventions such as the Geneva Convention, which lets the contents of your home license be recognized in other member countries. It does not replace your license. It is a supporting document showing that you hold a Korean license. That is why you will be asked to show both the IDP and your Korean license at the rental counter in Japan. The application process is explained step by step in the next section.
How long you can drive in Japan
An IDP is valid for one year from the date of issue. In Japan, you can drive until the earlier of two dates: one year after the day you entered Japan, or the expiry date of the IDP. For a trip of a few days to a week, it is enough to check that your IDP has not expired. Because the IDP is based on your Korean license, that license must also be valid whenever you drive.
How to Get an International Driving Permit in Korea
Where you can apply
According to KOROAD, you can apply for an IDP at the following places.
| Driver’s license examination offices | Offices nationwide |
|---|---|
| Police stations | Police stations nationwide. KOROAD advises checking in advance whether the station can issue IDPs, and bringing a credit or debit card |
| Airport IDP centers | Located at Incheon Airport and Gimhae Airport |
| Partner local governments | Local governments that have an agreement with KOROAD (220 locations). Available only when you apply for a passport at the same time |
| Online | KOROAD’s Safe Driving Integrated Civil Service (safedriving.or.kr), Government24 and others |
Opening hours and locations can change, so we have not listed them here. Please check the KOROAD website or call its customer center (1577-1120) before you go.
Tips for applying online
You can also apply for an IDP online. KOROAD says that online issuance has a daily limit (450 permits per day). Government24 and the Police Minwon24 site list the processing time for internet applications as “14 days.” It is convenient if you cannot visit a counter, but a last-minute application may not arrive before your departure. Apply with plenty of time to spare.
Required documents (applying in person)
If you apply at a counter yourself, you need the following (according to KOROAD).
- Passport (a copy is acceptable)
- Korean driver’s license
- One passport-style photo taken within the last six months (3.5 x 4.5 cm)
A representative can apply on your behalf, but then a copy of your passport, your original license, a photo, the representative’s original ID and a power of attorney are required. KOROAD also notes that Korean citizens can omit the passport copy if they consent to the shared use of administrative information.
Fee, validity and processing time
| Fee | 9,000 won (according to KOROAD and Government24; it may be revised, so please confirm before applying) |
|---|---|
| Validity | One year from the date of issue |
| Counter processing | Government24 states that in-person applications are processed within 3 hours during working hours |
| Online processing | Listed as 14 days on Government24 and Police Minwon24 |
If you apply while your Korean license is suspended, the IDP becomes valid from the day after the suspension ends, for one year.
Things to Watch Out for When Applying
Unpaid fines will block issuance
According to KOROAD, an IDP cannot be issued if you have unpaid fines or penalties (gwatae-ryo and beomchik-geum). To avoid a last-minute surprise, check your payment status beforehand.
Your English name and signature must match your passport
If the English name or signature on your IDP does not match your passport, the permit may not be recognized. The rental counter also checks the IDP against your passport. When you apply, write your name with the same spelling as in your passport.
Get it from an official issuing body
Look-alike “international licenses” issued by anyone other than an official body are not valid. Be sure to apply at one of the counters or the online service above. Before you leave, double-check that the IDP you hold was issued by an official body.
Timing and expiry date
An IDP is valid for one year from issue. An IDP you made “last summer” may no longer be valid for this trip. If you already have one, compare its expiry date with your travel dates.
Counter applications are listed as taking up to 3 hours during working hours, and online applications as 14 days. We recommend scheduling your application as soon as you book your flight. If your departure is close, you can also use an airport IDP center, but please confirm opening hours and other details in the official guide.
What to Bring to UMUI Rent a Car
The three-item set
UMUI Rent a Car’s guide (https://u-mui.com/overseas-license/) asks drivers using an IDP to bring the documents below. Korean customers should bring their Korean driver’s license as well.
| International Driving Permit | Issued in the format based on the Geneva Convention |
|---|---|
| Korean driver’s license | Original |
| Passport | With a stamp showing your date of entry into Japan |
Originals only, for every driver
Documents are checked in their original form. Copies or photos on a smartphone are not accepted. If you plan to share the driving with a companion, every driver needs their own IDP and Korean license.
