How the test works
You can take the road test once you have a learner's permit. You are assigned one of several routes set by the testing center and drive on real roads, with an examiner on board and electronic equipment scoring alongside. Directions come from in-car voice guidance or the examiner.
Points are deducted from 100; 70 or more passes. Passing turns your learner's permit into a full license and your license card is issued.
Before starting, adjust the seat and mirrors, fasten your seat belt and wait for the signal to go. If you can't hear the examiner clearly, it is fine to ask again. Checking is much better than misunderstanding and moving dangerously.
What is scored
- Before starting: seat belt, seat and mirror adjustment, checking surroundings, turn signal
- While driving: lane keeping, speed suited to the limit and traffic flow, safe following distance
- Lane changes: check mirrors and over your shoulder, signal early, don't cut in sharply
- Intersections: obey signals, respect the stop line, correct turning, protect pedestrians
- Child protection zones and similar: slow down and take care as signs indicate
- Stopping and finishing: stop smoothly at the designated place
- Checking around: turning your head to check blind spots when starting, changing lanes and turning is also scored
Situations that can mean instant failure
Mistakes directly tied to safety can end the test regardless of score. Examples include running a signal, crossing the center line, endangering pedestrians at a crosswalk, speeding in a child protection zone, or nearly causing an accident so that the examiner has to use the auxiliary brake.
Failing to follow instructions and leaving the set route significantly, or being unable to start several times, can also mean failure. Specific standards follow the testing center's guidance.
On the other hand, a single small mistake does not mean instant failure, so if you slip up, compose yourself and focus on the next section.
How to practice
- Get familiar with the signals and lane layouts on roads around your testing center.
- Practice lane changes by saying the order aloud: mirror → signal → shoulder check → move slowly.
- Build the habit of checking the crosswalk and pedestrians before a right turn.
- Reading speed limit signs aloud as you drive helps you get a feel for speed quickly.
- When practicing on roads with a learner's permit, ride with someone licensed for more than two years and display a practice sign.
- Practice slowing early before the stop line so you stop smoothly. Sudden stops cause deductions and accidents.
Your first drives after passing
Right after getting your license you are a novice driver under the Road Traffic Act. Unlike the test route, real roads have unfamiliar routes, narrow alleys and parking lots, so start with familiar roads and expand gradually.
If you fail the road test, you can retake it within the learner's permit's one-year validity. After that, you need a new learner's permit, so check your dates.
A novice driver sign is not mandatory, but displaying one can help other drivers keep their distance and be patient.
FAQ
What is the pass mark for the road test?
70 points or more passes.
Can I know the route in advance?
Each testing center has set routes, and one is assigned on the day. Getting used to the roads around the center helps.
When can I retake it if I fail?
You can apply again, and you must pass within the learner's permit's one-year validity. Check the testing center for when you can retake.
What happens if the examiner uses the auxiliary brake?
If the examiner had to step in to prevent danger, you are likely to fail.
Sources
- Road Traffic Act
- Enforcement Rule of the Road Traffic Act
- Korea Road Traffic Authority Safe Driving Civil Service portal
Laws change. This is general information. Check KoROAD or the Korean Law Information Center for the latest rules.
Related
In Korea, the course test checks basic vehicle handling on a closed course at the testing center; 80 points or more passes for both Class 1 and Class 2 Ordinary. Knowing the automatic-fail items matters more than the minor deductions.
How to Get a LicenseIn Korea, the order is: traffic safety education → medical check → written test → course test → learner's permit → road test → license issuance. The test order is the same whether you attend a driving school or prepare on your own.
Guide for New DriversAs a new driver, aim to be predictable rather than fast. A good seating position, well-set mirrors, a generous following distance and early turn signals remove many dangerous moments.
Intersections and Right of WayThink of priority in this order: who was there first, which road is wider, who is on the right, and who is turning. Above all, people come before cars.
Children's Protection Zone (School Zone) RulesIn Korean children's protection zones, keep to 30 km/h and stop at unsignalled crosswalks even when nobody is there. Stopping and parking on the road are generally banned, and injuring a child can bring heavy punishment under the aggravated punishment law known as Minsik's Law.