The road-driving test is the final examination for a new Class 1 or Class 2 Regular Korean driving licence. You must drive safely on a designated public-road course and score at least 70 points. SDA provides English road-driving instruction for foreign applicants — including students who have already passed the written and skills tests and need only the road-driving stage.
You may not need to purchase the complete new-licence course. A road-driving-only course may suit you if you passed the written test, passed the driving skills test, hold a valid learner's permit, completed part of the process at another academy or examination centre, need English instruction for the final stage, previously failed the road test, or your current academy/test route is difficult to access.
Before confirming registration, SDA needs to check your licence category, written-test status, skills-test status, learner's-permit validity, previous training records, and preferred training and test dates.
Tell us your learner's-permit expiry date and preferred test date.
Only passed the written test so far?
If you have passed the written test but have not yet passed the driving skills test, you are not yet eligible for the road test — a valid learner's permit (issued after passing both the written and skills tests) is required first. You need skills-test training and the skills test before road training applies to you.
The Korean road-driving test takes place in real traffic on public roads. Unlike the closed-course skills test, it evaluates how you respond to other vehicles, pedestrians, bicycles, traffic signals, intersections, lane changes, speed limits, school zones, unexpected road conditions and navigation instructions.
The official evaluation includes 57 safety-related items. You pass with a score of at least 70, provided you don't make an instant-failure error.
Where this fits
Who Can Take the Road Test?
You can proceed to the road-driving stage after you have: passed the written test → passed the driving skills test → received a valid learner's permit → completed the required road-driving education or practice → met the applicable registration requirements. This test applies to Class 1 Regular and Class 2 Regular. Motorcycle, large and special licence categories follow different testing processes and don't use this standard passenger-car road test.
The official road test uses four designated courses — one is selected for your test, each with a total distance of at least 5 kilometres. English voice guidance is available for route instructions.
The navigation system tells you where to go, but it doesn't tell you every safety action you must take. You still need to decide: when it's safe to change lanes, when to slow down, whether a pedestrian may cross, how to respond to a yellow light, whether the speed limit has changed, and when to yield.
Follow the voice navigation instructions
Continue observing actual signs and road conditions
Follow the examiner's safety instructions
Don't depend only on memorizing the route
Drive according to Korean traffic laws
Adjust your driving to pedestrians, traffic and weather
Staying in lane, safe distance from parked vehicles, directional markings. A safe lane change needs mirrors → indicator → blind spot → space → smooth change → cancel indicator — the side mirror alone isn't enough.
Intersections
Signal compliance, stop-line compliance, turning position, right-of-way, pedestrian protection, approach speed, response to changing signals.
Speed & following distance
Observe posted limits, slow down when conditions require, avoid driving unnecessarily slowly, reduce speed in protection zones, and keep enough space to react if the vehicle ahead slows.
Pedestrian protection
Crossings, people preparing to cross, children near the road, unsignalized crossings, people emerging between parked vehicles. Failure here can mean immediate failure.
School & protection zones, emergency vehicles
Increased caution and the designated speed limit in school/elderly/disabled protection zones; stopping or yielding safely for an approaching emergency vehicle. Both are instant-failure risks if ignored.
Scoring
Passing Score and Instant-Failure Rules
You need at least 70 points to pass. Points can be deducted for errors in vehicle preparation, starting, indicators, mirror checks, lane changes, speed control, following distance, lane position, intersections, turns, pedestrian awareness, stopping and overall driving stability. Some serious errors cause immediate failure regardless of your score.
Instant-failure conditions
Repeated control problems: three or more serious issues — inability to start, repeated stalling, unnecessary emergency braking, sudden/unsafe control or acceleration
Accident risk or collision: clear collision risk, unsafe following distance, rolling back 1m+ on a slope, or causing an accident
Unsafe condition: driving under the influence, unable to continue safely, using a mobile phone, or refusing the examiner's instructions
Signal violation or failing to obey an official instruction
Pedestrian-protection violation
Protection-zone speeding — school, elderly-person or disabled-person zones
Wrong-side driving
Serious speeding: exceeding the applicable limit by more than 10 km/h
Emergency-vehicle violation or school-bus protection violation
Seat belt: not worn throughout the test
The exact deduction criteria are set by the Korea Road Traffic Authority and can change — check the current official scoring table rather than an unverified fixed chart.
Language
Korean Road-Test Navigation in English
English voice support is available for course guidance, but it does not provide full English driving instruction during the test. It generally helps with route directions — turn left, turn right, continue straight, change direction, approach the destination.
You remain responsible for checking signals, reading road signs, selecting the correct lane, finding a safe gap, protecting pedestrians, controlling speed and following the examiner's safety directions. SDA's training explains the driving decisions that navigation alone can't teach.