Booking and using the shops
UMUI Rent a Car’s booking site is available in Japanese, English, Korean and Traditional Chinese. The Naha Airport shop offers a free shuttle from the airport and is open every day of the year from 8:00 to 20:00. The Omoromachi shop is open from 9:00 to 18:00. Before booking, confirm how many people will drive and that everyone’s documents are in order, and complete online check-in in advance to speed up the counter procedure. Cars can be returned only at our shops, and after returning at the Naha Airport shop, a free shuttle takes you to the airport.
Traffic Rules: Korea vs. Japan
Driving on the left, steering wheel on the right
Korea drives on the right, but Japan drives on the left, and the driver’s seat is on the right side of the car. JAF also states that “drivers and cyclists must keep to the left.” Take special care when turning right so that you do not drift into the oncoming lane. Until you get used to it, it helps to say “left lane” out loud before each turn. Before you set off, check the width of the car and your distance from the left edge in the parking lot.
If this is your first time driving in Japan, plan to spend the first half hour on quiet roads. When leaving Naha Airport, do not rush onto an expressway or a busy city intersection; check the navigation calmly before you start. Asking your passengers to remind you to “turn into the left lane” also helps prevent wrong-way turns.
Turn signal and wiper levers
In Japanese cars, the turn signal lever is generally on the right side of the steering wheel, the opposite of Korean cars, so many drivers switch on the wipers when they mean to signal. It varies by model, so check the lever positions on your rental car before leaving. The accelerator and brake pedals are in the same positions as in Korea.
No turning on a red light, left or right
In Korea, under rules revised in January 2023, you may turn right on a red light after stopping at the stop line. In Japan, a red light means you may not proceed past the stopping position, so you cannot turn right or left on red. You may go only when a green arrow signal is lit (National Police Agency, “Rules for the Method of Traffic”). Be careful not to follow the Korean habit of “stop, then turn.”
Stop signs, speed limits and other rules
At the red inverted-triangle “止まれ” (stop) sign, you must always stop. You must also stop before a railway crossing. Speed limits are shown by signs and road markings; where none are posted, ordinary cars must keep to 60 km/h on ordinary roads and 100 km/h on expressways (JAF). JAF also gives the following guidance.
- The driver and all passengers must wear seat belts
- Do not use a mobile phone while driving, and do not stare at the car navigation screen
- Drinking and driving is prohibited (passengers and people who lend the car can also be punished)
- Children under six must be seated in a child seat
For detailed rules on signals and signs, JAF sells foreign-language editions of its “Rules of the Road” (English, Chinese and others; we could not confirm a Korean edition). If you have time, it is worth a look before your trip.
Avoiding Unlicensed Driving and FAQ
Checklist before departure
Finally, here are the document checks in one place. Go through them while you pack.
- My IDP, Korean driver’s license and passport are together in one pouch
- I have checked my IDP’s expiry date against my travel dates
- The name and signature on my IDP are written the same way as in my passport
- Every person who will drive has the documents
- I have booked with UMUI Rent a Car and completed online check-in
Cases where you cannot drive
Driving with a license that does not meet the requirements counts as unlicensed driving in Japan. The penalty is severe: up to 3 years of imprisonment or a fine of up to 500,000 yen, and you may not be covered by insurance or compensation if an accident occurs. Please check that none of the following applies to you before leaving.
- The IDP is not in the Geneva Convention format, or it has expired
- You did not bring your original Korean driver’s license
- The name or signature on the IDP does not match your passport
- More than one year has passed since you entered Japan
Can I get an IDP after arriving in Japan?
No. An IDP is issued in Korea on the basis of your Korean license. It cannot be made after you arrive in Japan, so be sure to get it before you leave.
Is a copy of the IDP or an image on my smartphone acceptable?
No. The original is required both at the rental counter and when you drive. Keeping a separate copy in case you lose the original is a good idea, but a copy alone does not let you drive.
Once your documents are in order, your Okinawa trip becomes far more free. Driving along coastal highways and going all the way up to Churaumi Aquarium in the north are pleasures that come with having a car. If anything is unclear while you prepare, feel free to contact UMUI Rent a Car, even before you book.
* The information in this article is current as of October 2026. Rules and fees may change, so please check the latest guidance from KOROAD (safedriving.or.kr) and Government24 in Korea, and from Japan’s National Police Agency and JAF.
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons (CC0 / CC BY 2.5 / CC BY-SA 4.0). Photographers are credited in each caption.
