The Korean National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority announced on the 7th that the number of people eligible for driver’s license renewal in 2025 will reach 4.9 million, the highest in the past 15 years. The police agency recommends renewing your driver’s license now to avoid severe congestion at the end of the year.
This year’s eligible number is 1 million more than last year’s 3.9 million. From January to June of the first half of the year, approximately 1.8 million people completed their renewals, accounting for only 37.4% of the total.
In December 2024, more than 2,000 people per hour flocked to driver’s license test centers, taking over four hours from application to issuance. The police agency predicts that congestion this year will be even more severe by the end of the year.
Conversely, the average waiting time in the first half of 2025 was about 20 minutes. The police agency encourages renewal now to save over 10 times the wait time compared to the year-end. On the integrated safety driving civil services website of the Korea Road Traffic Authority, you can check the waiting times at each test center in real-time.
The police agency and the authority will strengthen renewal notifications via text, mail, and the National Secretary alerts. At events like exhibitions, they will also provide field civil services. Early renewal applicants will receive discounts on tourist attractions such as Seoul Children’s Grand Park.
If you miss the renewal deadline, you will be fined and unable to use the license authenticity verification service at financial institutions, causing inconvenience in identity verification.
Renewal can be conducted at 27 driver’s license examination centers and police stations nationwide, and online applications can be made via the integrated civil services website.
A police agency official stated, “With so many eligible for renewal, severe congestion is expected at the end of the year,” and urged, “Please complete the renewal early.” A representative from the Korea Road Traffic Authority explained, “Visiting the test center before September or utilizing online renewal can reduce waiting time.”