Get familiar with lane changes, turning points, speed limits, protection zones and complex intersections — don't rely only on route memorization.
Step 5
Practise all four courses
Since one of four routes is selected on test day, preparing for only one route creates unnecessary risk.
Step 6
Complete a mock test
Drive without continuous instructor prompting and review every deduction afterward.
Step 7
Correct high-risk mistakes first
Prioritize signal violations, pedestrian protection, protection-zone speed, unsafe lane changes, following distance and seat-belt use.
Test day
What to Bring, and Learner's Permit Validity
Bring with you
Valid ARC or Residence Card
Application form with a valid learner's permit
Test or academy reservation information
Glasses or contact lenses if required
Suitable closed-toe shoes
A passport is not required for SDA registration.
Permit validity
The learner's permit is generally valid for one year from its issue date — you must pass the road test before it expires. If it expires, you cannot register with the expired permit and may need to retake the written and skills tests. The initial traffic-safety education generally does not need to be repeated solely because the permit expired.
Don't wait until the final weeks of the permit period to begin road training.
30,000 KRW per attempt — this is the official examination-centre fee, separate from SDA road-driving education, academy examination charges, insurance, additional practice, retest preparation and licence issuance. If you fail and retake the examination, the applicable test fee must be paid again.
You can normally retake the test after three days have passed from the failure date (failed Monday → earliest retest Thursday). Before retaking: review the scoring report, identify whether it was a point-score or instant failure, practise that specific situation, complete another mock test, confirm your learner's-permit expiry date, check the next available date, and confirm additional training/retest costs.
You've completed the final test for a Class 1 or Class 2 Regular Korean licence. Final steps: confirm the completed application, pay the licence issuance fee, choose the available licence format, and receive your Korean driving licence. Passing the road test does not authorize driving until the licence has been properly issued.
Road-test training is for applicants who don't yet have a full Korean licence, hold a learner's permit, and are preparing for the official test. Refresher lessons are for drivers who already hold a valid licence and want practice with parking, Seoul traffic, expressways or returning after a break.
What score do I need to pass the Korean road test?
You need at least 70 out of 100.
I've only passed the written test — can I book road-test training?
Not yet. The road test requires a valid learner's permit, which is only issued after you pass both the written test and the driving skills test. If you haven't taken the skills test yet, start with skills-test training first.
How many road-test courses are there?
The official test uses four designated courses, with one selected for the examination.
How long is the course?
Each official course has a total distance of at least five kilometres.
Is English navigation available?
Yes. English voice support is available for road-test course guidance.
Is the entire examination conducted in English?
English route guidance is available, but you must still understand Korean signs, signals and road conditions. The examiner's role is not the same as an English driving lesson.
Do I need a learner's permit?
Yes. Class 1 and Class 2 Regular applicants need a valid learner's permit before the road-driving test.
How long is the learner's permit valid?
It is generally valid for one year from the issue date.
Can I practise driving alone with a learner's permit?
No. A learner's permit is not a full licence and does not permit unsupervised driving.
Can I register only for the road-driving course?
It may be possible if you have completed the earlier stages and hold a valid learner's permit. SDA must check your documents and training status.
Can I transfer after passing the skills test somewhere else?
Possibly. Send SDA your application and learner's-permit information so your eligibility can be reviewed.
How much is the official road-test fee?
The current official examination-centre fee is 30,000 KRW per attempt.
How soon can I retake the test after failing?
You can normally retake it after three days have passed from the failure date.
What happens if I exceed the speed limit?
Points may be deducted, and serious speeding can result in immediate failure. Exceeding an applicable maximum speed by more than 10 km/h is an official failure condition.
What happens if I exceed the speed limit in a school zone?
Exceeding the designated protection-zone speed can result in immediate failure.
What if I fail to stop for a pedestrian?
Failure to meet pedestrian-protection duties can result in immediate failure.
What if I miss a navigation instruction?
Don't make a sudden or illegal manoeuvre. Continue safely and follow the test procedure and examiner's instructions.
Is route memorization enough?
No. Signals, pedestrians and traffic conditions change. The test evaluates safe decisions, not only route knowledge.
Does SDA guarantee a pass?
No. SDA provides professional preparation and English support, but no academy can legitimately guarantee an official test result.
What comes after passing?
Complete the licence issuance procedure and receive your Korean driving licence.
Get started
Already Passed the Written and Skills Tests?
Send SDA your licence category, written-test status, skills-test status, learner's-permit expiry date, previous road-training record, and preferred training and test dates. We'll confirm whether you can register for the road-driving stage only.
