Key Points
- Driving a motor vehicle without a driver's license (including during a suspension) carries up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to KRW 3 million (Article 152(1) of the Road Traffic Act).
- If you injure someone in an accident while unlicensed, it is one of the 12 serious faults and you are punished even if insured (Article 3(2)7 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Settlement of Traffic Accidents (the “Traffic Accident Settlement Act”, 교통사고처리법)).
- After driving without a license, you cannot obtain a license for 1 year from the date of the violation (2 years for three or more violations, and 5 years if you caused death or injury and did not take measures or report) (Article 82(2)).
- Riding an electric kick scooter without a motorized bicycle license carries a fine of up to KRW 200,000, detention, or a petty fine (Article 156(13)).
When it counts as driving without a license
- Driving without ever having obtained a license
- Driving during a license suspension
- Driving after the license was revoked without obtaining a new one
- Driving without knowing the license was revoked for failing to take the aptitude test (whether there was intent is the issue)
- Driving a type of vehicle beyond what the license allows (for example, driving a large van with a Class 2 ordinary license)
- Driving after an international driving permit has expired
| Situation | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Driving a motor vehicle without a license (Article 152(1) of the Road Traffic Act) | Up to 1 year in prison or a fine of up to KRW 3 million |
| Injuring someone while driving without a license (Article 3 of the Traffic Accident Settlement Act) | Up to 5 years of imprisonment without labor or a fine of up to KRW 20 million, punishable even with insurance |
| Case | Period | Subparagraph |
|---|---|---|
| Unlicensed driving, 1st or 2nd time | 1 year from the date of the violation | Subparagraph 1 |
| Unlicensed driving, 3 or more times | 2 years from the date of the violation | Subparagraph 2 |
| Driving a stolen vehicle without a license | 3 years from the date of the violation | Subparagraph 5 |
Arguing that there was no intent
Driving without a license requires intent, so you can be punished only if you drove knowing you had no license. If you did not receive the revocation notice, or did not know the license had been revoked after the periodic aptitude test deadline passed, there is room to contest it. We check which address the notice was sent to and whether it was served by public notice.
When a minor drives without a license
When a teenager is caught driving a parent's or someone else's car, unauthorized use of a vehicle or even theft often becomes an issue in addition to unlicensed driving, and the case is usually handled as a juvenile protection case. Juvenile court judges place more weight on correcting the environment and preventing reoffending than on punishment itself. Submitting an organized account of the home environment, school life, treatment plan, and settlement with the car owner can lower the level of the protective disposition. In such a case, DAEON Law Firm obtained a short-term probation disposition.
Frequently Asked Questions
I thought my suspension had ended and drove one day early.
I missed the aptitude test and did not know my license had been revoked.
My high-school son was caught driving without a license.
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Read more →Written on the basis of Korean statutes in force (National Law Information Center, Ministry of Government Legislation) and court precedents as of October 20, 2026. Results may differ with amendments to the law or the facts of each case. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Written and reviewed by Attorney Dongwoo Shin — Ph.D. in Law; certified criminal law specialist and certified divorce law specialist registered with the Korean Bar Association. He handles each case personally from consultation to judgment. About the attorney →
Last updated October 20, 2026
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