Extension of Driver's License Aptitude Test and Renewal Period by up to 6 Months to Prevent COVID-19 Spread

Online Combined Safety Education for Drivers Aged 75 and Older

A stock photo of the Driver's License Examination Center of the Korea Road Traffic Authority. / Photo by Korea Road Traffic Authority

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] As the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) continues, the validity period for driver’s license aptitude tests and renewals will be extended by up to six months.

The National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority announced on the 21st that this decision was made to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The extension applies to drivers whose driver’s license aptitude test or renewal expiration date falls between January 1 and June 30 of next year. The number of eligible drivers is approximately 300,000, accounting for 37% of the total 820,000 renewal candidates next year.

The National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority are advising citizens to refrain from visiting multi-use facilities such as police stations and driver’s license examination centers through announcements on their websites and text messages.

Additionally, the Korea Road Traffic Authority plans to conduct some traffic safety education courses online and strengthen disinfection measures at education centers. For drivers aged 75 and older, traffic safety education will be conducted both in-person and online, starting after January 4 of next year. During in-person sessions, temperature checks and mask-wearing will be mandatory, and the number of participants will be minimized.

Earlier, the National Police Agency and the Korea Road Traffic Authority extended the renewal period until the end of this month for drivers scheduled to renew their licenses this year. However, due to the temporary suspension of traffic safety education for drivers aged 75 and older, the renewal period for this group has been further extended until the end of next year.

A representative from the Korea Road Traffic Authority stated, "We decided to extend the driver’s license renewal period to ensure the safety and health of citizens," adding, "We will do our best to prevent the spread of COVID-19 by minimizing visits and strengthening on-site disinfection."